The Open Championship facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
The Open Championship

Tournament information
Established	1860
Course(s)	courses
Organised by	The R&A
Tour(s)	European Tour PGA Tour Japan Golf Tour
Format	Stroke play
Prize fund	US$17,000,000
Month played	July
Tournament record score
Aggregate	264 Henrik Stenson (2016)
To par	−20 Henrik Stenson (2016) −20 Cameron Smith (2022)
Current champion
Xander Schauffele

The Open Championship, often called The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world. It's also one of the most important! It started in 1860 in Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Over time, it moved around to different famous coastal golf courses in the United Kingdom. The R&A group organizes this big event.

The Open is one of the four biggest golf tournaments for men. The others are the Masters Tournament, the PGA Championship, and the U.S. Open. Since 2019, The Open is the last major tournament of the year, usually held in mid-July.

It's called "The Open" because, in theory, anyone can play – both professional and amateur golfers. Today, it's mostly for pros, but some top amateur players also get to join. Because The Open was so successful, many other "open" golf tournaments started around the world.

The winner gets a special title: "the Champion Golfer of the Year." This title has been used since the very first Open in 1860! They also receive the Claret Jug, a cool trophy first given out in 1872. The current champion is Xander Schauffele from America, who won the 2024 Open.

History of The Open Championship

How The Open Started (1860–1870)

Willie Park Sr., the first "Champion Golfer of the Year," wearing the Challenge Belt. This was the winner's prize until 1870.

The very first Open Championship happened on October 17, 1860. It was played at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Back then, golf was mostly for rich people because clubs and balls were expensive. Professional golfers earned money by playing for bets, carrying clubs (caddying), making golf gear, and teaching.

A man named James Ogilvie Fairlie from Prestwick Golf Club decided to create a competition in 1860. It was "to be played for by professional golfers" to find the best golfer. The winner received the Challenge Belt, a red leather belt with a silver buckle, worth £25.

The first rule was that the winner had to leave the belt with the club treasurer. They could only keep it if they won three times in a row. Eight golfers played in the first event. Willie Park, Sr. won by 2 shots and was named "The Champion Golfer of the Year."

A year later, in 1861, the tournament became "open" to both amateurs and professionals. In 1863, they added prize money (£10) for the second, third, and fourth places. From 1864, the winner also got cash. Young Tom Morris won three times in a row from 1868 to 1870. Because of this, he got to keep the Challenge Belt forever! Since there was no trophy left, the tournament wasn't held in 1871.

New Trophy and Rotating Courses (1872–1889)

On September 11, 1872, three golf clubs agreed to create a new silver trophy. This trophy became known as the Claret Jug. They also decided that the Open would be held at each of their clubs in a rotation. These clubs were Prestwick, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club.

The new trophy wasn't ready for the 1872 Open, which Young Tom Morris won again. He received a special medal instead, but his name was the first to be carved on the Claret Jug. Winners have received medals ever since. Sadly, Young Tom Morris passed away in 1875 when he was only 24.

Scottish professional golfers continued to win most of the tournaments during this time. The Open kept rotating between the three Scottish courses and was played over 36 holes in one day until 1889.

Harry Vardon, who won The Open a record six times, with James Braid, a five-time winner.

English Winners and the "Great Triumvirate" (1890–1914)

In the 1890s, English golfers started winning. In 1892, the tournament was played at Muirfield for the first time. Soon after, St George's and Royal Liverpool in England were added to the list of host courses. From 1892, the tournament became longer, with four 18-hole rounds played over two days.

Between 1898 and 1925, the tournament sometimes had a "cut" after 36 holes. This meant only the best players continued. In 1907, Arnaud Massy from France became the first winner who wasn't British.

This time is famous for three amazing golfers known as the "Great Triumvirate:" Harry Vardon, John Henry Taylor, and James Braid. They won The Open Championship 16 times out of 21 tournaments between 1894 and 1914! Vardon won six times (a record that still stands!), and Braid and Taylor each won five times. Their rivalries made golf much more popular. However, the First World War stopped The Open until 1920, and none of these three golfers won again.

Walter Hagen playing at the 1922 Open Championship. He was the first American-born winner.

American Stars and New Courses (1920–1939)

The Open returned in 1920, and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club became the only organizer. In 1926, they made the tournament last three days and added qualifying rounds and a "cut."

In 1921, many U.S.-based players traveled to Scotland. Five of them were actually born in Britain but had moved to America. One of these visitors, Jock Hutchison, who was an American citizen, won in St Andrews, his hometown.

In 1922, Walter Hagen won his first of four Opens, becoming the first American-born winner. From 1923 to 1933, American-based players won every year. This included three wins by amateur Bobby Jones. English players then won every year from 1934 to 1939, with Henry Cotton winning twice.

