Harry Vardon , six-time Open Champion in 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, and 1914, which is a recordThe Open Championship is an annualgolf competition held in theUnited Kingdom that was established in 1860.[ 1] major championships to be played each year.[ 2] The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A). The championship was not held in 1871 due to a disagreement over a new trophy,[ 3] First andSecond World Wars respectively, and in 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic .[ 4]
The reigning champion of the competition is automatically invited to play in the other three majors (Masters , theU.S. Open , and thePGA Championship ) for the next five years. The prize of the tournament is the Golf Champion Trophy, commonly known as theClaret Jug , and the champion personally keeps the trophy until the next competition the following year. The champion also receives a gold medal, which they are allowed to keep permanently. Until 1870 the champion received theChallenge Belt , however when Tom Morris Jr. (more commonly known asYoung Tom Morris ) won the Open Championship three times in a row he won the belt outright, necessitating the need for a new trophy.[ 3]
Harry Vardon holds the record for the most Open Championship victories, winning six times during his career.[ 5] Old Tom Morris ) who was 46 years and 102 days old when he won in1867 . His son, Tom Morris Jr., is the youngest winner of the championship, he was 17 years and 156 days old when he won the1868 Open Championship . He also won the most consecutive times with four victories (1868–1872).Henrik Stenson andCameron Smith hold the distinction of being both the most strokes underpar for 72 holes (−20),[ a] 2016 and2022 respectively.[ 6] [ 7] Scottie Scheffler is the current champion, winning the 2025 Open.[ 8]
Key (n/a) Information not available † Tournament won in aplayoff * Tournament won by anamateur
James Braid , five-time Open Champion in 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, and 1910John Henry Taylor , five-time Open Champion in 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913Tom Watson , five-time Open Champion in 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983Tom Morris Sr. , four-time Open Champion in 1861, 1862, 1864, and 1867.Tom Morris Jr. , four-time Open Champion in 1868, 1869, 1870, and 1872.Willie Park Sr. , four-time Open Champion in 1860, 1863, 1866, and 1875Walter Hagen , four-time Open Champion in 1922, 1924, 1928, and 1929Bob Ferguson , three-time Open Champion in 1880, 1881, 1882Bobby Jones , three-time Open Champion in 1926, 1927, and 1930. He is one of six champions to win wire-to-wire after 72-holes played with his victory in 1927.Henry Cotton , three-time Open Champion in 1934, 1937, and 1948. He is one of six champions to win wire-to-wire after 72-holes played with his victory in 1934.Gary Player , three-time Open Champion in 1959, 1968, and 1974.Jack Nicklaus , three-time Open Champion in 1966, 1970, and 1978Seve Ballesteros , three-time Open Champion in 1979, 1984, and 1988Nick Faldo , three-time Open Champion in 1987, 1990, and 1992Tiger Woods , three-time Open Champion in 2000, 2005, and 2006. He is one of six champions to win wire-to-wire after 72-holes played with his victory in 2005.The Open Championship champions[ 9] [ 10] [ 11] Year Country Champion Course Location Total score Topar [ b] 1860 Scotland Willie Park Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 174 n/a 1861 Scotland Tom Morris Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 163 n/a 1862 Scotland Tom Morris Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 163 n/a 1863 Scotland Willie Park Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 168 n/a 1864 Scotland Tom Morris Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 167 n/a 1865 Scotland Andrew Strath Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 162 n/a 1866 Scotland Willie Park Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 169 n/a 1867 Scotland Tom Morris Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 170 n/a 1868 Scotland Tom Morris Jr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 154 n/a 1869 Scotland Tom Morris Jr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 157 n/a 1870 Scotland Tom Morris Jr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 149 n/a 1871 — None[ c] — — — — 1872 Scotland Tom Morris Jr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 166 n/a 1873 Scotland Tom Kidd St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 179 n/a 1874 Scotland Mungo Park Musselburgh Links Musselburgh ,Scotland 159 n/a 1875 Scotland Willie Park