1866 British Open Tournament Results

The 1866 British Open was the seventh one played. Willie Park Sr. was the winner for the third time, joining Old Tom Morris as 3-time winners.

Winner: Willie Park Sr., 169

Where it was played: Prestwick Golf Club, Ayrshire, Scotland

Tournament dates: Sept. 16, 1866

Leader after first round: Willie Park Sr., 54

Leader after second round: Willie Park Sr., 110

What Happened in the 1866 Open Championship

Willie Park Sr. was the winner of the 1866 British Open, his third victory in the Open. This was the seventh British Open played, and Park and Old Tom Morris won six of those first seven, three each. Andrew Strath, in 1865, was the only interloper.

But Strath, the defending champion, finished sixth this year, 13 strokes behind Park. And Old Tom was fourth, nine shots back.

Sixteen golfers entered and 12 completed the three trips around Prestwick's 12-hole links. Every one of the 12 golfers who completed the tournament was from Scotland.

Park had the best scores in both the first and second rounds to open a 5-stroke lead. He wound up winning by two strokes over his brother, David Park.

Like at most early Opens, the 1866 Open included multiple family members. Old Tom's son, 15-year-old Tommy Morris Jr. (a k a Young Tom Morris) played in his second Open and finished ninth.

Willie Park Sr. went on to win one more British Open in 1875. His previous wins were in 1860 and 1863. Another of Park's brothers, Mungo Park, won the 1874 Open. And Park's son Willie Park Jr. won the British Opens of 1887 and 1889.

Final Scores

Willie Park Sr.	54-56-59—169
David Park	58-57-56—171
Robert Andrew	58-59-59—176
Tom Morris Sr.	61-58-59—178
Bob Kirk	60-62-58—180
Andrew Strath	61-61-60—182
John Allan	60-63-60—183
a-William Doleman	60-60-63—183
Tom Morris Jr.	63-60-64—187
Willie Dunn Sr.	64-63-62—189
Tom Hood	61-69-61—191
James Hutchison	62-67-69—198

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