After 1925, the original course at Prestwick was no longer used for The Open because it was too small for the growing crowds. Carnoustie took its place in 1931. Troon hosted for the first time in 1923, and Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1926.

Ben Hogan gets a parade in New York City after winning the 1953 Open Championship.

New Champions and Hogan's "Triple Crown" (1946–1958)

After the Second World War, The Open returned to St Andrews, with American Sam Snead winning. Bobby Locke from South Africa became the first winner from his country, taking home the trophy three times between 1949 and 1952, and a fourth time in 1957.

In 1953, Ben Hogan won The Open in his only appearance. He had already won the Masters and the U.S. Open that year, completing a "Triple Crown." His win was so celebrated that he received a ticker-tape parade in New York City. Peter Thomson from Australia became the first Australian winner, winning four times between 1954 and 1958, and a fifth time in 1965.

The Open was played outside England and Scotland for the first time in 1951, at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

The "Big Three" Era (1959–1974)

In 1959, Gary Player from South Africa won his first of three Opens. In 1960, Arnold Palmer from America came to Scotland. He had already won the Masters and U.S. Open that year, hoping to win all three like Hogan did. He finished second but came back to win The Open in 1961 and 1962. Palmer was very popular, and his wins helped many Americans see The Open on TV for the first time. This, along with easier jet travel, encouraged more Americans to play in the future.

This period is mostly known for the competition between Player, Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus won three times and finished second a record seven times. American Lee Trevino also won two Opens in a row in 1971 and 1972. The only British winner during this time was Tony Jacklin. This era also saw the first winner from Argentina, Roberto De Vicenzo.

Watson, Ballesteros, Faldo, and Norman (1975–1993)

By 1975, The Open felt much like it does today. All the world's best players competed. American Tom Watson won in 1975. Turnberry hosted for the first time in 1977. Watson won his second Open there after an amazing battle with Jack Nicklaus. Watson went on to win again in 1980, 1982, and 1983, for a total of five wins. Only Harry Vardon has won more. Watson became known as one of the best links golf players ever.

In 1976, 19-year-old Seve Ballesteros from Spain finished second, catching everyone's attention. He later won three Opens (1979, 1984, 1988). He was the first player from mainland Europe to win since 1907. Other multiple winners in this period included Englishman Nick Faldo (three wins) and Australian Greg Norman (two wins).

Tiger Woods won The Open twice at St Andrews.

Tiger Woods and Today's Open (1994 onwards)

From 1994 to 2004, every year had a new winner. In 1999, The Open at Carnoustie was very tough. Frenchman Jean van de Velde had a big lead on the last hole but made a huge mistake. Scotman Paul Lawrie, who was ranked 241st in the world, ended up winning in a playoff! He came from 10 shots behind, a record for any major tournament.

In 2000, Tiger Woods won by a huge 8 shots, becoming the youngest player to win the "career Grand Slam" at age 24. He won again in 2005 and 2006, bringing his total to three wins. Other multiple winners in this time include South African Ernie Els and Irishman Pádraig Harrington.

A bus taking people to The Open in 2012.

In 2009, 59-year-old Tom Watson almost won, which would have made him the oldest major winner ever. He lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink. In 2016, Henrik Stenson from Sweden won after an amazing battle with Phil Mickelson. Many compared it to the famous "Duel in the Sun" from 1977. Stenson set a new record for the lowest score in The Open.

Francesco Molinari became the first Italian major winner in 2018. Shane Lowry became the second champion from the Republic of Ireland in 2019.

In 2020, The Open Championship was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the first time it had been canceled since World War II.

Open Traditions

The Open is always played on a coastal golf course, like Royal Portrush shown here.

Links Golf Courses

The Open is always played on a coastal "links golf" course. Links golf is seen as the "purest" form of golf because it's how the game started in Scotland hundreds of years ago. These courses are open, often without trees, and have bumpy, sandy ground. Nature usually shapes them, not builders.

The weather, especially the wind, is a big part of playing links golf. The wind can change direction and strength, making each round different. These courses also have deep "pot bunkers" (sand traps) and spiky gorse bushes. Golfers often have to hit the ball lower to keep it out of the wind. The greens are also often slower than other courses so the wind doesn't blow the ball away.

The Old Course at St Andrews

The Swilken Bridge with the St Andrews clubhouse in the background.

The Old Course at St Andrews is thought to be the oldest golf course in the world. Winning The Open here is a huge achievement in golf. Because it's so special, The Open is usually played there about every five years.

