The British Open
Major ChampionshipThe Open Championship / Golf's Oldest Major / Claret Jug Tournament
Established: 1860 | Venue: Rotates among UK courses
Golf Tournament
Sports Event
Teacher's Note: The British Open is the oldest of golf's four major championships, officially known as The Open Championship. It's a must-know event for sports enthusiasts.
Tournament Overview
1History
The first British Open was held in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club.
The inaugural tournament had just 8 competitors playing three rounds of 12 holes.
2Format
The Open is a 72-hole stroke play tournament.
After two rounds, the field is cut to the top 70 players and ties.
3Venues
The Open rotates among historic links courses in the UK.
St. Andrews, known as the "Home of Golf," has hosted the most Opens (30 times).
4Trophy
The winner receives the famous Claret Jug.
Originally, champions were awarded the Challenge Belt before the jug was introduced in 1873.
5Prestige
Winning The Open is considered golf's ultimate achievement.
It's the only major held outside the United States.
Teacher's Tip: The term "Open" means both professionals and amateurs can qualify, though few amateurs compete today. The tournament is always played on links courses.
Notable Records
1Most Wins
Harry Vardon holds the record with 6 Open victories.
His wins came between 1896 and 1914.
2Youngest Winner
Tom Morris Jr. won at age 17 in 1868.
This record will likely never be broken due to modern qualification rules.
3Lowest Score
Henrik Stenson shot 264 (-20) in 2016 at Royal Troon.
This included a final round 63 in his duel with Phil Mickelson.
Recent Champions
12023 Champion
Brian Harman won at Royal Liverpool.
The American won by six strokes with a total of 271 (-13).
22022 Champion
Cameron Smith claimed victory at St. Andrews.
The Australian shot a final round 64 to win by one stroke.
32021 Champion
Collin Morikawa won at Royal St. George's.
The American became Champion Golfer of the Year in his Open debut.
42020 Cancellation
The 2020 Open Championship was canceled due to COVID-19.
This was the first cancellation since WWII.
Teacher's Tip: The British Open has been dominated by American players in recent decades, but Scottish golfers won the first 29 tournaments from 1860-1890.