1975 British Open: Watson's First
Winner: Tom Watson, 279
Where it was played: Carnoustie in Angus, Scotland
Tournament dates: July 9-13, 1975
Leader after first round: Peter Oosterhuis, 68
Leader after second round: David Huish, 136
Leader after third round: Bobby Cole, 204
Notable Notes: Jack Newton was one off the lead entering the final round, and Tom Watson three off the lead. Then they shot 74 and 72, respectively, which on the tough Carnoustie links was good enough to tie for first place. That meant an 18-hole playoff. The duo battled throughout and reached the 18th hole tied. But when Newton found a bunker on his approach to the green, Watson took the moment and won by a stroke. It was the first of Watson's five British Open wins, the first of his eight career major championship wins.
Final Scores
| Tom Watson | 71-67-69-72—279 |
| Jack Newton | 69-71-65-74—279 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 69-71-68-72—280 |
| Johnny Miller | 71-69-66-74—280 |
| Bobby Cole | 72-66-66-76—280 |
| Graham Marsh | 72-67-71-71—281 |
| Peter Oosterhuis | 68-70-71-73—282 |
| Neil Coles | 72-69-67-74—282 |
| Hale Irwin | 69-70-69-75—283 |
| George Burns | 71-73-69-71—284 |
| John Mahaffey | 71-68-69-76—284 |
| Paul Leonard | 70-69-73-74—286 |
| Bob Charles | 74-73-70-69—286 |
| Andries Oosthuizen | 69-69-70-78—286 |
| Tom Weiskopf | 73-72-70-72—287 |
| Arnold Palmer | 74-72-69-73—288 |
| Maurice Bembridge | 75-73-67-73—288 |
| Alan Tapie | 70-72-67-79—288 |
| Sam Torrance | 72-74-71-72—289 |
| Tommy Horton | 72-71-71-75—289 |
| Lon Hinkle | 76-72-69-72—289 |
| Bernard Gallacher | 72-67-72-78—289 |
| Hugh Baiocchi | 72-72-73-73—290 |
| Brian Barnes | 71-74-72-73—290 |
| Martin Foster | 72-74-73-71—290 |
| Danny Edwards | 70-74-71-75—290 |
| Raymond Floyd | 71-72-76-71—290 |
| Roberto De Vicenzo | 71-74-72-74—291 |
| David Graham | 74-70-72-75—291 |
| Simon Hobday | 70-70-76-75—291 |
| Guy Hunt | 73-68-76-74—291 |
| Mike Cahill | 71-73-74-74—292 |
| Dale Hayes | 73-71-73-75—292 |
| Tienie Britz | 74-71-72-75—292 |
| Peter Dawson | 74-75-71-72—292 |
| Gary Player | 75-71-73-73—292 |
| Bob Shearer | 69-72-74-77—292 |
| Hubert Green | 72-73-70-77—292 |
| David Huish | 69-67-76-80—292 |
| Norman Wood | 74-74-71-74—293 |
| Brian Huggett | 72-71-75-75—293 |
| Kel Nagle | 72-73-73-75—293 |
| Bob Gilder | 75-71-75-72—293 |
| Lee Trevino | 76-69-73-75—293 |
| Brian Waites | 74-72-69-78—293 |
| Ian Stanley | 75-71-70-78—294 |
| Lou Graham | 73-72-74-76—295 |
| Bill Garrett | 76-72-72-75—295 |
| Christy O'Connor Jr. | 72-73-73-77—295 |
| Peter Wilcock | 77-68-75-75—295 |
| Bill Brask Jr. | 74-71-72-78—295 |
| Eddie Pearce | 72-75-70-79—296 |
| John Jacobs | 72-76-73-76—297 |
| Vicente Fernandez | 76-70-74-77—297 |
| Lu Liang-Huan | 76-72-72-77—297 |
| David Vaughan | 72-71-74-80—297 |
| Dennis Clark | 72-72-76-78—298 |
| Terry Le Brocq | 72-76-72-78—298 |
| Peter Townsend | 74-70-76-78—298 |
| Herluf Hansen | 74-74-73-78—299 |
| Jan Dorrestein | 75-73-73-79—300 |
| Carl Mason | 73-72-75-81—301 |
| Roddy Carr | 76-72-72-82—302 |