Past champions often choose St Andrews for their last Open tournament. It's a tradition to walk down the 18th fairway to huge cheers from the crowd. They also pose for photos on the Swilken Bridge with the beautiful clubhouse behind them.

The Claret Jug Trophy

Greg Norman holding the Claret Jug in 1993.

The Open trophy is the Claret Jug. It has been given to the champion since 1873. The original Claret Jug stays on display at the R&A's Clubhouse in St Andrews. So, the winner gets a copy of the trophy to keep for a year. They must return it for the next Open, and then they get a new replica.

The winner of The Open is called "The Champion Golfer of the Year." This title has been used since the first Open in 1860. Winners usually take photos with the trophy sitting on one of the famous pot bunkers. Three-time winner Jack Nicklaus said holding the Claret Jug was like holding "a newborn baby." He never put drinks in it because he respected what it meant.

What's in a Name?

The first event in 1860 was by invitation. But the next year, the club said it would be "open to all the world." In its early days, it was just called "The Championship." Later, to tell it apart from other "open" tournaments, people started calling it "The Open Championship" or simply "The Open."

In many countries, people started calling it the "British Open" to show it was different from their own national "open" tournaments. However, The R&A, which organizes the event, always called it "The Open Championship."

In 2017, The R&A said they wanted everyone to call it "The Open" and stop using "British Open." They even make sure that TV channels and websites use "The Open Championship" in their contracts. They say "The Open is the correct name... It is also the most appropriate."

Open Status in Golf

The Open is one of the four biggest golf tournaments, called "major championships." It's an official event on the PGA Tour, European Tour, and the Japan Golf Tour.

When The Open started in 1860, it wasn't the most popular golf event. But over time, especially with the "Great Triumvirate" golfers, interest grew. After World War II, fewer American players came because prize money was lower than in the U.S. and travel was expensive. But famous visits and wins by Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer, cheaper flights, and TV coverage helped it become very popular again.

Today, The Open is one of the four "majors" in golf, along with the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and Masters Tournament. These "majors" are the most important tournaments, and how a golfer plays in them often defines their career. People often debate which major is the most important, but opinions vary!

How The Open Works

Getting into The Open (Qualifying)

Qualifying rounds started in 1907. Today, most players don't have to qualify because they get an "exemption." This means they're allowed to play because they've done well in past Opens, other major tournaments, or are high up in the world golf rankings. Five amateur players can also get in by winning big amateur titles.

Another way to qualify is by doing well in the "Open Qualifying Series." These are about twelve golf events held around the world.

Any male professional golfer, male amateur golfer with a good handicap, or even female golfers who did well in women's major championships can try to qualify. If they play well, they move on to "Final Qualifying." This is where 12 players earn their spot in The Open. The total number of players in The Open is 156.

Tournament Format

• Players: 156 golfers.
• How it's played: 72 holes of stroke play. Players play 18 holes each day for four days, if the weather is good.
• When: It starts the day before the third Friday in July.
• Days: Thursday to Sunday.
• Tee off times: For the first two days, players tee off in groups of three, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. On the last two days, players go out in groups of two, with the leaders teeing off last.
• The Cut: After 36 holes (two days), only the top 70 players (and anyone tied with them) get to play the final 36 holes.
• Playoff: If there's a tie for the lead after 72 holes, they play a three-hole playoff. If it's still tied, they play "sudden death" until someone wins.

Prizes and Benefits

Before 2017, the prize money was in British pounds (£). Now, it's in US dollars ($) because that's the most common currency in golf.

Champion's Rewards

Henry Cotton holding the Claret Jug after winning in 1937.

The champion gets trophies, prize money, and special entries into other big golf tournaments. They also often get extra money from their sponsors. Here's what the winner receives:

• The Claret Jug: The winner keeps a replica of the famous trophy for a year.
• Gold Medal: A special medal given to all champions since 1872.
• Prize Money: If they are a professional, they get 18% of the total prize money.
• Future Open Entries: Guaranteed entry to all future Open Championships until they are 55 (or 60, depending on the year), and for the next ten Opens even if they are over 55.
• Other Major Entries: Entry to the next five Masters Tournament, PGA Championship, and U.S. Open tournaments.
• Tour Memberships: Five-year membership to the PGA Tour and European Tour.
• Senior Majors: Invitations to some senior major championships once they turn 50.

From 1860 to 1870, the winner received the Challenge Belt. When Young Tom Morris won it three times in a row, he got to keep it forever. That's when the gold medal and the Claret Jug were introduced.

