Two-time defending champion Peter Thomson of Australia won his third consecutive Open, three strokes ahead of runner-up Flory Van Donck of Belgium.

With a record 360 entries it was decided that, for the first time, qualifying would be in groups of three rather than the usual two.

Gary Player and Peter Thomson led the qualifiers on 140.

[5] The maximum number of players making the cut after 36 holes was set at 50.

Prize money was unchanged with £1,000 for the winner out of a total purse of £3,750.