1982 British Open: Clampett Goes to Pot, Watson Wins His 4th

The 1982 British Open was the occasion of Tom Watson's fourth victory in this championship, but is also remembered for Bobby Clampett's demise in a pothole bunker.

Clampett was a 22-year-old hotshot of whom big things were expected. He finished third at the 1982 U.S. Open a month earlier. At Royal Troon, he opened with a 67 and followed that with a 66 to take a 5-stroke lead over Nick Price at the midway point.

Clampett opened the third round strong, adding two more strokes to his lead. But on the sixth hole, Clampett's drive rolled into a pot bunker and it took him three swings to get the ball out of the bunker.

Clampett wound up shooting 78 that day, although he managed to hold onto a 1-stroke lead. But in the final round, Clampett added a 77, and wound up 10th (tied with Jack Nicklaus, who posted his final Top 10 finish in a British Open).

Watson began the final round three strokes behind Clampett, who was one ahead of Price. But the Price of 1982 wasn't the same golfer who was one of the best in the world in the early 1990s. This Nick Price had only one win on the European Tour and none on the PGA Tour.

But as Clampett's collapse continued, it was the unproven Price who took advantage. When Price birdied the 10th, 11th and 12th holes of the final round, he held a three-stroke lead.

Then Price went off the rails, too. He was 4-over par over the final six holes.

Watson wasn't doing anything spectacular, but he didn't have to. Watson played steadily, finished with a 2-under 70, and that was good enough to win his fourth British Open title. Price finished second, a stroke behind, tied with Peter Oosterhuis.

Watson had won the 1982 U.S. Open one month earlier. This was his seventh career major (he won one more) and the 32nd of his 39 career PGA Tour wins. Watson was just the fifth golfer to this point to win the U.S. and British opens in the same year.

Results from the 1982 British Open golf tournament played on the par-72 Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland (a-amateur):