"Young" Tom Morris

"Young" Tom (1851-1875) first won the Open in 1868 at the age of seventeen, and remains the youngest player ever to win it. In that tournament he also recorded the first hole-in-one in the competition. He won again in 1869 and 1870, when his winning score for the 36 holes was 149, including an eagle 3 at the first hole in the final round. This was incredible scoring and his total was not equaled for the next 32 years when the guttie ball was in use. Having retained the champion's belt outright for his three consecutive wins, the championship lapsed in 1871 as the Prestwick Club rather embarrassingly had no trophy to play for. But when it was resumed in 1872, "Young" Tom recorded his fourth successive victory. He thus became the first winner of the famous claret jug, which is still held up by every winner and has the most famous names in the history of golf inscribed on its plinth. He was runner-up to Mungo Park in 1874 when the tournament was played at Musselburgh. Tragically, "Young" Tom died of a broken heart the following year after his wife had died in childbirth; he was twenty-four. There is a memorial to him in the grounds of St Rule's Cathedral, St Andrews.

Willie Park Junior

Willie Park Junior (1864-1925) won the Open Championship twice, in 1887 and 1889, and was the son of Willie Park who won the inaugural Open Championship in 1860 and then succeeded again in 1863, 1866 and 1875. His uncle, Mungo Park, beat "Young" Tom Morris in 1874. Willie Park Junior played many challenge matches, which were very popular at that time, and designed a number of golf courses. He also invented a 56-sided golf ball and wrote the first complete book on golf by a professional, The Game of Golf, published 1896.