FLASHBACK: Peter Thomson seals Open treble at Royal Liverpool

Australian Peter Thomson celebrates with the Claret Jug after his victory at Royal Liverpool in 1956 saw him become the first player to win three successive titles since the Open was extended to 72 holes.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th Jul 2020, 06:00 BST
Australian golfer Peter Thomson with the trophy in 1956 after winning the Open Golf Championship for the third time in a row. Pic by PA.Australian golfer Peter Thomson with the trophy in 1956 after winning the Open Golf Championship for the third time in a row. Pic by PA.
Australian golfer Peter Thomson with the trophy in 1956 after winning the Open Golf Championship for the third time in a row. Pic by PA.

Thomson, 26, had won his previous titles at Royal Birkdale and St Andrews and his three-stroke win at Hoylake made him the first since Bob Ferguson between 1880-82 to do it three times in a row.

The feat was also achieved by Jamie Anderson (1877-79) and Young Tom Morris, who won four in a row between 1868-72 (there was no Open in 1871).

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Thomson took a slender lead after a second-round 70 and extended that advantage to three heading into the final day as the only man under par at one under.

He dropped shots early in his fourth round but despite carding his worst score of the week, a three-over 74, nearest rival Flory Van Donck, from Belgium, could only match that.

Thomson picked up his third Claret Jug and the £1,000 winner’s cheque. He would go on to win the tournament twice more, at Royal Lytham St Annes in 1958 and Birkdale again in 1965.

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