The Open Championship: Golf's Oldest Major Explained
The Open Championship is golf's original major. It has been played since 1860, when Willie Park Sr. won a belt at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire. The other three majors — the US Open, the Masters, and the PGA Championship — were created in the 20th century in response to the growth of professional golf in America. The Open is the source from which they all derive their concept of what a major championship means.
The History
The first Open Championship in 1860 had eight entrants, all professionals, competing over 36 holes in a single day. The winner received a leather belt. Tom Morris Sr. and his son Tom Morris Jr. — Old Tom and Young Tom — dominated the early decades: Old Tom won four Opens, Young Tom won four consecutive Opens between 1868 and 1872 before dying at age 24 under circumstances still debated by golf historians.
The Claret Jug — the silver trophy awarded to Open champions since 1873 — is engraved with every winner's name. When Jack Nicklaus won his third Open at Turnberry in 1978, he received the same trophy that Harry Vardon had lifted in 1896. The continuity is one of the Open's defining characteristics.
The Venues
The Open Championship rotates among a select group of links courses on the coasts of Scotland and England. The current rotation includes: St Andrews Old Course (Scotland), Royal St George's (England), Royal Troon (Scotland), Muirfield (Scotland), Royal Birkdale (England), Carnoustie (Scotland), Royal Liverpool (Hoylake, England), and Royal Portrush (Northern Ireland).
St Andrews has hosted the Open more times than any other venue and is considered the home of the championship. The 18th hole of the Old Course — the Swilcan Bridge in the foreground, the grey stone buildings of the town as backdrop — is the most photographed scene in golf.
Why Links Golf is Different
Links courses play differently from parkland or desert courses. The ground is firm and fast, meaning the ball runs significantly after landing. Approach shots that would stop near the pin on a soft American course will bounce through the green and into trouble. The ground game — using the terrain to run the ball to the target — is as important as the aerial game. Wind is constant and variable.
American and international players who excel at the Open Championship are typically those who can adapt their approach shots to land short of the green and use the ground — a skill that the modern game of target golf on soft, heavily watered courses doesn't develop. Tom Watson won five Open Championships by understanding this better than anyone of his generation.
The Greatest Open Champions
Harry Vardon won six Open Championships between 1896 and 1914 — a record that has never been matched. Tom Watson won five between 1975 and 1983. Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones, and Peter Thomson each won three. Tiger Woods won three Opens in 2000, 2005, and 2006. The list of winners is the list of the greatest golfers in history, with almost no exceptions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called "The Open" not "The British Open"?
The proper name of the tournament is The Open Championship. "British Open" is an informal American term. The R&A (the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews) and most of the golfing world uses "The Open." The American usage of "British Open" distinguishes it from the US Open, but the tournament itself has always been simply "The Open."
Where is The Open Championship played?
The Open Championship rotates among a group of links courses in Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland. St Andrews is the most frequent host; the full rotation includes Royal St George's, Royal Troon, Muirfield, Carnoustie, Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, and Royal Portrush.