The Open: Everything you need to know about the oldest tournament in golf

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The Open Championship, also known as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world.

The event, which has been going on for over 150 years, is also one of the most prestigious in all of golf. Indeed, most players say that either The Open or The Masters is the tournament that they want to win more than any other.

And, legends of the sport, such as Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Jack Nicklaus, have all lifted the famous Claret Jug trophy.

The 152nd edition of The Open takes place at Royal Troon this weekend, so The Golfing Gazette tells you everything you need to know about the tournament below.

Where is The Open held?

The first 12 editions of The Open were held at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. The tournament was then shared between other Scottish courses and eventually English and Nothern Irish clubs as well.

A total of 14 courses across the United Kingdom have held The Open, all of which are coastal links courses. The most famous of them all is St Andrews – the oldest course in the world, recognised as ‘the home of golf’.

The 2024 Open will go ahead at Royal Troon, where it has been held nine previous times, while next year’s tournament will be held at Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland.

History of The Open

The first ever Open Championship took place at Prestwick Golf Club in 1860 and consisted of three rounds of twelve holes. Back then, only the wealthy could afford the equipment required to play golf and so the same names appeared at the top of the leaderboard each year.

Indeed, there were only four winners in the first 12 years of the competition. One of which was Old Tom Morris, who is still the oldest winner ever, at 46 years of age. Another was his son, Young Tom Morris, who remains the youngest-ever winner, at 17 years of age.

New courses and Claret Jug (1872–1889)

In 1872, Prestwick, Muirfield and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club each contributed £10 towards a new silver trophy – the Claret Jug. It was agreed that the Open would rotate between these three courses and the winner would lift the Claret Jug.

They also introduced the presentation of a gold medal to the champion, which is a tradition that still happens today. The tournament continued to be dominated by Scottish golfers for the next two decades.

English and American winners (1890-1939)

English golfers started to enjoy success at The Open in the 1890s and that coincided with the introduction of St George’s and Royal Liverpool into the rotation of hosts. This was also the era when the tournament became four rounds of 18 holes, though they were all played over two days initially.

France’s Arnaud Massy became the first non-British winner of the Claret Jug in 1907, in an era dominated by Harry Vardon, John Henry Taylor and James Braid. Vardon won The Open six times, while Taylor and Braid were victorious five times each. Their rivalries were crucial in increasing the popularity of the sport.

In 1921, 11 players made the journey over from the United States to compete in The Open. And, just a year later, Walter Hagen became the first American winner of the Claret Jug. The next 11 editions of the competition were all also won by golfers who travelled across the Atlantic.

Nicklaus, Watson and golf legends take center stage (1946-1993)

The Open did not take place during the Second World War and returned in 1946, with American Sam Snead winning at St Andrews. There continued to be many American winners but it was in the following decades that golf became a global game, with champions from South Africa, Australia and Argentina.

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, ‘the big three’, each won at least one Open Championship in their respective careers. As did Tom Watson, five times, and Seve Ballesteros, three times, as the greats of the game relished the challenge of links golf.

Tiger Woods and the Modern Era (1994-present)

The Open is now rotated between 10 courses in the United Kingdom, and perhaps that is one of the reasons for such few repeat winners. Of course, Tiger Woods got his hands on the Claret Jug multiple times, as he seemingly did with every trophy in his prime.

Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington each won the tournament twice but the likes of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth have only done so once, while many of the game’s top players have never quite figured out links golf.

The Open remains a unique challenge to professional golfers, particularly those not from the UK, and that is what makes it arguably the best week on the PGA Tour calendar.

Who has won The Open?

The Open Winners List (since World War II)