Other Prizes for Top Players

Even if you don't win, doing well in The Open has benefits:

• Silver Salvers: The players who come in second place each get a silver tray.
• Share of Prize Money: Professionals who make the "cut" (play all four rounds) get a share of the total prize money. The higher they place, the more they get.
• Next Open Entry: The top 10 players (including ties) get to play in the next Open Championship without qualifying.
• Masters Entry: The top 4 players (including ties) get to play in the next Masters Tournament.

Amateur Medals

Since 1949, the best amateur player who finishes all four rounds receives a silver medal. Since 1972, any other amateur who finishes all four rounds gets a bronze medal. Amateurs do not receive prize money.

Courses Where The Open is Played

The Open Championship has always been held on a coastal "links golf" course in Scotland, England, or Northern Ireland.

Course Overview

A total of 14 courses have hosted The Open. Ten are still used today, and four have been retired.

• Prestwick Golf Club (1851): This was the very first Open venue and hosted 24 Opens, including the first 12. It was later replaced because it became too small for the growing crowds.
• Old Course at St Andrews (1552): Known as "the home of golf," it's considered the oldest golf course in the world. It has famous features like the "Hell Bunker." Because it's so special, St Andrews usually hosts The Open every five years.
• Musselburgh Links (c. 1672): A 9-hole course that hosted six Opens. It was replaced by Muirfield.
• Muirfield (1891): Built to replace Musselburgh. It's known for its circular layout, which makes the wind tricky on every hole.
• Royal St George's Golf Club (1887): Often called Sandwich. It was the first course in England to host The Open. It has the deepest bunker on the list of courses!
• Royal Liverpool Golf Club (1869): Often called Hoylake. It returned to the Open rota after many years, with changes to its tees and bunkers.
• Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club (1892): Hosted two Opens but was removed from the list because of flooding issues.
• Royal Troon Golf Club (1878): First used in 1923. It has famous holes like the "Postage Stamp" (8th hole).
• Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (1886): A shorter course, but it has 167 bunkers, so you need to be very accurate!
• Carnoustie Golf Links (1835): Replaced Prestwick. It's known as the toughest Open venue, especially the last three holes.

Turnberry Lighthouse at sunset surrounded by the golf course.

• Prince's Golf Club (1906): Only hosted The Open once in 1932.
• Royal Portrush Golf Club (1888): The only course outside England and Scotland to host The Open. It hosted in 1951 and returned in 2019 after many changes.
• Royal Birkdale Golf Club (1894): Known for its tall sand dunes along the fairways. It's often called England's best Open course.
• Turnberry (1906): Made its Open debut in 1977 with the famous "Duel in the Sun." It's known for being one of the most beautiful Open courses.

Future Open Locations

Open Records

• Oldest winner: Old Tom Morris (46 years old) in 1867.
• Youngest winner: Young Tom Morris (17 years old) in 1868.
• Most wins: 6 times by Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914).
• Most wins in a row: 4 times by Young Tom Morris (1868, 1869, 1870, 1872 – no tournament in 1871).
• Lowest score (72 holes): 264 by Henrik Stenson in 2016.
• Lowest score compared to par: −20 by Henrik Stenson (2016) and Cameron Smith (2022).
• Biggest winning difference: 13 strokes by Old Tom Morris in 1862.
• Lowest single round: 62 by Branden Grace in 2017 (a record for all major tournaments).
• Most second-place finishes: 7 times by Jack Nicklaus.

