The Open. A Twentieth-century History

"- 'Anyone who wonders why The Open is the world's greatest golfing event should spend half an hour flicking through this terrific book.' Saturday Times - 'Murray has written an in-depth and compelling history that brings the Open's drama to life.' The Scotsman - 'The book will be around for a long time as readers digest the fascinating information which Francis has carefully compiled.' The Daily Telegraph

The Open: A Twentieth-Century History is a must for any lover of the oldest and most illustrious of golf's Majors. As the event has grown and developed, the great links courses of the British Isles have played court to some of sports' most dramatic and sometimes heartbreaking moments. The book looks at the great players who have dominated the last hundred years, from the Great Triumvirate of Vardon, Taylor and Braid, the era of Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen, on to Bobby Locke, Henry Cotton, Ben Hogan and Peter Thomson. It also shows how in more recent times players such as Palmer, Nicklaus, Player, Watson Faldo and Norman have dominated the championship. Every memorable moment, battle of wills, and the feelings of triumph and despair are captured in The Open. A brief history of the championship in the nineteenth century sets the scene before each sporting year of the twentieth century is looked at in detail. The way that the Championship has developed, how the courses have altered, how equipment has improved and many other facets about this great tournament are revealed. Detailed records of each year's results are included in a comprehensive appendix, while each of the fourteen Open courses is detailed in a specially commissioned map.