Gary Player, age 23, shot a final round of 68 to win the first of his nine major titles, two strokes ahead of runners-up Fred Bullock and Flory Van Donck.

Muirfield was originally scheduled to host in 1957, but it was transferred to St. Andrews because of petrol rationing following the "Suez Crisis" in late 1956.

[13][14] Source:[13] Amateurs: Bonallack (−2), Carr (+1), Jack (+2), Wolstenholme (+4),Sweeny Jr (+7), Smith (+8), Garrett (+12), Dalziel (+13), Ferguson (+13), Stuart (+13).

Source:[4] Friday, 3 July 1959 - (afternoon) Gary Player reached the last hole and a par four would have yielded a round of 66.

Reid Jack won the silver medal for leading amateur by finishing tied for fifth place, two ahead of Bonallack.