| 1978 British Open | |
Jack Nicklaus completed the career Grand Slam for the third time by winning the 1978 British Open, his third victory in the Open Championship. It was also his second straight win on The Old Course at St. Andrews, following his 1970 British Open triumph.
Nicklaus was paired with Simon Owen, and the championship came down between the two of them. Owen led by one following a chip-in birdie on the 15th hole. But Nicklaus reclaimed the lead after a two-shot swing on the 16th: The Bear birdied, while Owen three-putted. Nicklaus gained another stroke on the 17th and sealed the win, his 15th career victory in a professional major.
Nick Faldo recorded his first Top 10 finish in an Open Championship or any other major at the 1978 British Open, finishing tied for seventh. It was the third appearance in the Open for Faldo, who went on to win the championship three times.
And Greg Norman, a future 2-time British Open winner, made his first cut in a major here, tying for 29th.
1978 British Open Scores
Results from the 1978 British Open golf tournament played on The Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland (a-amateur):
| Jack Nicklaus | 71-72-69-69--281 | $23,750 |
| Ben Crenshaw | 70-69-73-71--283 | $13,893 |
| Ray Floyd | 69-75-71-68--283 | $13,893 |
| Tom Kite | 72-69-72-70--283 | $13,893 |
| Simon Owen | 70-75-67-71--283 | $13,893 |
| Peter Oosterhuis | 72-70-69-73--284 | $9,500 |
| Isao Aoki | 68-71-73-73--285 | $7,481 |
| Nick Faldo | 71-72-70-72--285 | $7,481 |
| John Schroeder | 74-69-70-72--285 | $7,481 |
| Bob Shearer | 71-69-74-71--285 | $7,481 |
| Michael Cahill | 71-72-75-68--286 | $5,731 |
| Dale Hayes | 74-70-71-71--286 | $5,731 |
| Orville Moody | 73-69-74-70--286 | $5,731 |
| Mark Hayes | 70-75-75-67--287 | $4,560 |
| Jumbo Ozaki | 72-69-75-71--287 | $4,560 |
| Tom Watson | 73-68-70-76--287 | $4,560 |
| Seve Ballesteros | 69-70-76-73--288 | $3,040 |
| Bob Byman | 72-69-74-73--288 | $3,040 |
| Guy Hunt | 71-73-71-73--288 | $3,040 |
| Tommy Nakajima | 70-71-76-71--288 | $3,040 |
| Tom Weiskopf | 69-72-72-75--288 | $3,040 |
| Bernard Gallacher | 72-71-76-70--289 | $1,805 |
| Nick Job | 73-75-68-73--289 | $1,805 |
| Antonio Garrido | 73-71-76-70--290 | $1,301 |
| Hale Irwin | 75-71-76-68--290 | $1,301 |
| Carl Mason | 70-74-72-74--290 | $1,301 |
| Jack Newton | 69-76-71-74--290 | $1,301 |
| Peter Thomson | 72-70-72-76--290 | $1,301 |
| Tienie Britz | 73-74-72-72--291 | $1,001 |
| Hubert Green | 78-70-67-76--291 | $1,001 |
| John Morgan | 74-68-77-72--291 | $1,001 |
| Greg Norman | 72-73-74-72--291 | $1,001 |
| Lee Trevino | 75-72-73-71--291 | $1,001 |
| Brian Barnes | 71-74-75-72--292 | $855 |
| Ken Brown | 73-72-71-76--292 | $855 |
| Garry Cullen | 73-67-79-73--292 | $855 |
| Arnold Palmer | 71-71-75-75--292 | $855 |
| Gary Player | 74-71-76-71--292 | $855 |
| David Graham | 73-74-70-76--293 | $769 |
| Mike Krantz | 75-72-75-71--293 | $769 |
| a-Peter McEvoy | 71-74-76-72--293 | |
| Nick Price | 74-73-74-72--293 | $769 |
| Guy Wolstenholme | 73-74-71-75--293 | $769 |
| Francisco Abreu | 73-73-76-72--294 | $703 |
| Manuel Ballesteros | 73-71-74-76--294 | $703 |
| Howard Clark | 70-75-73-76--294 | $703 |
| a-Mike Miller | 70-74-74-76--294 | |
| Andy Bean | 72-76-72-75--295 | $646 |
| a-Allan Brodie | 73-72-75-75--295 | |
| Bob Charles | 73-70-79-73--295 | $646 |
| Neil Coles | 71-73-73-78--295 | $646 |
| John Bland | 72-73-77-74--296 | $579 |
| Rodger Davis | 73-72-73-78--296 | $579 |
| David Good | 75-73-74-74--296 | $579 |
| Simon Hobday | 73-71-77-75--296 | $579 |
| Bill Longmuir | 75-71-75-75--296 | $579 |
| Vaughan Somers | 72-72-76-76--296 | $579 |
| Rocky Thompson | 73-73-76-74--296 | $579 |
| Peter Butler | 71-74-75-77--297 | $570 |
| a-Geoff Godwin | 74-73-75-76--298 | |
| Bob Wynn | 73-72-76-77--298 | $570 |
| Peter Dawson | 75-72-75-77--299 | $570 |
| Ewen Murray | 76-70-76-78--300 | $570 |
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More on the British Open
• Masters Winners
• U.S. Open Winners
• PGA Championship Winners
• British Open Records
• British Open Index on About.com
