A history of Open Championship winners

The Open Championship is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the golfing world and has produced many a memorable moment down the years.

Founded in 1860, the Open Championship is the oldest golf tournament in the world that is open to both professionals and amateurs, with the winner landing the Claret Jug and title of ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’.

It has been the fourth and final Major of the season since 2019 when the PGA Championship moved to May that year and is viewed as the Major that every player wants to win.

The Open has always been held on a coastal links golf course in Scotland, England or Northern Ireland, with the inaugural event in 1860 staged at Prestwick Golf Club when Willie Park Sr. came out on top.

St Andrews hosted the tournament for a record-extending 30th time in 2022 when Cameron Smith claimed the spoils, and the action will return to the Scottish course in 2027.

This year’s event, the 153rd edition, takes place at Royal Portrush for the third time, with Max Faulkner winning there in 1951 and Shane Lowry romping to a six-shot victory in 2019.

Ahead of the 2025 Open, which runs from Thursday July 17th to Sunday July 20th, we have taken a trip down memory lane to reminisce about the previous winners and some of the records that have been set over the years.

Open Championship Records

Harry Vardon holds the record for the most Open wins, triumphing no less than six times (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914). Such is his standing the game, the Harry Vardon trophy has been awarded to the winner of the Race to Dubai since 2009.

Jack Nicklaus has won the Claret Jug three times (1966, 1970, 1978), but he has also finished runner-up a record seven times (1964, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979).

Fittingly, Young Tom Morris is the youngest winner of the Open, lifting the trophy in 1868 at 17 years, 156 days, while Old Tom Morris holds the accolade for the oldest winner at 46 years, 102 days in 1867.

South African Branden Grace hit the lowest round in Open and Major history back in 2017, when he carded a sublime score of 62 on day three at Royal Birkdale.

Swedish star Henrik Stenson’s aggregate score of 264 in 2016 at Royal Troon is an Open record, while his -20 total that year is the joint-lowest to par score alongside Cameron Smith’s triumph in 2022.

Nationalities of Open Champions

The USA holds the record for the most Open titles, with 47 wins from 32 different players.

American Tom Watson won this event five times, one more than Walter Hagen, while Bobby Jones, Nicklaus and Tiger Woods were three-time winners.

Forty-one Open wins are accounted for by Scotland, who have produced 22 different winners, while 13 English players make up 22 of the winners.

Australia and South Africa come next with 10 victories each, with five players from Down Under taking the Claret Jug home and four for the Springboks.

Open Championship Winners

1860 – Prestwick – Willie Park Snr – 174
1861 – Prestwick – Old Tom Morris – 163
1862 – Prestwick – Old Tom Morris (2) – 163
1863 – Prestwick – Willie Park Snr (2) – 168
1864 – Prestwick – Old Tom Morris (3) – 167
1865 – Prestwick – Andrew Strath – 162
1866 – Prestwick – Willie Park Snr (3) – 169
1867 – Prestwick – Old Tom Morris (4) – 170
1868 – Prestwick – Young Tom Morris – 154
1869 – Prestwick – Young Tom Morris (2) – 157
1870 – Prestwick – Young Tom Morris (3) – 149
1871 – No Championship
1872 – Prestwick – Young Tom Morris (4) – 166
1873 – St Andrews – Tom Kidd – 179
1874 – Musselburgh – Mungo Park – 159
1875 – Prestwick – Willie Park Snr (4) – 166
1876 – St Andrews – Bob Martin – 176
1877 – Musselburgh – Jamie Anderson – 160
1878 – Prestwick – Jamie Anderson (2) – 157
1879 – St Andrews – Jamie Anderson (3) – 169
1880 – Musselburgh – Bob Ferguson – 162
1881 – Prestwick- Bob Ferguson (2) – 170
1882 – St Andrews – Bob Ferguson (3) – 171
1883 – Musselburgh – Willie Fernie – 158
1884 – Prestwick – Jack Simpson – 160
1885 – St Andrews – Bob Martin (2) – 171
1886 – Musselburgh – David Brown – 157
1887 – Prestwick – Willie Park Jnr – 161
1888 – St Andrews – Jack Burns – 171
1889 – Musselburgh – Willie Park Jnr (2) – 155
1890 – Prestwick – John Ball Jnr – 164
1891 – St Andrews – Hugh Kirkaldy – 166
1892 – Muirfield – Harold Hilton – 305
1893 – Prestwick – Willie Auchterlonie – 322
1894 – Royal St George’s – J.H. Taylor – 326
1895 – St Andrews – J.H. Taylor (2) – 322
1896 – Muirfield – Harry Vardon – 316
1897 – Royal Liverpool – Harold Hilton (2) – 314
1898 – Prestwick – Harry Vardon (2) – 307
1899 – Royal St George’s – Harry Vardon (3) – 310
1900 – St Andrews – J.H. Taylor (3) – 309
1901 – Muirfield – James Braid – 309
1902 – Royal Liverpool – Sandy Herd – 307
1903 – Prestwick – Harry Vardon (4) – 300
1904 – Royal St George’s – Jack White – 296
1905 – St Andrews – James Braid (2) – 318
1906 – Muirfield – James Braid (3) – 300
1907 – Royal Liverpool – Arnaud Massy – 312
1908 – Prestwick – James Braid (4) – 291
1909 – Royal Cinque Ports – J.H. Taylor (4) – 295
1910 – St Andrews – James Braid (5) – 299
1911 – Royal St George’s – Harry Vardon (5) – 303
1912 – Muirfield – Ted Ray – 295
1913 – Royal Liverpool – J.H. Taylor (5) – 304
1914 – Prestwick – Harry Vardon (6) – 306
1915-1919 – No Championship

