# 2015 Open Championship
The **2015 Open Championship** was the 144th staging of golf's oldest major, played 16 to 20 July 2015 on the [Old Course at St Andrews](https://www.edgepedia.org/old-course-at-st-andrews), Scotland, and won by American Zach Johnson in a four-hole playoff over [Louis Oosthuizen](https://www.edgepedia.org/louis-oosthuizen) and [Marc Leishman](https://www.edgepedia.org/marc-leishman) after all three finished at 273, 15 under par.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) Severe weather pushed the final round to a Monday, only the second Monday finish in the championship's history.[2](https://www.skysports.com/golf/news/14866/9917030/the-144th-open-will-finish-on-monday-after-further-weather-delays-at-st-andrews)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition and venue | 144th Open, Old Course, St Andrews; scheduled 16–19 July 2015[3](https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/2015/the-open-championship/R2015100) |
| Champion | Zach Johnson, 66-71-70-66 for 273 (−15), his second major title[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) |
| Playoff | Four-hole playoff; Johnson beat Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman, both also at 273[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) |
| Finish date | Monday 20 July, only the second Monday finish in Open history[2](https://www.skysports.com/golf/news/14866/9917030/the-144th-open-will-finish-on-monday-after-further-weather-delays-at-st-andrews) |
| Grand Slam bid | Jordan Spieth, winner of the Masters and U.S. Open that year, tied fourth at 274 (−14)[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) |
| Amateur highlight | Ireland's Paul Dunne shared the 54-hole lead and finished T30 at 282[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) |
## Weather and the Monday finish
The championship was disrupted twice. Flooding on Friday closed the Old Course, and gales on Saturday stopped play altogether.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) On Saturday, play began at 7 am, lasted exactly 32 minutes, and was suspended for about 10 hours while the R&A waited for the wind to drop to acceptable levels; around 40,000 spectators were on the course for a day that produced almost no golf.[4](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/18/open-2015-fans-frustration-royal-and-ancient-high-winds-golf) The second round was delayed by at least 10 hours, and the R&A considered playing 36 holes on Sunday before concluding that a Monday finish was the best answer.[5](https://www.golfchannel.com/news/article-golf-central-blog-open-slated-monday-finish-after-wind-delay)
The Monday finish was the second in Open history. It happened in 1988, when [Seve Ballesteros](https://www.edgepedia.org/seve-ballesteros) claimed the Claret Jug for what would be his third and last victory, doing so in a threeball alongside [Nick Faldo](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-faldo) and [Nick Price](https://www.edgepedia.org/nick-price).[6](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/17/the-open-2015-history-of-wind-and-rain) Golf Channel framed the same gap as the first Monday finish in 27 years.[5](https://www.golfchannel.com/news/article-golf-central-blog-open-slated-monday-finish-after-wind-delay)
## The tournament
[Dustin Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/dustin-johnson) set the early pace with a first-round 65 to take the lead.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) The second round also brought two farewells: Sir Nick Faldo, dressed in the garment he wore when he won in 1987, and five-time Champion Tom Watson, who was sent off by thousands of spectators lining the last fairway as dusk fell.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) The event had opened with Peter Thomson and [Arnold Palmer](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-palmer) starring in the Champion Golfers' Challenge before the championship proper.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015)
**Amateurs made a strong showing.** Nine amateurs were in the field and six looked likely to make the cut despite the interruptions.[7](https://www.amateurgolf.com/golf-tournament-news/amateurs-have-strong-showing-at-open-championship-14991) Paul Dunne of Ireland posted consecutive 3-under 69s over the first two days and went on to share the 54-hole lead, entering the final round ahead of the field as an amateur.[7](https://www.amateurgolf.com/golf-tournament-news/amateurs-have-strong-showing-at-open-championship-14991) • [1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) He closed with a 78 on Monday to finish T30 at 282.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) American amateur Jordan Niebrugge, 21, opened with a 5-under 67 in his first Open start and finished T6 at 277.