From Park to Woods: The best at the British Open
By Bill Felber
Best of the British Open: #7-9
9. Peter Thomson, -18.38, 1951-1979: Thomson is one of only two non-UK golfers in the top 10. His placing is well-earned, for he was the tournament’s dominant force for a decade. An Australian, Thomson won the Open in 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1958, returning for a fifth championship in 1965.
Around that collection of claret jugs, he accumulated runner-up finishes in 1952, 1953 and 1957. Walk back through that one more time: Between 1952 and 1958 Thomson took four titles and never finished worse than second.
8. Bob Ferguson, -21.12, 1868-1889: Ferguson won three straight between 1880 and 1882, only the third person – after Young Tom Morris and Jamie Anderson – to dominate to that degree. In the nearly 140 years since Ferguson’s last win, only Thomson between 1954 and 1956 has equaled that feat of winning three straight.
Ferguson might rank higher on this list but for his indifference to the competition; in 10 of the 22 events held between his 1868 debut and his final tournament in 1889, Ferguson chose not to enter.
7. Ted Ray, -22.10, 1899-1926: Ray is probably best known today as the third man in the legendary Ouimet-Vardon U.S. Open playoff at Brookline in 1913. Chronologically, he was the successor to the Triumverate of Vardon, Braid, and Taylor.
Had he risen to maturity in an era not dominated by those three, he might be even more highly regarded today. Ray debuted in 1899, but against the three legends, he never finished higher than eighth until 1907, when he tied for fifth.
That was the start; through 1914, Ray won once (1912), finished second once (1913), and tied for fifth twice. When the Open resumed in 1920, Ray – playing as the defending U.S. Open champion – placed third.