2003, Royal St George's

On a tough opening day, Tiger Woods began the Open with a seven at the 1st hole, Ernie Els had a round of 78 and Steve Elkington, runner-up the year before, had an 86. Ahead of all of them was a 27-year-old frustrated rugby player from South Africa called Hennie Otto, who had a 68. A second round of 76 dropped him back into the pack, but he still finished a creditable tenth. Otto is now the world No 360.

1999, Carnoustie

A tournament that ended with the unlikely figures of Paul Lawrie and Jean van der Velde slugging it out for the title began with unlikely leaders, too. On an opening day when the average score was seven over, Rod Pampling, a 20-year-old Australian, was level par, one stroke ahead of the unheralded Scott Dunlap. Pampling had an 86 in his second round and missed the cut.

1994, Turnberry

On a low-scoring first day, the tournament was led by some unlikely players. Greg Turner, of New Zealand, had a 65, leading Jonathan Lomas by one and Andrew Magee, who missed the cut after a second-round 80, by two. Even Tom Watson, the former champion but now 45, was in fourth place. Only Watson was still in contention by the final day.

1989, Royal Troon

Wayne Stephens played in one Open, lead it after one round with a 66 and then disappeared. The Englishman went on to finish 61st, which helped him to finish a career-highest 133rd on the European Tour Order of Merit.

1982, Royal Troon

Bobby Clampett was a student prodigy in the United States and as a 22-year-old he led the Open with an opening round of 67. A second round of 66 put him seven strokes ahead of Tom Watson, the eventual champion, but a 78 and a 77 followed to put Clampett back in his place. He would only win one professional tournament on the PGA Tour in the US.

1981, Royal St George's

Nick Job has won four times on the European Seniors Tour but never lifted a trophy as a younger player, although he did lead the Open, and finish fourteenth, in 1981 after an opening 70. It gave him a share of the lead with Vicente Fernandez, an Argentinian who had also led the Open ten years earlier.

1979, Royal Lytham

Bill Longmuir, from Scotland, led after a first round of 65 but it got progressively worse as he had rounds of 74, 77 and 82 to finish 14 over par in 29th place.

1976, Royal Birkdale

On a parched course where the greens were in poor condition, scoring was difficult. The first day ended with three leaders on 69: Christy O'Connor Jr, of Ireland, Norio Suzuki, an undistinguished Japanese, and some Spanish teenager by the name of Severiano Ballesteros, playing his second Open. Whatever happened to him?

1972, Muirfield

Peter Tupling, of England, competed in nine Opens but his best finish was 46th, helped by his opening 68. It helped him to finish a career-high 41st on the Order of Merit

1967, Hoylake

Lionel Platts was not a complete unknown - he competed for Great Britain in the 1965 Ryder Cup - but his Open record was patchy. He only finished in the top 20 twice, coming thirteenth in 1965 and twelfth in 1967, when he opened with a 68 but followed it with a 73, finishing one over par. Four years later, he had the distinction of recording the first televised hole-in-one in the Open, but came 40th.