Vardon dominated the Open during his playing days, landing the first of his six titles in 1896 at Muirfield and his final triumph coming at Prestwick in 1914. Winning six times in a 19-year period is quite the feat.

1920 – Royal Cinque Ports – George Duncan – 303
1921 – St Andrews – Jock Hutchison – 296
1922 – Royal St George’s – Walter Hagen – 300
1923 – Troon – Arthur Havers – 295
1924 – Royal Liverpool – Walter Hagen (2) – 301
1925 – Prestwick – Jim Barnes – 300
1926 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Bobby Jones – 291
1927 – St Andrews – Bobby Jones (2) – 285
1928 – Royal St George’s – Walter Hagen (3) – 292
1929 – Muirfield – Walter Hagen (4) – 292
1930 – Royal Liverpool – Bobby Jones (3) – 291
1931 – Carnoustie – Tommy Armour – 296
1932 – Prince’s – Gene Sarazen – 283
1933 – St Andrews – Denny Shute – 292
1934 – Royal St George’s – Henry Cotton – 283
1935 – Muirfield – Alf Perry – 283
1936 – Royal Liverpool – Alf Padgham – 287
1937 – Carnoustie – Henry Cotton (2) – 290
1938 – Royal St George’s – Reg Whitcombe – 295
1939 – St Andrews – Dick Burton – 290
1940-1945 – No Championship
1946 – St Andrews – Sam Snead – 290
1947 – Royal Liverpool – Fred Daly – 293
1948 – Muirfield – Henry Cotton (3) – 284
1949 – Royal St George’s – Bobby Locke – 283
1950 – Troon – Bobby Locke (2) – 279
1951 – Royal Portrush – Max Faulkner – 285
1952 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Bobby Locke (3) – 287
1953 – Carnoustie – Ben Hogan – 282
1954 – Royal Birkdale – Peter Thomson – 283
1955 – St Andrews – Peter Thomson (2) – 281
1956 – Royal Liverpool – Peter Thomson (3) – 286
1957 – St Andrews – Bobby Locke (4) – 279
1958 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Peter Thomson (4) – 278

The legendary Bobby Jones won all three of his Open titles post the first World War, while Walter Hagen’s four victories also came from 1922 to 1929.

The second World War would see no tournament played from 1940-1945, with Sam Snead taking the Claret Jug home in 1946 for the first and only time.

1959 – Muirfield – Gary Player – 284
1960 – St Andrews – Kel Nagle – 278
1961 – Royal Birkdale – Arnold Palmer – 284
1962 – Troon – Arnold Palmer (2) – 276
1963 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Bob Charles – 277
1964 – St Andrews – Tony Lema – 279
1965 – Royal Birkdale – Peter Thomson (5) – 285
1966 – Muirfield – Jack Nicklaus – 282
1967 – Royal Liverpool – Roberto de Vicenzo – 278
1968 – Carnoustie – Gary Player (2) – 289
1969 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Tony Jacklin – 280
1970 – St Andrews – Jack Nicklaus (2) – 283
1971 – Royal Birkdale – Lee Trevino – 278
1972 – Muirfield – Lee Trevino (2) – 278
1973 – Troon – Tom Weiskopf – 276
1974 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Gary Player (3) – 282

The period from 1959 to 1974 is defined by the competition between Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus – the Big Three. The trio won seven titles between them during that 15-year spell.

