Open icon Peter Thomson's ashes scattered at St Andrews ahead of finale

A proud Peter Thomson with six-year-old son Andrew after winning the Australian Open in 1967

Early on Sunday morning Andrew Thomson scattered two teaspoons of his father's ashes at the 18th green of the Old Course at St Andrews.

His father was Peter Thomson, an Australian golfing legend who won five Open Championships during his glittering career - including one at the home of golf in 1955.

Hours later another Aussie followed in his footsteps when Cameron Smith took the Claret Jug.

Mr Thomson told BBC Scotland he was able to spend a quiet moment remembering his father before the final day of the championship.

"I wasn't tearful, it was something I've been wanting to do for two years," he said.

"I did it and felt a sense of satisfaction. I had a strange sense that this was no ordinary day."

'An act of magic'

Indeed, the culmination of the 150th Open Championship was nothing short of remarkable.

About 12 hours after Mr Thomson left the green, Smith posted a final round of 64, taking the title ahead of Cameron Young and joint overnight leader Rory McIlroy.

It was a first major for the 28-year-old, who became only the second man after Jack Nicklaus to win the Claret Jug and the prestigious Players Championship in the same season.

And it included a run of five birdies in a row on his way to a record-equalling final score of 20 under par.

Smith became the first Australian winner of the Open since Greg Norman in 1993 and followed in the footsteps of Ian Baker-Finch, Kel Nagle and trailblazer Peter Thomson.

Watching it unfold, Mr Thomson said: "I saw before my eyes sort of an act of magic - the thing about the Open Championship is you see things that just don't happen on other courses.

"What possessed him to make those five birdies and hold his nerve through the Road Hole? He'll be asking himself that same question through the night.

"There are coincidences, some are mere coincidences and some are significant coincidences - and think this was a significant one. I guess now having told the world about it it'll be part of golfing lore for a long time."

Thomson's 'real legacy'

Celebrated as one of Australia's greatest golfers, Peter Thomson died in 2018 age 88, after suffering from Parkinson's disease for more than four years.

Among numerous accolades, he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1979 and an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2001.

Only four other golfers - Harry Vardon, JH Taylor, James Braid and Tom Watson - have won as many Open Championships. Thomson also had great success on the American circuit.

Peter Thomson holds his third Open Championship trophy in 1956

In addition to his playing achievements, he went on to be president of the Australian PGA for 32 years and helped establish the Asian Tour - which his son describes as his real golfing legacy.

Mr Thomson said: "When he turned professional as a young man he was told you can't make a living from prize money - he disagreed and said he'd give it a try.

"He stuck to his guns and was very keen to make professional golf in Australia and Asia something that could support a family.

"He spent a lot of his career supporting golf and that's what I thought was his real legacy. Winning was not so much a legacy - that's just what happened on the course."

Special connection

A golfer himself, Mr Thomson plays at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club but lives in Japan where he is a lawyer, author and chairman of the Japan Hickory Golf Association.

He plays with a handicap of 10.5 and admits he was never good enough to play at elite level.

Andrew Thomson says he looks forward to visiting Scotland again with his family

In the last week he has enjoyed playing at courses in Cheshire where his father won past Opens, spreading a little of his ashes at each venue.

But his family's connection to Scotland, and St Andrews, is possibly the most enduring.

"My father thought of himself as a Scottish-Australian," he said. "His ancestors came from a little village in Lanarkshire called Forth, so Scotland was always part of him.

"He won five championships in the UK and the second one was at St Andrews. He named me Andrew, so it was part of his life when I was born.

"Spreading his ashes there was very special. When I go back, something that's part of my father will be there."

Peter Thomson attended the Open at St Andrews in 2015 - it was his last visit to Scotland before his death.