Recent Winners

#	Year	Winner	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Purse	Winner's share	Venue
152nd	2024	Xander Schauffele	275	−9	2 strokes	Billy Horschel Justin Rose	17,000,000	3,100,000	Royal Troon
151st	2023	Brian Harman	271	−13	6 strokes	Jason Day Tom Kim Jon Rahm Sepp Straka	16,500,000	3,000,000	Royal Liverpool
150th	2022	Cameron Smith	268	−20	1 stroke	Cameron Young	14,000,000	2,500,000	St Andrews
149th	2021	Collin Morikawa	265	−15	2 strokes	Jordan Spieth	11,500,000	2,070,000	Royal St George's
–	2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
148th	2019	Shane Lowry	269	−15	6 strokes	Tommy Fleetwood	10,750,000	1,935,000	Royal Portrush
147th	2018	Francesco Molinari	276	−8	2 strokes	Kevin Kisner Rory McIlroy Justin Rose Xander Schauffele	10,500,000	1,890,000	Carnoustie
146th	2017	Jordan Spieth	268	−12	3 strokes	Matt Kuchar	10,250,000	1,845,000	Royal Birkdale
145th	2016	Henrik Stenson	264	−20	3 strokes	Phil Mickelson	6,500,000	1,175,000	Royal Troon
144th	2015	Zach Johnson	273	−15	Playoff	Marc Leishman Louis Oosthuizen	6,300,000	1,150,000	St Andrews
143rd	2014	Rory McIlroy	271	−17	2 strokes	Rickie Fowler Sergio García	5,400,000	975,000	Royal Liverpool
142nd	2013	Phil Mickelson	281	−3	3 strokes	Henrik Stenson	5,250,000	945,000	Muirfield
141st	2012	Ernie Els (2)	273	−7	1 stroke	Adam Scott	5,000,000	900,000	Royal Lytham & St Annes
140th	2011	Darren Clarke	275	−5	3 strokes	Dustin Johnson Phil Mickelson	5,000,000	900,000	Royal St George's
139th	2010	Louis Oosthuizen	272	−16	7 strokes	Lee Westwood	4,800,000	850,000	St Andrews
138th	2009	Stewart Cink	278	−2	Playoff	Tom Watson	4,200,000	750,000	Turnberry
137th	2008	Pádraig Harrington (2)	283	+3	4 strokes	Ian Poulter	4,200,000	750,000	Royal Birkdale
136th	2007	Pádraig Harrington	277	−7	Playoff	Sergio García	4,200,000	750,000	Carnoustie
135th	2006	Tiger Woods (3)	270	−18	2 strokes	Chris DiMarco	4,000,000	720,000	Royal Liverpool
134th	2005	Tiger Woods (2)	274	−14	5 strokes	Colin Montgomerie	4,000,000	720,000	St Andrews
133rd	2004	Todd Hamilton	274	−10	Playoff	Ernie Els	4,000,000	720,000	Royal Troon
132nd	2003	Ben Curtis	283	−1	1 stroke	Thomas Bjørn Vijay Singh	3,900,000	700,000	Royal St George's
131st	2002	Ernie Els	278	−6	Playoff	Stuart Appleby Steve Elkington Thomas Levet	3,800,000	700,000	Muirfield
130th	2001	David Duval	274	−10	3 strokes	Niclas Fasth	3,300,000	600,000	Royal Lytham & St Annes
129th	2000	Tiger Woods	269	−19	8 strokes	Thomas Bjørn Ernie Els	2,750,000	500,000	St Andrews
128th	1999	Paul Lawrie	290	+6	Playoff	Justin Leonard Jean van de Velde	2,000,000	350,000	Carnoustie
127th	1998	Mark O'Meara	280	E	Playoff	Brian Watts	1,800,000	300,000	Royal Birkdale
126th	1997	Justin Leonard	272	−12	3 strokes	Darren Clarke Jesper Parnevik	1,600,000	250,000	Royal Troon
125th	1996	Tom Lehman	271	−13	2 strokes	Ernie Els Mark McCumber	1,400,000	200,000	Royal Lytham & St Annes
124th	1995	John Daly	282	−6	Playoff	Costantino Rocca	1,125,000	125,000	St Andrews
123rd	1994	Nick Price	268	−12	1 stroke	Jesper Parnevik	1,100,000	110,000	Turnberry
122nd	1993	Greg Norman (2)	267	−13	2 strokes	Nick Faldo	1,000,000	100,000	Royal St George's
121st	1992	Nick Faldo (3)	272	−12	1 stroke	John Cook	950,000	95,000	Muirfield
120th	1991	Ian Baker-Finch	272	−8	2 strokes	Mike Harwood	900,000	90,000	Royal Birkdale
119th	1990	Nick Faldo (2)	270	−18	5 strokes	Mark McNulty Payne Stewart	825,000	85,000	St Andrews
118th	1989	Mark Calcavecchia	275	−13	Playoff	Wayne Grady Greg Norman	750,000	80,000	Royal Troon