1975 – Carnoustie – Tom Watson – 279
1976 – Royal Birkdale – Johnny Miller – 279
1977 – Turnberry – Tom Watson (2) – 268
1978 – St Andrews – Jack Nicklaus (3) – 281
1979 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Seve Ballesteros – 283
1980 – Muirfield – Tom Watson (3) – 271
1981 – Royal St George’s – Bill Rogers – 276
1982 – Royal Troon – Tom Watson (4) – 284
1983 – Royal Birkdale – Tom Watson (5) – 275
1984 – St Andrews – Seve Ballesteros (2) – 276
1985 – Royal St George’s – Sandy Lyle – 282
1986 – Turnberry – Greg Norman – 280
1987 – Muirfield – Nick Faldo – 279
1988 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Seve Ballesteros (3) – 273
1989 – Royal Troon – Mark Calcavecchia – 275
1990 – St Andrews – Nick Faldo (2) – 270
1991 – Royal Birkdale – Ian Baker-Finch – 272
1992 – Muirfield – Nick Faldo (3) – 272
1993 – Royal St George’s – Greg Norman (2) – 267

From 1975 to 1993, there were four protagonists making their mark at the Open – Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Greg Norman.

Watson won the first of his five titles at Carnoustie in ’75 and would proceed to dominate this tournament for the next few years, also claiming the spoils in ’77, ’80’, ’82 and ’83.

Faldo’s second of three Open victories came at the Home of Golf, St Andrews, in 1990. He finished five strokes clear of Payne Stewart and Mark McNulty.

1994 – Turnberry – Nick Price – 268
1995 – St Andrews – John Daly – 282
1996 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Tom Lehman – 271
1997 – Royal Troon – Justin Leonard – 272
1998 – Royal Birkdale – Mark O’Meara – 280
1999 – Carnoustie – Paul Lawrie – 290
2000 – St Andrews – Tiger Woods – 269
2001 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – David Duval – 274
2002 – Muirfield – Ernie Els – 278
2003 – Royal St George’s – Ben Curtis – 283
2004 – Royal Troon – Todd Hamilton – 274
2005 – St Andrews – Tiger Woods (2) – 274
2006 – Royal Liverpool – Tiger Woods (3) – 270
2007 – Carnoustie – Padraig Harrington – 277
2008 – Royal Birkdale – Padraig Harrington (2) – 283
2009 – Turnberry – Stewart Cink – 278
2010 – St Andrews – Louis Oosthuizen – 272
2011 – Royal St George’s – Darren Clarke – 275
2012 – Royal Lytham & St Annes – Ernie Els (2) – 273
2013 – Muirfield – Phil Mickelson – 281
2014 – Royal Liverpool – Rory McIlroy – 271
2015 – St Andrews – Zach Johnson – 273
2016 – Royal Troon – Henrik Stenson – 264
2017 – Royal Birkdale – Jordan Spieth – 268
2018 – Carnoustie – Francesco Molinari – 276
2019 – Royal Portrush – Shane Lowry – 269
2020 – No Championship
2021 – Royal St George’s – Collin Morikawa – 265
2022 – St Andrews – Cameron Smith – 268
2023 – Royal Liverpool – Brian Harman – 271
2024 – Royal Troon – Xander Schauffele – 275

The modern era of the game was in full swing and it wasn’t long until Tiger Woods made his mark at the Open, landing the first of his three titles in 2000 at St Andrews.

Scotland’s Paul Lawrie delighted the home crowd a year before Woods’ victory, coming out on top at Carnoustie, while the first of Ernie Els’ two wins was in 2002 at Muirfield.

Darren Clarke, after more than 20 years and 54 attempts, broke his Major duck when winning at Royal St George’s in 2011, finishing three strokes clear of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson.

Henrik Stenson’s final-round battle with Mickelson in 2016 made for superb viewing, as the duo matched each other stroke for stroke and put on a scoring masterclass at Royal Troon.

The duo’s battle was dubbed ‘High Noon at Troon’ and compared in quality to the renowned ‘Duel in the Sun’ of 1977.

Francesco Molinari became the first, and still only, Italian player to win a Major with his victory at Carnoustie in 2018, producing a nerveless display over the final round to hold off Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele and Kevin Kisner.

American ace Schauffele held his nerve to win the Claret Jug last year at Royal Troon and he will be aiming to become the first player since Padraig Harrington in 2008 to successfully retain the trophy.