Sr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 166 n/a 1876 Scotland Bob Martin † [ d] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 176 n/a 1877 Scotland Jamie Anderson Musselburgh Links Musselburgh ,Scotland 160 n/a 1878 Scotland Jamie Anderson Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 157 n/a 1879 Scotland Jamie Anderson St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 169 n/a 1880 Scotland Bob Ferguson Musselburgh Links Musselburgh ,Scotland 162 n/a 1881 Scotland Bob Ferguson Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 170 n/a 1882 Scotland Bob Ferguson St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 171 n/a 1883 Scotland Willie Fernie † [ e] Musselburgh Links Musselburgh ,Scotland 159 n/a 1884 Scotland Jack Simpson Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 160 n/a 1885 Scotland Bob Martin St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 171 n/a 1886 Scotland David Brown Musselburgh Links Musselburgh ,Scotland 157 n/a 1887 Scotland Willie Park Jr. Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 161 n/a 1888 Scotland Jack Burns St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 171 n/a 1889 Scotland Willie Park Jr. † [ f] Musselburgh Links Musselburgh ,Scotland 155 n/a 1890 England John Ball [ g] Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 162 n/a 1891 Scotland Hugh Kirkaldy St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 166 n/a 1892 England Harold Hilton [ h] Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 305 n/a 1893 Scotland William Auchterlonie Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 322 n/a 1894 England John Henry Taylor Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 326 n/a 1895 England John Henry Taylor St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 332 n/a 1896 Jersey Harry Vardon † [ i] Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 316 n/a 1897 England Harold Hilton [ h] Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 314 n/a 1898 Jersey Harry Vardon Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 307 n/a 1899 Jersey Harry Vardon Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 310 n/a 1900 England John Henry Taylor St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 309 n/a 1901 Scotland James Braid Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 309 n/a 1902 Scotland Sandy Herd Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 307 n/a 1903 Jersey Harry Vardon Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 300 n/a 1904 Scotland Jack White Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 296 n/a 1905 Scotland James Braid St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 318 n/a 1906 Scotland James Braid Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 300 n/a 1907 France Arnaud Massy Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 312 n/a 1908 Scotland James Braid Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 291 n/a 1909 England John Henry Taylor Royal Cinque Ports Deal ,England 291 n/a 1910 Scotland James Braid St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 299 n/a 1911 Jersey Harry Vardon † [ j] Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 303 n/a 1912 Jersey Ted Ray Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 295 n/a 1913 England John Henry Taylor Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 304 n/a 1914 Jersey Harry Vardon Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 306 n/a 1915 — None[ k] — — — — 1916 — None — — — — 1917 — None — — — — 1918 — None — — — — 1919 — None — — — — 1920 Scotland George Duncan Royal Cinque Ports Deal ,England 303 +15 1921 United States Jock Hutchison † [ l] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 296 +8 1922 United States Walter Hagen Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 300 +20 1923 England Arthur Havers Troon Troon ,Scotland 295 +7 1924 United States Walter Hagen Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 301 +13 1925 England Jim Barnes Prestwick Golf Club Prestwick ,Scotland 300 +16 1926 United States Bobby Jones [ m] Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 291 +7 1927 United States Bobby Jones [ m] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 285 –3 1928 United States Walter Hagen Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 292 +12 1929 United States Walter Hagen Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 292 +8 1930 United States Bobby Jones [ m] Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 291 +3 1931 United States Tommy Armour Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 296 +12 1932 United States Gene Sarazen Prince's