British Open: Ranking the 25 most dominant performances of all time
By Bill Felber
12. Bill Rogers, 1981, -3.09
Across the span of its 16 decades of play, the British Open championship has produced more than a few longshot champions. Perhaps none performed as dominantly, though, as Bill Rogers, a journeyman American pro who swept to the 1981 title at Royal St. George’s.
The odd thing was that Rogers was a reluctant participant. A modestly successful pro with two American tour wins under his belt, he told reporters that he only entered because Ben Crenshaw, one of his closest friends on tour, talked him into it.
Rogers had played in only one previous Open, tying for 19th in 1980. He had, however, finished second to David Graham at the previous month’s U.S. Open.
Eight former champions dotted the field, but when none managed better than Tony Jacklin’s 71 Argentinian Vicente Fernandez’s 70 inherited the lead. Coming off a 72, Rogers grabbed that lead Friday with a 66, one better than Nick Job and Rogers’ buddy, Crenshaw.
A Saturday 67 opened his lead to five strokes, enabling him to put the tournament on cruise control Sunday. He shot 71 and beat Bernhard Langer by four.
The biggest threat Rogers faced all week was of his own making. He mis-read the starting sheet Thursday and was comfortably going through his routine on the practice green when he was informed he was due on the tee. Rogers barely made it. “I got the times wrong,” he said. “I panicked, ran off the green and made it on to the tee in time.”