Site of the 2007 Open Championship
Carnoustie's Championship course has developed into one of the world's finest tests of golf, a course used as the venue for six Opens and numerous other national championships. In 1931 American-based Scot, Tommy Armour, was Carnoustie's first Open champion. Subsequently, Henry Cotton (1937), Ben Hogan (1953), Gary Player (1968) and Tom Watson (1975) all tasted success there before another Scot, Paul Lawrie, won the title1999 in one of the most dramatic finales ever seen at the world's oldest championship.
On that occasion, Frenchman, Jean Van de Velde, seemed destined to lift the Claret Jug. He came to the last needing just a double bogey six to win but slumped to a seven before losing out in a play-off against Lawrie and America's Justin Leonard. No-one who saw the episode will ever forget how the luckless Van de Velde disintegrated in front of a worldwide audience measuring millions.
Lawrie's role was just as memorable. He took command with a birdie on the third extra hole. Then, down the last, he hit a memorable long iron to seal the victory, in the process write another chapter in the rich history of one of the greatest courses in the world.
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