117th	1988	Seve Ballesteros (3)	273	−11	2 strokes	Nick Price	700,000	80,000	Royal Lytham & St Annes
116th	1987	Nick Faldo	279	−5	1 stroke	Paul Azinger Rodger Davis	650,000	75,000	Muirfield
115th	1986	Greg Norman	280	E	5 strokes	Gordon J. Brand	600,000	70,000	Turnberry
114th	1985	Sandy Lyle	282	+2	1 stroke	Payne Stewart	530,000	65,000	Royal St George's
113th	1984	Seve Ballesteros (2)	276	−12	2 strokes	Bernhard Langer Tom Watson	451,000	55,000	St Andrews
112th	1983	Tom Watson (5)	275	−9	1 stroke	Andy Bean Hale Irwin	310,000	40,000	Royal Birkdale
111th	1982	Tom Watson (4)	284	−4	1 stroke	Peter Oosterhuis Nick Price	250,000	32,000	Royal Troon
110th	1981	Bill Rogers	276	−4	4 strokes	Bernhard Langer	200,000	25,000	Royal St George's
109th	1980	Tom Watson (3)	271	−13	4 strokes	Lee Trevino	200,000	25,000	Muirfield
108th	1979	Seve Ballesteros	283	−1	3 strokes	Ben Crenshaw Jack Nicklaus	155,000	15,000	Royal Lytham & St Annes
107th	1978	Jack Nicklaus (3)	281	−7	2 strokes	Ben Crenshaw Raymond Floyd Tom Kite Simon Owen	125,000	12,500	St Andrews
106th	1977	Tom Watson (2)	268	−12	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus	100,000	10,000	Turnberry
105th	1976	Johnny Miller	279	−9	6 strokes	Seve Ballesteros Jack Nicklaus	75,000	7,500	Royal Birkdale
104th	1975	Tom Watson	279	−9	Playoff	Jack Newton	75,000	7,500	Carnoustie
103rd	1974	Gary Player (3)	282	−2	4 strokes	Peter Oosterhuis	50,000	5,500	Royal Lytham & St Annes
102nd	1973	Tom Weiskopf	276	−12	3 strokes	Neil Coles Johnny Miller	50,000	5,500	Troon
101st	1972	Lee Trevino (2)	278	−6	1 stroke	Jack Nicklaus	50,000	5,500	Muirfield
100th	1971	Lee Trevino	278	−14	1 stroke	Lu Liang-Huan	45,000	5,500	Royal Birkdale
99th	1970	Jack Nicklaus (2)	283	−5	Playoff	Doug Sanders	40,000	5,250	St Andrews
98th	1969	Tony Jacklin	280	−4	2 strokes	Bob Charles	30,000	4,250	Royal Lytham & St Annes
97th	1968	Gary Player (2)	289	+1	2 strokes	Bob Charles Jack Nicklaus	20,000	3,000	Carnoustie
96th	1967	Roberto De Vicenzo	278	−10	2 strokes	Jack Nicklaus	15,000	2,100	Royal Liverpool
95th	1966	Jack Nicklaus	282	−2	1 stroke	Doug Sanders Dave Thomas	15,000	2,100	Muirfield
94th	1965	Peter Thomson (5)	285	−7	2 strokes	Brian Huggett Christy O'Connor Snr	10,000	1,750	Royal Birkdale
93rd	1964	Tony Lema	279	−9	5 strokes	Jack Nicklaus	8,500	1,500	St Andrews
92nd	1963	Bob Charles	277	−3	Playoff	Phil Rodgers	8,500	1,500	Royal Lytham & St Annes
91st	1962	Arnold Palmer (2)	276	−12	6 strokes	Kel Nagle	8,500	1,400	Troon
90th	1961	Arnold Palmer	284	−4	1 stroke	Dai Rees	8,500	1,400	Royal Birkdale
89th	1960	Kel Nagle	278	−10	1 stroke	Arnold Palmer	7,000	1,250	St Andrews
88th	1959	Gary Player	284	−4	2 strokes	Fred Bullock Flory Van Donck	5,000	1,000	Muirfield
87th	1958	Peter Thomson (4)	278	−6	Playoff	Dave Thomas	4,850	1,000	Royal Lytham & St Annes
86th	1957	Bobby Locke (4)	279	−9	3 strokes	Peter Thomson	3,750	1,000	St Andrews
85th	1956	Peter Thomson (3)	286	+2	3 strokes	Flory Van Donck	3,750	1,000	Royal Liverpool
84th	1955	Peter Thomson (2)	281	−7	2 strokes	John Fallon	3,750	1,000	St Andrews
83rd	1954	Peter Thomson	283	−9	1 stroke	Bobby Locke Dai Rees Syd Scott	3,500	750	Royal Birkdale
82nd	1953	Ben Hogan	282	−6	4 strokes	Antonio Cerdá Dai Rees Frank Stranahan (a) Peter Thomson	2,500	500	Carnoustie
81st	1952	Bobby Locke (3)	287	−1	1 stroke	Peter Thomson	1,700	300	Royal Lytham & St Annes
80th	1951	Max Faulkner	285	−3	2 strokes	Antonio Cerdá	1,700	300	Royal Portrush
79th	1950	Bobby Locke (2)	279	−1	2 strokes	Roberto De Vicenzo	1,500	300	Troon
78th	1949	Bobby Locke	283	−5	Playoff	Harry Bradshaw	1,500	300	Royal St George's