Golf Club Sandwich ,England 283 −5 1933 United States Denny Shute † [ n] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 292 +4 1934 England Henry Cotton Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 283 +3 1935 England Alf Perry Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 283 −5 1936 England Alf Padgham Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 287 −9 1937 England Henry Cotton Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 290 +6 1938 England Reg Whitcombe Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 295 +15 1939 England Dick Burton St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 290 −2 1940 — None[ o] — — — — 1941 — None — — — — 1942 — None — — — — 1943 — None — — — — 1944 — None — — — — 1945 — None — — — — 1946 United States Sam Snead St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 290 +2 1947 Northern Ireland Fred Daly Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 293 +5 1948 England Henry Cotton Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 284 E 1949 South Africa Bobby Locke † [ p] Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 283 –5 1950 South Africa Bobby Locke Troon Troon ,Scotland 279 −9 1951 England Max Faulkner Royal Portrush County Antrim ,Northern Ireland 285 −3 1952 South Africa Bobby Locke Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 287 –1 1953 United States Ben Hogan Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 282 −6 1954 Australia Peter Thomson Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 283 −3 1955 Australia Peter Thomson St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 281 −7 1956 Australia Peter Thomson Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 286 −2 1957 South Africa Bobby Locke St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 279 −9 1958 Australia Peter Thomson † [ q] Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 274 −10 1959 South Africa Gary Player Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 284 E 1960 Australia Kel Nagle St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 278 −10 1961 United States Arnold Palmer Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 284 −4 1962 United States Arnold Palmer Troon Troon ,Scotland 276 −12 1963 New Zealand Bob Charles † [ r] Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 277 −7 1964 United States Tony Lema St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 279 −9 1965 Australia Peter Thomson Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 285 −7 1966 United States Jack Nicklaus Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 282 −2 1967 Argentina Roberto De Vicenzo Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 278 −10 1968 South Africa Gary Player Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 289 +1 1969 England Tony Jacklin Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 280 −4 1970 United States Jack Nicklaus † [ s] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 283 −5 1971 United States Lee Trevino Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 278 −14 1972 United States Lee Trevino Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 278 −6 1973 United States Tom Weiskopf Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 276 −12 1974 South Africa Gary Player Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 282 −2 1975 United States Tom Watson † [ t] Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 279 −9 1976 United States Johnny Miller Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 279 −9 1977 United States Tom Watson Turnberry South Ayrshire ,Scotland 268 −12 1978 United States Jack Nicklaus St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 281 −7 1979 Spain Seve Ballesteros Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 283 −1 1980 United States Tom Watson Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 271 −13 1981 United States Bill Rogers Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 276 −4 1982 United States Tom Watson Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 284 −4 1983 United States Tom Watson Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 275 −9 1984 Spain Seve Ballesteros St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 276 −12 1985 Scotland Sandy Lyle Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 282 +2 1986 Australia Greg Norman Turnberry South Ayrshire ,Scotland 280 E 1987 England Nick Faldo Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 279 −5 1988 Spain Seve Ballesteros Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 273 −11 1989 United States Mark Calcavecchia † [ u] Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 