[8](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2015/pgatour/theopenchampionship/roundInfo/r1-notes.pdf) • [1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015)
## The final round and playoff
[Zach Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/zach-johnson) entered the final day three strokes behind the 54-hole leaders [Jason Day](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-day), Paul Dunne, and Louis Oosthuizen, and shot a 6-under 66 to reach 273 and force a playoff with Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman.[9](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2015/pgatour/theopenchampionship/roundInfo/r4-notes.pdf) Jordan Spieth, pursuing a [Grand Slam](https://www.edgepedia.org/grand-slam-golf) after winning the Masters and U.S. Open earlier in 2015, and Jason Day missed the playoff by a single stroke, both finishing at 274.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) Spieth's chances were effectively over when his attempt for birdie, a 20-yard putt struck from the Valley of Sin before the 18th green, rolled just short of the cup.[10](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/33604587)
In the four-hole playoff Johnson birdied the first two extra holes and finished one stroke ahead of Oosthuizen.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) It was his second major title, after the 2007 Masters, and the 12th [PGA Tour](https://www.edgepedia.org/pga-tour) victory of his career.[9](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2015/pgatour/theopenchampionship/roundInfo/r4-notes.pdf) He became the sixth former Masters champion to win an Open at [St Andrews](https://www.edgepedia.org/st-andrews), joining [Jack Nicklaus](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-nicklaus), Sam Snead, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods.[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015) Johnson attributed his success in the playoff to the silent recital of the Psalms.[11](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/golf/the-open-2015-jordan-spieth-s-sporting-grace-in-defeat-inspires-greater-faith-in-the-wonders-yet-to-come-10406149.html)
## Leading scores
| Finish | Player | Rounds | Total | To par |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Zach Johnson | 66-71-70-66 | 273 | −15 |
| T2 | Marc Leishman | 70-73-64-66 | 273 | −15 |
| T2 | Louis Oosthuizen | 67-70-67-69 | 273 | −15 |
| T4 | Jordan Spieth | 67-72-66-69 | 274 | −14 |
| T4 | Jason Day | 66-71-67-70 | 274 | −14 |
| T6 | Danny Willett, Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Jordan Niebrugge | | 277 | −11 |
[1](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015)
## References
1. [Previous Opens – 144th Open St Andrews 2015, The Open](https://www.theopen.com/previous-opens/144th-open-st-andrews-2015)
2. [The 144th Open will finish on Monday after further weather delays at St Andrews, Sky Sports](https://www.skysports.com/golf/news/14866/9917030/the-144th-open-will-finish-on-monday-after-further-weather-delays-at-st-andrews)
3. [The Open Championship 2015 Golf Leaderboard, PGA Tour](https://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/2015/the-open-championship/R2015100)
4. [Open 2015 fans vent frustration as R&A makes heavy weather of conditions, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/18/open-2015-fans-frustration-royal-and-ancient-high-winds-golf)
5. [R&A opts for Monday finish amid wind delay, Golf Channel](https://www.golfchannel.com/news/article-golf-central-blog-open-slated-monday-finish-after-wind-delay)
6. [Weathering the storm: a windswept history of the Open, The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jul/17/the-open-2015-history-of-wind-and-rain)
7. [Amateurs have strong showing at Open Championship, AmateurGolf.com](https://www.amateurgolf.com/golf-tournament-news/amateurs-have-strong-showing-at-open-championship-14991)
8. [2015 Open Championship Round 1 notes, PGA Tour](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2015/pgatour/theopenchampionship/roundInfo/r1-notes.pdf)
9. [2015 Open Championship Round 4 notes, PGA Tour](https://pgatourmedia.pgatourhq.com/static-assets/page/files/tours/2015/pgatour/theopenchampionship/roundInfo/r4-notes.pdf)
10. [Open 2015: Zach Johnson 'humbled' by St Andrews victory, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/33604587)
11. [The Open 2015: Jordan Spieth's sporting grace in defeat, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/golf/the-open-2015-jordan-spieth-s-sporting-grace-in-defeat-inspires-greater-faith-in-the-wonders-yet-to-come-10406149.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Racket and precision ball sports › Golf › Golf tournaments, majors, and tours › Major championships and team golf › Open Championship (golf)*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license