1989 British Open: Calc Wins In a Playoff

The final round of the 1989 British Open began with journeyman Wayne Grady holding a 1-stroke lead over 5-time Open Champion Tom Watson. Most observers probably thought the conclusion was foregone: Watson would win.

But he didn't - and neither did Grady. Watson carded a 72 on Sunday, while Grady shot 71 to finish at 275, two strokes in front of Watson. Greg Norman, who began the day seven strokes behind Grady, scorched Royal Troon with a 64, forcing a tie.

And Mark Calcavecchia shot 68, joining Grady and Norman at 275 and creating a 3-way playoff. The British Open switched to a new playoff format this year. Previously, Open Championship playoffs were 18 holes. But at the 1989 British Open, the tournament switched to a 4-hole, cumulative score playoff.

So Grady, Norman and Calcavecchia played another four holes. By the fourth extra hole, Calcavecchia and Norman were tied, with Grady essentially out of it, two strokes behind.

Calcavecchia hit a bad slice off the tee, while Norman's drive boomed down the middle - only to roll into a deep, fairway bunker. Rather than use a lofted club to simply get the ball out of the bunker, Norman tried a heroic shot to reach the green. But the ball hit the face of the bunker and careened into a different bunker. From that bunker, Norman's next shot headed out of bounds. Norman basically picked up at that point, his chances down the drain.

Calcavecchia, meanwhile, hit a great recovery shot from his wayward drive, and wound up making birdie to win the 1989 British Open. The playoff scores were:

• Calcavecchia, 4-3-3-3--13
• Grady, 4-4-4-4--16
• Norman, 3-3-4-x--x

It was Calcavecchia's sixth PGA Tour victory, but he had finished in the Top 10 of a major only once previously (second at the 1988 Masters). He posted only two other Top 10s in majors over the rest of long PGA Tour career (long and successful - he finished with 13 tour victories).

Grady went on to win the 1990 PGA Championship (one of just two PGA Tour wins for Grady). Norman had already won the 1986 British Open, and won again at the 1993 British Open. But Norman also lost in playoffs at all four majors.

Arnold Palmer shot 82-82 and finished last. Palmer played the British Open only twice more after this, the 1990 and 1995 Opens at St. Andrews.

Future 3-time major winner Vijay Singh played in his very first major here and tied for 23rd.

Results from the 1989 British Open golf tournament played on the par-72 Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, South Ayrshire, Scotland (x-won four hole playoff; a-amateur):

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