77th	1948	Henry Cotton (3)	284	E	5 strokes	Fred Daly	1,000	150	Muirfield
76th	1947	Fred Daly	293	+21	1 stroke	Reg Horne Frank Stranahan (a)	1,000	150	Royal Liverpool
75th	1946	Sam Snead	290	−2	4 strokes	Johnny Bulla Bobby Locke	1,000	150	St Andrews
1940–45: No championships due to World War II
74th	1939	Dick Burton	290	−2	2 strokes	Johnny Bulla	500	100	St Andrews
73rd	1938	Reg Whitcombe	295	+15	2 strokes	Jimmy Adams	500	100	Royal St George's
72nd	1937	Henry Cotton (2)	290	+2	2 strokes	Reg Whitcombe	500	100	Carnoustie
71st	1936	Alf Padgham	287		1 stroke	Jimmy Adams	500	100	Royal Liverpool
70th	1935	Alf Perry	283		4 strokes	Alf Padgham	500	100	Muirfield
69th	1934	Henry Cotton	283		5 strokes	Sid Brews	500	100	Royal St George's
68th	1933	Denny Shute	292		Playoff	Craig Wood	500	100	St Andrews
67th	1932	Gene Sarazen	283		5 strokes	Macdonald Smith	500	100	Prince's
66th	1931	Tommy Armour	296		1 stroke	José Jurado	500	100	Carnoustie
65th	1930	Bobby Jones (a) (3)	291		2 strokes	Leo Diegel Macdonald Smith	400	100	Royal Liverpool
64th	1929	Walter Hagen (4)	292		6 strokes	Johnny Farrell	275	75	Muirfield
63rd	1928	Walter Hagen (3)	292		2 strokes	Gene Sarazen	275	75	Royal St George's
62nd	1927	Bobby Jones (a) (2)	285		6 strokes	Aubrey Boomer Fred Robson	275	75	St Andrews
61st	1926	Bobby Jones (a)	291		2 strokes	Al Watrous	225	75	Royal Lytham & St Annes
60th	1925	Jim Barnes	300		1 stroke	Archie Compston Ted Ray	225	75	Prestwick
59th	1924	Walter Hagen (2)	301		1 stroke	Ernest Whitcombe	225	75	Royal Liverpool
58th	1923	Arthur Havers	295		1 stroke	Walter Hagen	225	75	Troon
57th	1922	Walter Hagen	300		1 stroke	Jim Barnes George Duncan	225	75	Royal St George's
56th	1921	Jock Hutchison	296		Playoff	Roger Wethered (a)	225	75	St Andrews
55th	1920	George Duncan	303		2 strokes	Sandy Herd	225	75	Royal Cinque Ports
1915–19: No championships due to World War I
54th	1914	Harry Vardon (6)	306		3 strokes	John Henry Taylor	135	50	Prestwick
53rd	1913	John Henry Taylor (5)	304		8 strokes	Ted Ray	135	50	Royal Liverpool
52nd	1912	Ted Ray	295		4 strokes	Harry Vardon	135	50	Muirfield
51st	1911	Harry Vardon (5)	303		Playoff	Arnaud Massy	135	50	Royal St George's
50th	1910	James Braid (5)	299		4 strokes	Sandy Herd	135	50	St Andrews
49th	1909	John Henry Taylor (4)	291		6 strokes	Tom Ball James Braid	125	50	Royal Cinque Ports
48th	1908	James Braid (4)	291		8 strokes	Tom Ball	125	50	Prestwick
47th	1907	Arnaud Massy	312		2 strokes	John Henry Taylor	125	50	Royal Liverpool
46th	1906	James Braid (3)	300		4 strokes	John Henry Taylor	125	50	Muirfield
45th	1905	James Braid (2)	318		5 strokes	Rowland Jones John Henry Taylor	125	50	St Andrews
44th	1904	Jack White	296		1 stroke	James Braid John Henry Taylor	125	50	Royal St George's
43rd	1903	Harry Vardon (4)	300		6 strokes	Tom Vardon	125	50	Prestwick
42nd	1902	Sandy Herd	307		1 stroke	James Braid Harry Vardon	125	50	Royal Liverpool
41st	1901	James Braid	309		3 strokes	Harry Vardon	125	50	Muirfield
40th	1900	John Henry Taylor (3)	309		8 strokes	Harry Vardon	125	50	St Andrews
39th	1899	Harry Vardon (3)	310		5 strokes	Jack White	100	30	St George's
38th	1898	Harry Vardon (2)	307		1 stroke	Willie Park Jr.	100	30	Prestwick
37th	1897	Harold Hilton (a) (2)	314		1 stroke	James Braid	100	30	Royal Liverpool
36th	1896	Harry Vardon	316		Playoff	John Henry Taylor	100	30	Muirfield
35th	1895	John Henry Taylor (2)	322		4 strokes	Sandy Herd	100	30	St Andrews
34th	1894	John Henry Taylor	326		5 strokes	Douglas Rolland	100	30	St George's
