Nicklaus takes Open after last-minute lapse by Owen

Press, 17 July 1978, Page 1

Nicklaus takes Open after last-minute lapse by Owen

A New Zealand golfer, Simon Owen, made the heart of the Open champion, the great Jack Nicklaus, miss a beat at the Old Course of St Andrews — the home of golf — yesterday, the Press Association reports from London. With three holes in the British Open left to play the 27-year-old New Zealander was leader on the course — seven under for the tournament and a shot

up on his playing partner, Nicklaus, and the rest of the high-class field. But Nicklaus, chasing his third Open win, ground down his younger and less experienced rival and Owen finished on a five under 283, tieing for second money with Ray Floyd, Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw. It was the best performance by a New Zealander in the Open since Bob Charles beat an American,

Phil Rogers, in a play-off in 1»63. Charles, an early finisher with 295 yesterday, was among the crowd when Nicklaus finished two shots clear with rounds of 71, 72, 69 and 69. But Owen was the hero on the course earlier. The man who scraped through the qualifying round with just a shot to spare scored 70, 75 and 67 in the first three rounds — earning the right to tee off with Nicklaus.

A crowd of 35,000 was jammed around the eighteenth green, at the Old Course and as Owen and Nicklaus approached its roar for the American and the New Zealander was deafening. As Henry Cotton said: “If Nicklaus hasn’t got a tear in his eye, he’s a tough coot.” Old and a coot he may

not be, but he is tough. On the green, Owen still had a chance. He had to get down in one from 6ft and Nicklaus had to take three putts from 20ft. Neither happened. Own needed two shots and Nicklaus also got it in two. Owen, disappointed, hung his head as he raised his putter in acknowledgement of the cheers for an “unknown” who nearly brought off the championship that every golfer dreams of. Nicklaus, elated to win at the Old Course for the second time, threw his ball into the crowd and immediately embraced Owen, congratulating him and slapping his back as they walked from the green. FULL STORY: BACK PAGE.