Tom Watson wins 1977 Open Championship over Jack Nicklaus

The tournament, known as the “Duel in the Sun,” gave Watson his second consecutive major win after having held off Nicklaus in the Masters a few weeks earlier. The tournament is still considered one of the game’s best shootouts.RANK: 97 LOCATION: Turnberry | Ayrshire, Scotland DATE: 7/9/1977 CATEGORY: Golf

The 1977 Open Championship was a two-horse race between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus. With just three holes to go, Watson and Nicklaus were tied at -11, ten strokes ahead of the eventual third-place finisher. Watson moved a stroke ahead on the 17th hole, setting up a dramatic finish on 18. Nicklaus hit a 35-foot putt to birdie on 18, forcing Watson to make a dramatic birdie putt of his own to win the Championship.