1980 Open Championship

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=August 2013}}

{{Infobox individual golf tournament

| name = 1980 Open Championship

| image =

| dates = 17–20 July 1980

| location = Gullane, Scotland

| course = Muirfield

| tour = European Tour
PGA Tour

| par = 71

| yardage = {{convert|6926|yd}}

| field = 151 players
87 after 1st cut
65 after 2nd cut{{cite web|url=http://www.theopen.com/~/media/The%20Open/Information/Media_Guide.ashx |publisher=The Open Championship |title=Media guide |date=2011 |pages=56, 203 |access-date=13 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418224641/http://www.theopen.com/~/media/The%20Open/Information/Media_Guide.ashx |archive-date=18 April 2012 }}

| cut = 149 (+7) (1st cut)
219 (+6) (2nd cut)

| purse = £200,000
$480,000

| winners_share = £25,000
$60,000

| champion = {{flagicon|USA}} Tom Watson

| score = 271 (−13)

| previous = 1979

| next = 1981

}}

{{Location map

|UK Scotland

|relief = 1

|label = Muirfield

|lat = 56.043

|long = -2.823

|caption = Location in Scotland

|float =

|background=

|width = 240

}}

The 1980 Open Championship was a men's major golf championship and the 109th Open Championship, held from 17 to 20 July at Muirfield Golf Links in Gullane, Scotland. Tom Watson won his third Open Championship, four strokes ahead of runner-up Lee Trevino.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PwtWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7eEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6739%2C5839188|newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard|agency=Associated Press|title=Watson wants the ones he hasn't won yet|date=21 July 1980|page=1C}}{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123633/index.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130119182742/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123633/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 January 2013 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Jenkins |first=Dan |author-link=Dan Jenkins |title=Elementary at least for Watson |date=28 July 1980 |page=22}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JIRRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BRIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2800%2C3458533|newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=UPI |title=It's Watson in waltz to British Open title |date=21 July 1980|page=1-part 2 }}

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.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zP8sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=g80FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1770%2C124545|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post |agency=wire services |title=Watson earns emotional win at Muirfield |date=21 July 1980 |page=B3}} Nicklaus, also 40, tied for fourth. He won at Muirfield in 1966 and was runner-up by a stroke in 1972.

This was the first Open scheduled to end on a Sunday, with a Thursday start. The Open previously began on Wednesday and ended on Saturday. Prior to 1966, the final two rounds were scheduled for Friday. In 1970 and 1975, 18-hole playoffs were held on Sunday.