• 2023 — Brian Harman
• 2022 — Cameron Smith
• 2021 — Collin Morikawa
• 2020 — (not held)
• 2019 — Shane Lowry
• 2018 — Francesco Molinari
• 2017 — Jordan Spieth
• 2016 — Henrik Stenson
• 2015 — Zach Johnson
• 2014 — Rory McIlroy
• 2013 — Phil Mickelson
• 2012 — Ernie Els
• 2011 — Darren Clarke
• 2010 — Louis Oosthuizen
• 2009 — Stewart Cink
• 2008 — Padraig Harrington
• 2007 — Padraig Harrington
• 2006 — Tiger Woods
• 2005 — Tiger Woods
• 2004 — Todd Hamilton
• 2003 — Ben Curtis
• 2002 — Ernie Els
• 2001 — David Duval
• 2000 — Tiger Woods
• 1999 — Paul Lawrie
• 1998 — Mark O’Meara
• 1997 — Justin Leonard
• 1996 — Tom Lehman
• 1995 — John Daly
• 1994 — Nick Price
• 1993 — Greg Norman
• 1992 — Nick Faldo
• 1991 — Ian Baker-Finch
• 1990 — Nick Faldo
• 1989 — Mark Calcavecchia
• 1988 — Seve Ballesteros
• 1987 — Nick Faldo
• 1986 — Greg Norman
• 1985 — Sandy Lyle
• 1984 — Seve Ballesteros
• 1983 — Tom Watson
• 1982 — Tom Watson
• 1981 — Bill Rogers
• 1980 — Tom Watson
• 1979 — Seve Ballesteros
• 1978 — Jack Nicklaus
• 1977 — Tom Watson
• 1976 — Johnny Miller
• 1975 — Tom Watson
• 1974 — Gary Player
• 1973 — Tom Weiskopf
• 1972 — Lee Trevino
• 1971 — Lee Trevino
• 1970 — Jack Nicklaus
• 1969 — Tony Jacklin
• 1968 — Gary Player
• 1967 — Roberto de Vicenzo
• 1966 — Jack Nicklaus
• 1965 — Peter Thomson
• 1964 — Tony Lema
• 1963 — Bob Charles
• 1962 — Arnold Palmer
• 1961 — Arnold Palmer
• 1960 — Kel Nagle
• 1959 — Gary Player
• 1958 — Peter Thomson
• 1957 — Bobby Locke
• 1956 — Peter Thomson
• 1955 — Peter Thomson
• 1954 — Peter Thomson
• 1953 — Ben Hogan
• 1952 — Bobby Locke
• 1951 — Max Faulkner
• 1950 — Bobby Locke
• 1949 — Bobby Locke
• 1948 — Henry Cotton
• 1947 — Fred Daly
• 1946 — Sam Snead

Who has the most wins at The Open?

Harry Vardon has won The Open more than any other player, winning six times between 1896 and 1914. Vardon came from Jersey – a British island, 14 miles away from France.

Most Open wins

• 6: Harry Vardon, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914
• 5: James Braid, 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910
• 5: John Henry Taylor, 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913
• 5: Peter Thomson, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965
• 5: Tom Watson, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
• 4: Tom Morris Sr, 1861, 1862, 1864, 1867
• 4: Tom Morris Jr, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1872
• 4: Willie Park Sr, 1860, 1863, 1866, 1875
• 4: Walter Hagen, 1922, 1924, 1928, 1929
• 4: Bobby Locke, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1957
• 3: Jamie Anderson, 1877, 1878, 1879
• 3: Bob Ferguson, 3 1880, 1881, 1882
• 3: Bobby Jones, 3 1926, 1927, 1930
• 3: Henry Cotton, 1934, 1937, 1948
• 3: Gary Player, 1959, 1968, 1974
• 3: Jack Nicklaus, 1966, 1970, 1978
• 3: Seve Ballesteros, 1979, 1984, 1988
• 3: Nick Faldo, 1987, 1990, 1992
• 3: Tiger Woods, 2000, 2005, 2006
• 2: Bob Martin, 1876, 1885
• 2: Willie Park Jr, 1887, 1889
• 2: Harold Hilto, 1892, 1897
• 2: Arnold Palmer, 1961, 1962
• 2: Lee Trevino, 1971, 1972
• 2: Greg Norman, 1986, 1993
• 2: Pádraig Harrington, 2007, 2008
• 2: Ernie Els, 2002, 2012

What is the prize money for The Open?

As one would expect, the prize money at The Open has increased significantly over the years. The 2024 Open will feature a $17 million total purse, including $3.1m to the winner (18%), $1.75m to second place and $1.2m to third place. The lowest prize on offer of $39,000 will go to the 70th-place finisher.

The winner also receives the Claret Jug, otherwise known as the Golf Champion Trophy, and an exemption to compete in the tournament until the age of 55.

The Open Ticketing

Getting a ticket for the The Open can be difficult but there are a number of ways to do so:

1. Enter The Open ballot: The primary way to buy tickets to the Open Championship is through the ballot. The ballot is available to members of The One Club, which is free to join and easy to register for. The ballot for the following year’s Open closes around two weeks after the tournament finishes. Applicants are informed throughout August and September of the result of their application.
2. Hospitality Packages: One way to guarantee a ticket to one of golf’s greatest spectacles is through hospitality packages. These can include amenities such as food, drink, transportation and exclusive viewing areas. Depending on the package, the price can be as high as £8000.
3. Secondary Market: If you’re unable to obtain tickets through the lottery or authorized sources, you can explore the secondary market. Websites like StubHub, Ticketmaster, and others may have tickets available for resale, although prices can be significantly higher than face value.
4. Consider Practice Rounds: Tickets for practice rounds (Monday through Wednesday) are typically easier to obtain than tickets for the tournament rounds (Thursday through Sunday). Attending practice rounds still offers the opportunity to experience The Open and see the players in a less crowded environment.