33rd	1893	William Auchterlonie	322		2 strokes	Johnny Laidlay (a)	100	30	Prestwick
32nd	1892	Harold Hilton (a)	305		3 strokes	John Ball (a) Sandy Herd Hugh Kirkaldy	110	35	Muirfield
31st	1891	Hugh Kirkaldy	166		2 strokes	Willie Fernie Andrew Kirkaldy	28.50	10	St Andrews
30th	1890	John Ball (a)	164		3 strokes	Willie Fernie Archie Simpson	29.50	13	Prestwick
29th	1889	Willie Park Jr. (2)	155		Playoff	Andrew Kirkaldy	22	8	Musselburgh
28th	1888	Jack Burns	171		1 stroke	David Anderson Jr. Ben Sayers	20	8	St Andrews
27th	1887	Willie Park Jr.	161		1 stroke	Bob Martin	20	8	Prestwick
26th	1886	David Brown	157		2 strokes	Willie Campbell	20	8	Musselburgh
25th	1885	Bob Martin (2)	171		1 stroke	Archie Simpson	35.50	10	St Andrews
24th	1884	Jack Simpson	160		4 strokes	Willie Fernie Douglas Rolland	23	8	Prestwick
23rd	1883	Willie Fernie	159		Playoff	Bob Ferguson	20	8	Musselburgh
22nd	1882	Bob Ferguson (3)	171		3 strokes	Willie Fernie	47.25	12	St Andrews
21st	1881	Bob Ferguson (2)	170		3 strokes	Jamie Anderson	21	8	Prestwick
20th	1880	Bob Ferguson	162		5 strokes	Peter Paxton	Not known	8	Musselburgh
19th	1879	Jamie Anderson (3)	169		3 strokes	Jamie Allan Andrew Kirkaldy	47	10	St Andrews
18th	1878	Jamie Anderson (2)	157		2 strokes	Bob Kirk	Not known	8	Prestwick
17th	1877	Jamie Anderson	160		2 strokes	Bob Pringle	20	8	Musselburgh
16th	1876	Bob Martin	176		Playoff	Davie Strath	27	10	St Andrews
15th	1875	Willie Park Sr. (4)	166		2 strokes	Bob Martin	20	8	Prestwick
14th	1874	Mungo Park	159		2 strokes	Young Tom Morris	20	8	Musselburgh
13th	1873	Tom Kidd	179		1 stroke	Jamie Anderson	Not known	11	St Andrews
12th	1872	Young Tom Morris (4)	166		3 strokes	Davie Strath	Not known	8	Prestwick
1871: Championship cancelled as no trophy available
11th	1870	Young Tom Morris (3)	149		12 strokes	Bob Kirk (2nd) Davie Strath (3rd)	12	6	Prestwick
10th	1869	Young Tom Morris (2)	157		11 strokes	Bob Kirk	12	6	Prestwick
9th	1868	Young Tom Morris	154		3 strokes	Old Tom Morris	12	6	Prestwick
8th	1867	Old Tom Morris (4)	170		2 strokes	Willie Park Sr.	16	7	Prestwick
7th	1866	Willie Park Sr. (3)	169		2 strokes	Davie Park	11	6	Prestwick
6th	1865	Andrew Strath	162		2 strokes	Willie Park Sr.	20	8	Prestwick
5th	1864	Old Tom Morris (3)	167		2 strokes	Andrew Strath	15	6	Prestwick
4th	1863	Willie Park Sr. (2)	168		2 strokes	Old Tom Morris	10	-	Prestwick
3rd	1862	Old Tom Morris (2)	163		13 strokes	Willie Park Sr.	-	-	Prestwick
2nd	1861	Old Tom Morris	163		4 strokes	Willie Park Sr.	-	-	Prestwick
1st	1860	Willie Park Sr.	174		2 strokes	Old Tom Morris	-	-	Prestwick

Silver Medal Winners

Since 1949, the best amateur golfer who finishes all four rounds gets a silver medal. In the past, rich amateurs could win it many times. Today, players often become professionals soon after winning the silver medal. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are the only silver medal winners who later won The Open itself!

Watching The Open (Broadcasting)

The Open is broadcast around the world. In the United Kingdom, Sky shows the tournament live. The BBC used to show it live but now only shows highlights and radio coverage.

In the United States, NBC broadcasts The Open. They also show early rounds on their Golf Channel. The Open is the first golf major to be shown only on paid TV in America.

The Open's official website, TheOpen.com, also offers some free coverage like highlights and radio. Many other countries around the world also have broadcasters that show The Open.

See also

In Spanish: Abierto Británico de Golf para niños