Skip to main content
Tony Jacklin Champion Golfer 1969

Tony Jacklin

Tony Jacklin restored the pride in British golf by becoming the first home winner of The Open for 18 years at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1969.
  • Jacklin was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002

    Did you know?

  • He was a non-playing captain of Europe in four straight Ryder Cups

    Fun fact

  • 30

    Professional wins

Tony Jacklin restored the pride in British golf by becoming the first home winner of The Open for 18 years at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1969.

The son of a Scunthorpe steelworker, Jacklin had a smooth swing and a jaunty stride. At his best, he was a highly-confident striker of the ball, not least when hitting a huge drive straight down the middle of the fairway on the 18th at Lytham when defending a two-stroke lead over Bob Charles.

He was the first Briton to win on the modern PGA Tour in America and the first for 50 years to win the U.S Open at Hazeltine in 1970, for a few weeks matching Harry Vardon as a holder of both Opens simultaneously. “Tempo” was the mantra that helped him to victory.

Jacklin

Between 1967 and 1972 in The Open, apart from his victory, Jacklin was twice third and twice fifth. His run ended when Lee Trevino chipped in at the 17th at Muirfield in 1972. Jacklin was stunned, bogeyed the last two holes and said: “The heart was ripped out of me. I was honestly never the same again.”

As well as The Open, Jacklin remains indelibly linked with the Ryder Cup. In 1969, he was involved in the concession offered by Jack Nicklaus that tied that year’s match, while later he proved an inspirational captain in four matches from 1983.

The first was lost narrowly but then Europe won for the first time in 28 years at The Belfry in 1985 and for the first time on American soil at Muirfield Village two years later.

With the 1989 match tied, Jacklin had helped reinvigorate the competition and started a period of European dominance, helped by his shrewd marshalling of the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Jose Maria Olazabal.

Venue
Finish
R1
R2
R3
R4
Total
Par
Carnoustie 2007
M/C
78
83
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 2005
M/C
79
76
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Lytham & St Annes 2001
M/C
75
74
-
-
-
M/C
Carnoustie 1999
M/C
85
82
-
-
-
M/C
Royal St George's 1993
M/C
73
76
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Troon 1989
M/C
80
77
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1988
M/C
80
79
-
-
-
M/C
Royal St George's 1985
M/C
81
73
-
-
-
M/C
St Andrews 1984
M/C
80
76
-
-
-
M/C
Royal Birkdale 1983
39
71
75
71
69
286
-
Royal Troon 1982
M/C
77
76
-
-
-
M/C
Royal St George's 1981
23
71
71
73
75
290
-
Muirfield 1980
32
72
74
71
73
290
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1979
24
73
74
76
73
296
-
St Andrews 1978
M/C
75
74
-
-
-
M/C
Turnberry 1977
43
72
70
74
77
293
-
Royal Birkdale 1976
42
73
77
76
72
298
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1974
18
74
77
71
75
297
-
Royal Troon 1973
14
75
73
72
70
290
-
Muirfield 1972
3
69
72
67
72
280
-
Royal Birkdale 1971
3
69
70
70
71
280
-
St Andrews 1970
5
67
70
73
76
286
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1969
1
68
70
70
72
280
-
Carnoustie 1968
18
72
72
75
80
299
-
Royal Liverpool 1967
5
73
69
73
70
285
-
Muirfield 1966
30
74
76
72
76
298
-
Royal Birkdale 1965
25
75
73
73
77
298
-
Royal Lytham & St Annes 1963
30
73
72
76
74
295
-

More on The Open