275 −13 1990 England Nick Faldo St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 270 −18 1991 Australia Ian Baker-Finch Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 272 −8 1992 England Nick Faldo Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 272 −12 1993 Australia Greg Norman Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 267 −13 1994 Zimbabwe Nick Price Turnberry South Ayrshire ,Scotland 268 −12 1995 United States John Daly † [ v] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 282 −6 1996 United States Tom Lehman Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 271 −13 1997 United States Justin Leonard Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 272 −12 1998 United States Mark O'Meara † [ w] Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 280 E 1999 Scotland Paul Lawrie † [ x] Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 290 +6 2000 United States Tiger Woods St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 269 −19 2001 United States David Duval Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 274 −10 2002 South Africa Ernie Els † [ y] Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 278 −6 2003 United States Ben Curtis Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 283 −1 2004 United States Todd Hamilton † [ z] Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 274 −10 2005 United States Tiger Woods St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 274 −14 2006 United States Tiger Woods Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 270 −18 2007 Ireland Pádraig Harrington † [ aa] Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 277 −7 2008 Ireland Pádraig Harrington Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 283 +3 2009 United States Stewart Cink † [ ab] Turnberry South Ayrshire ,Scotland 278 −2 2010 South Africa Louis Oosthuizen St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 272 −16 2011 Northern Ireland Darren Clarke Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 275 −5 2012 South Africa Ernie Els Royal Lytham & St Annes Lytham St Annes ,England 273 −7 2013 United States Phil Mickelson Muirfield Gullane ,Scotland 281 −3 2014 Northern Ireland Rory McIlroy Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 271 −17 2015 United States Zach Johnson † [ ac] St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 273 −15 2016 Sweden Henrik Stenson Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 264 −20 2017 United States Jordan Spieth Royal Birkdale Southport ,England 268 −12 2018 Italy Francesco Molinari Carnoustie Carnoustie ,Scotland 276 −8 2019 Ireland Shane Lowry Royal Portrush County Antrim ,Northern Ireland 269 −15 2020 — None[ ad] — — — — 2021 United States Collin Morikawa Royal St George's Sandwich ,England 265 −15 2022 Australia Cameron Smith St Andrews St Andrews ,Scotland 268 −20 2023 United States Brian Harman Royal Liverpool Hoylake ,England 271 −13 2024 United States Xander Schauffele Royal Troon Troon ,Scotland 275 −9 2025 United States Scottie Scheffler Royal Portrush County Antrim ,Northern Ireland 267 −17
Multiple Open championship champions Golfer Total Years Harry Vardon (JEY) 6 1896 ,1898 ,1899 ,1903 ,1911 ,1914 James Braid (SCO) 5 1901 ,1905 ,1906 ,1908 ,1910 John Henry Taylor (ENG) 5 1894 ,1895 ,1900 ,1909 ,1913 Peter Thomson (AUS) 5 1954 ,1955 ,1956 ,1958 ,1965 Tom Watson (USA) 5 1975 ,1977 ,1980 ,1982 ,1983 Tom Morris Sr. (SCO) 4 1861 ,1862 ,1864 ,1867 Tom Morris Jr. (SCO) 4 1868 ,1869 ,1870 ,1872 Willie Park Sr. (SCO) 4 1860 ,1863 ,1866 ,1875 Walter Hagen (USA) 4 1922 ,1924 ,1928 ,1929 Bobby Locke (RSA) 4 1949 ,1950 ,1952 ,1957 Jamie Anderson (SCO) 3 1877 ,1878 ,1879 Bob Ferguson (SCO) 3 1880 ,1881 ,1882 Bobby Jones (USA) 3 1926 ,1927 ,1930 Henry Cotton (ENG) 3 1934 ,1937 ,1948 Gary Player (RSA) 3 1959 ,1968 ,1974 Jack Nicklaus (USA) 3 1966 ,1970 ,1978 Seve Ballesteros (ESP) 3 1979 ,1984 ,1988 Nick Faldo (ENG) 3 1987 ,1990 ,1992 Tiger Woods (USA) 3 2000 ,2005 ,2006 Bob Martin (SCO) 2 1876 ,1885 Willie Park Jr. (SCO) 2 1887 ,1889 Harold Hilton (ENG) 2 1892 ,1897 Arnold Palmer (USA) 2 1961 ,1962 Lee Trevino (USA) 2 1971 ,1972 Greg Norman (AUS) 2 1986 ,1993 Pádraig Harrington (IRL) 2 2007 ,2008 Ernie Els (RSA) 2 2002 ,2012
Newport, Stuart (1997).Guinness Book Of Knowledge . Guinness Publishing.ISBN 0-85112-046-6
† indicates the event was won in a playoff; ‡ indicates the event was won wire-to-wire in 72-holes; # indicates the event was won by an amateur
1871
No championship ; 1915–1919
cancelled due toWorld War I ; 1940–1945
cancelled due toWorld War II ; 2020
cancelled due toCOVID-19 pandemic
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