List of The Open Champions


Below is a list of winners of The Open from the first ever champion, Willie Park, at Prestwick in 1860 to Cameron Smith who was the most recent winner at St Andrews in 2022. The winner of The Open receives the Claret Jug although this was not always the case. The champion used to receive the Challenge Belt but after Tom Morris Jr won the tournament three years in a row, he got to keep it.

Harry Vardon holds the record for the most number of wins (six) whilst Peter Thomson, J.H. Taylor, James Braid and Tom Watson have five wins to their name. Greg Norman holds the record for the lowest scores over 72 holes which was 267 in 1993 at Royal St. George’s whilst Henrik Stenson’s total of -20 is the most strokes under par.

View the golf courses which have hosted The Open
Winners of The Open
YEARWINNER & COURSEYEARWINNER & COURSEYEARWINNER & COURSE
1860W. Park, Prestwick1915No Championship1970J. Nicklaus, St Andrews
1861T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick1916No Championship1971L. Trevino, R. Birkdale
1862T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick1917No Championship1972L. Trevino, Muirfield
1863W. Park, Prestwick1918No Championship1973T. Weiskopf, Troon
1864T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick1919No Championship1974G. Player, R. Lytham
1865A. Strath, Prestwick1920G. Duncan, Deal1975T. Watson, Carnoustie
1866W. Park, Prestwick1921J. Hutchison, St Andrews1976J. Miller, R. Birkdale
1867T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick1922W. Hagen, Sandwich1977T. Watson, Turnberry
1868T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick1923A. Havers, Troon1978J. Nicklaus, St Andrews
1869T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick1924W. Hagen, Hoylake1979S. Ballesteros, R. Lytham
1870T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick1925J. Barnes, Prestwick1980T. Watson, Muirfield
1871No Championship1926Mr R.T. Jones, R. L'ham1981B. Rogers, Sandwich
1872T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick1927Mr R.T. Jones, St An'ws1982T. Watson, R. Troon
1873T. Kidd, St Andrews1928W. Hagen, Sandwich1983T. Watson, R. Birkdale
1874M. Park, Musselburgh1929W. Hagen, Muirfield1984S. Ballesteros, St Andrews
1875W. Park, Prestwick1930Mr R.T. Jones, Hoylake1985S. Lyle, Sandwich
1876B. Martin, St Andrews1931T. Armour, Carnoustie1986G. Norman, Turnberry
1877J. Anderson, M'lburgh1932G. Sarazen, Prince's1987N. Faldo, Muirfield
1878J. Anderson, Prestwick1933D. Shute, St Andrews1988S. Ballesteros, R. Lytham
1879J. Anderson, St Andrews1934H. Cotton, Sandwich1989M. Calcavecchia, R. Troon
1880B. Ferguson, M'lburgh1935A. Perry, Muirfield1990N. Faldo, St Andrews
1881B.Ferguson, Prestwick1936A. Padgham, Hoylake1991I. Baker-Finch, R. Birkdale
1882B.Ferguson, St Andrews1937H. Cotton, Carnoustie1992N. Faldo, Muirfield
1883W. Fernie, Musselburgh1938R. Whitcombe, Sandwich1993G. Norman, Sandwich
1884J. Simpson, Prestwick1939R. Burton, St Andrews1994N. Price, Turnberry
1885B. Martin, St Andrews1940No Championship1995J. Daly, St Andrews
1886D. Brown, Musselburgh1941No Championship1996T. Lehman, R. Lytham
1887W. Park, Jnr, Prestwick1942No Championship1997J. Leonard, R. Troon
1888J. Burns, St Andrews1943No Championship1998M. O'Meara, R. Birkdale
1889W. Park, Jnr, M'lburgh1944No Championship1999P. Lawrie, Carnoustie
1890Mr J. Ball, Prestwick1945No Championship2000T. Woods, St Andrews
1891H. Kirkcaldy, St Andrews1946S. Snead, St Andrews2001D. Duval, R. Lytham
1892Mr. H Hilton, Muirfield1947F. Daly, Hoylake2002E. Els, Muirfield
1893W. Auchterlonie, P'wick1948H. Cotton, Muirfield2003B. Curtis, Sandwich
1894J.H. Taylor, Sandwich1949B. Locke, Sandwich2004T. Hamilton, R. Troon
1895J.H. Taylor, St Andrews1950B. Locke, Troon2005T. Woods, St Andrews
1896H. Vardon, Muirfield1951M. Faulkner, R. Portrush2006T. Woods, Hoylake
1897Mr. H Hilton, Hoylake1952B. Locke, R. Lytham2007P. Harrington, Carnoustie
1898H. Vardon, Prestwick1953B. Hogan, Carnoustie2008P. Harrington, R. Birkdale
1899H. Vardon, Sandwich1954P. Thomson, R. Birkdale2009S. Cink, Turnberry
1900J.H. Taylor, St Andrews1955P. Thomson, St Andrews2010L Oosthuizen, St Andrews
1901J. Braid, Muirfield1956P. Thomson, Hoylake2011D. Clarke, Sandwich
1902A. Herd, Hoylake1957B. Locke, St Andrews2012E. Els, Royal Lytham
1903H. Vardon, Prestwick1958P. Thomson, R. Lytham2013P. Mickelson, Muirfield
1904J. White, Sandwich1959G. Player, Muirfield2014R. McIlroy, Hoylake
1905J. Braid, St Andrews1960K. Nagle, St Andrews2015Z. Johnson, St Andrews
1906J. Braid, Muirfield1961A. Palmer, R. Birkdale2016H. Stenson, Royal Troon
1907A. Massy, Hoylake1962A. Palmer, Troon2017J. Spieth, Royal Birkdale
1908J. Braid, Prestwick1963R. Charles, R. Lytham2018F. Molinari, Carnoustie
1909J.H. Taylor, Deal1964T. Lema, St Andrews2019S. Lowry, Royal Portrush
1910J. Braid, St Andrews1965P. Thomson, R. Birkdale2020No Championship
1911H. Vardon, Sandwich1966J. Nicklaus, Muirfield2021C. Morikawa, Royal St George's
1912E. Ray, Muirfield1967R. de Vicenzo, Hoylake2022C. Smith, St Andrews
1913J.H. Taylor, Hoylake1968G. Player, Carnoustie2023B. Harman, Royal Liverpool (Hoylake)
1914H. Vardon, Prestwick1969A. Jacklin, R. Lytham2024Royal Troon
2025Royal Portrush

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