The Open has produced its share of dramatic finishes, controversial rulings, and unexpected champions. However, few victories in the championship’s long history match the extraordinary events of 1876. Do you remember how Bryson DeChambeau reportedly threatened to withdraw from The Open 2026 after officials gave him a two-stroke penalty for improving the lie? Well, Davie Strath actually did that in 1876.

Bob Martin became champion without contesting a single playoff shot. His opponent, Davie Strath, had refused to play until officials resolved a disputed rules incident. This left Martin to walk the Old Course at St Andrews alone and claim the title by default.

The unusual conclusion followed a chaotic championship that had already tested players’ and officials’ patience. Martin and Strath had finished the regulation 36 holes tied at 176, seven strokes ahead of the nearest competitor. Yet, rather than settling the title through a conventional playoff, an unresolved question over Strath’s eligibility brought the contest to an abrupt end.

The incident remains one of the strangest episodes in Open history.

The 16th Open Championship took place at the Old Course, St Andrews, on Saturday, September 30, 1876. It was only the second time the championship had been held at the historic venue. Unlike today’s full-house field, only 34 competitors entered the contest back then.

However, the tournament did not have exclusive use of the course. The championship coincided with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club’s Autumn Meeting, which included installing Prince Leopold, Queen Victoria’s fifth son, as captain. The surrounding celebrations featured a ball and illuminations.

The scheduling arrangements created an unusual situation. Members continued playing their own games while championship competitors attempted to complete their rounds. The congestion became particularly problematic at the Road Hole.

A Glasgow Herald report, reproduced in historical accounts of the tournament, observed that the links were so crowded with golfers that they interrupted play.

Bob Martin and Davie Strath produce identical scores

Despite the difficult conditions, Bob Martin and Davie Strath emerged as the leading contenders.

The championship consisted of two rounds, covering 36 holes in a single day. Both golfers returned an opening-round score of 86. Martin’s first round included a seven at the 17th, the famous Road Hole.

The afternoon round brought further complications, particularly for Strath.

At the 14th hole, Davie Strath pulled a shot toward the fifth fairway and struck an upholsterer named Hutton on the head. According to The Open’s historical account, Hutton was knocked down but recovered. The incident unsettled Strath, who subsequently began dropping shots.

The Scottish golfer took six at both the 14th and 15th.

The most consequential incident, however, was still to come.

At the 17th, Strath faced another difficult situation amid the congestion around the green. He played his approach while another golfer was still putting out. The crowded conditions reportedly prevented Strath from realizing that the green had not cleared. His ball struck the golfer and was stopped before it could continue onto the road.

Strath subsequently two-putted for a five.

The incident created two connected questions. First, had Strath breached the rules by playing toward a green that was still occupied? Second, had the collision with the other golfer unintentionally helped him by preventing his ball from reaching the road and creating a more difficult recovery?

Strath took six at the 18th, finishing with an afternoon score of 90. Bob Martin also returned 90. Thus, both golfers tied at 176 after 36 holes.

The 1876 championship had produced the first tie for first place in Open history. A playoff was required to determine the winner.

Davie Strath wanted a ruling before the playoff

The Championship Committee faced an important decision following the disputed incident at the Road Hole.

Calls had been made for Strath’s disqualification, but officials decided that the scheduled playoff on Monday, October 2, should proceed under protest. The two competitors had to play the additional holes first, while officials would resolve the eligibility question later.

Strath disagreed with that approach.

He wanted the committee to decide whether he remained eligible before he entered the playoff. If he played and officials later ruled him ineligible, the extra holes would count for nothing.

He therefore wanted officials to settle the question before asking him to compete.

The Scottish professional disputed the committee’s decision. Officials overruled him, but he refused to participate in the playoff.

That decision effectively ended his opportunity to win the championship.

Martin, meanwhile, appeared at the Old Course at the appointed time. He walked the course without an opponent, completing what became one of the most unusual championship victories in golf history.

The Open’s official biography of Bob Martin describes the occasion as him literally walking the course at the appointed time without an opponent. Championship history also confirms that he was declared the winner after Davie Strath refused to play.

The overall prize money for the championship was £27, with Martin receiving £10 as the winner.

The circumstances surrounding the 1876 championship have sometimes overshadowed Bob Martin’s achievements as a golfer. However, his wider record suggests that the victory was not an isolated moment of good fortune.

Martin had finished runner-up in the 1875 Open before claiming his first championship at St Andrews the following year. He went on to win the title again at the same venue in 1885.

His second victory made him the first golfer to win the championship twice at St Andrews. Interestingly, the Road Hole played a significant role in both victories.

In 1885, David Ayton held a five-stroke advantage before suffering a disastrous 11 at the 17th, having played twice from the road. Martin eventually won the championship by one stroke over Archie Simpson.

The two victories came under very different circumstances, but both remain tied to one of St Andrews’ most famous holes.

While Martin’s achievements deserve recognition, Davie Strath’s absence from the winners’ list should not obscure his standing in early professional golf.

He ranked among the leading professionals of his era and shared a close association with Young Tom Morris. Both men belonged to a generation of golfers who earned much of their living through high-level competition. They helped establish professional golf as a serious occupation.

His story has received further attention through David Malcolm and Noel Terry’s book, The Golfing Strath Family of St. Andrews.

The 1876 Open marked its 150th anniversary in 2026, bringing renewed attention to one of the championship’s strangest finishes.

The story remains interesting because it was about more than a disputed golf rule. The incident highlighted how tournament organizers struggled to manage a major championship while club members continued using the same course for their games.