1980 Open Championship (+7)<br> 1980 Open Championship The 1980 Open Championship was a men's major golf championship and the 109th Open Championship, held from 17–20 July at Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane, Scotland. Tom Watson won his third Open Championship, four strokes ahead of runner-up Lee Trevino. It was the fourth of Watson's eight major titles; he won two additional Opens in 1982 and 1983. It was Watson's first win in a major in three years. Trevino, 40, had won the last Open played at Muirfield in 1972, successfully defending his 1971 title and ending the grand slam bid of Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus,
1975 Open Championship for par, Newton's putt to save par and extend the match missed left and Watson won the title. This was the second and final 18-hole playoff at the Open; the first was in 1970, won by Jack Nicklaus. The format was changed to a four-hole aggregate playoff in 1985, first used in 1989. Prior to 1964, the playoff at the Open was 36 holes. Carnoustie Golf Links – Championship Course ^ The 6th hole was renamed "Hogan's Alley" in 2003 Lengths of the course for previous Opens: "Wednesday, 9 July 1975" "Thursday, 10 July 1975" Amateurs: "Stephen (+1), Poxon (+5),