Peter Thomson won his fourth Claret Jug in five years in a 36-hole Saturday playoff, four strokes ahead of Dave Thomas.

It was the first playoff at the Open since 1949 and the seventh consecutive year that Thomson, 28, finished either as champion or runner-up.

His total of 133 was a record for qualifying, surpassing the 134 scored by Bobby Jones in 1926 and by John Panton in 1952.

Ken Bousfield, one of the successes of the British 1957 Ryder Cup team and the American Frank Stranahan were amongst those who scored 149 and failed to qualify.

10 players had scored 148 but that number became 11 when they were joined by Peter Mills after he holed a short putt at the 18th, the last shot of the day.

In the tournament's final round, playing almost an hour before the leaders, he had 2s at the 9th and 12th holes in the afternoon but at the last he drove into a bunker and then 3-putted for a 6, finishing on 279.

The final group included the overnight leader Christy O'Connor and Leopoldo Ruiz.

[8] Only two Americans were in the field of 96: Gene Sarazen, the 1932 champion, finished ten strokes back at age 56, in a tie for 16th place.

[1] Monte Bradley, a 27-year-old Army private from Texas, shot 154 and missed the cut by seven strokes.