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 Collin Morikawa who was the most recent winner at Royal St George’s in 2021. 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 whils Henrik Stenson’s total of -20 is the most strokes under par.

View the golf courses which have hosted The Open

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Winners of The Open
YEAR	WINNER & COURSE	YEAR	WINNER & COURSE	YEAR	WINNER & COURSE
1860	W. Park, Prestwick	1915	No Championship	1970	J. Nicklaus, St Andrews
1861	T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick	1916	No Championship	1971	L. Trevino, R. Birkdale
1862	T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick	1917	No Championship	1972	L. Trevino, Muirfield
1863	W. Park, Prestwick	1918	No Championship	1973	T. Weiskopf, Troon
1864	T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick	1919	No Championship	1974	G. Player, R. Lytham
1865	A. Strath, Prestwick	1920	G. Duncan, Deal	1975	T. Watson, Carnoustie
1866	W. Park, Prestwick	1921	J. Hutchison, St Andrews	1976	J. Miller, R. Birkdale
1867	T. Morris, Snr, Prestwick	1922	W. Hagen, Sandwich	1977	T. Watson, Turnberry
1868	T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick	1923	A. Havers, Troon	1978	J. Nicklaus, St Andrews
1869	T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick	1924	W. Hagen, Hoylake	1979	S. Ballesteros, R. Lytham
1870	T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick	1925	J. Barnes, Prestwick	1980	T. Watson, Muirfield
1871	No Championship	1926	Mr R.T. Jones, R. L'ham	1981	B. Rogers, Sandwich
1872	T. Morris, Jnr, Prestwick	1927	Mr R.T. Jones, St An'ws	1982	T. Watson, R. Troon
1873	T. Kidd, St Andrews	1928	W. Hagen, Sandwich	1983	T. Watson, R. Birkdale
1874	M. Park, Musselburgh	1929	W. Hagen, Muirfield	1984	S. Ballesteros, St Andrews
1875	W. Park, Prestwick	1930	Mr R.T. Jones, Hoylake	1985	S. Lyle, Sandwich
1876	B. Martin, St Andrews	1931	T. Armour, Carnoustie	1986	G. Norman, Turnberry
1877	J. Anderson, M'lburgh	1932	G. Sarazen, Prince's	1987	N. Faldo, Muirfield
1878	J. Anderson, Prestwick	1933	D. Shute, St Andrews	1988	S. Ballesteros, R. Lytham
1879	J. Anderson, St Andrews	1934	H. Cotton, Sandwich	1989	M. Calcavecchia, R. Troon
1880	B. Ferguson, M'lburgh	1935	A. Perry, Muirfield	1990	N. Faldo, St Andrews
1881	B.Ferguson, Prestwick	1936	A. Padgham, Hoylake	1991	I. Baker-Finch, R. Birkdale
1882	B.Ferguson, St Andrews	1937	H. Cotton, Carnoustie	1992	N. Faldo, Muirfield
1883	W. Fernie, Musselburgh	1938	R. Whitcombe, Sandwich	1993	G. Norman, Sandwich
1884	J. Simpson, Prestwick	1939	R. Burton, St Andrews	1994	N. Price, Turnberry
1885	B. Martin, St Andrews	1940	No Championship	1995	J. Daly, St Andrews
1886	D. Brown, Musselburgh	1941	No Championship	1996	T. Lehman, R. Lytham
1887	W. Park, Jnr, Prestwick	1942	No Championship	1997	J. Leonard, R. Troon
1888	J. Burns, St Andrews	1943	No Championship	1998	M. O'Meara, R. Birkdale
1889	W. Park, Jnr, M'lburgh	1944	No Championship	1999	P. Lawrie, Carnoustie
1890	Mr J. Ball, Prestwick	1945	No Championship	2000	T. Woods, St Andrews
1891	H. Kirkcaldy, St Andrews	1946	S. Snead, St Andrews	2001	D. Duval, R. Lytham
1892	Mr. H Hilton, Muirfield	1947	F. Daly, Hoylake	2002	E. Els, Muirfield
1893	W. Auchterlonie, P'wick	1948	H. Cotton, Muirfield	2003	B. Curtis, Sandwich
1894	J.H. Taylor, Sandwich	1949	B. Locke, Sandwich	2004	T. Hamilton, R. Troon
1895	J.H. Taylor, St Andrews	1950	B. Locke, Troon	2005	T. Woods, St Andrews
1896	H. Vardon, Muirfield	1951	M. Faulkner, R. Portrush	2006	T. Woods, Hoylake
1897	Mr. H Hilton, Hoylake	1952	B. Locke, R. Lytham	2007	P. Harrington, Carnoustie
1898	H. Vardon, Prestwick	1953	B. Hogan, Carnoustie	2008	P. Harrington, R. Birkdale
1899	H. Vardon, Sandwich	1954	P. Thomson, R. Birkdale	2009	S. Cink, Turnberry
1900	J.H. Taylor, St Andrews	1955	P. Thomson, St Andrews	2010	L Oosthuizen, St Andrews
1901	J. Braid, Muirfield	1956	P. Thomson, Hoylake	2011	D. Clarke, Sandwich
1902	A. Herd, Hoylake	1957	B. Locke, St Andrews	2012	E. Els, Royal Lytham
1903	H. Vardon, Prestwick	1958	P. Thomson, R. Lytham	2013	P. Mickelson, Muirfield
1904	J. White, Sandwich	1959	G. Player, Muirfield	2014	R. McIlroy, Hoylake
1905	J. Braid, St Andrews	1960	K. Nagle, St Andrews	2015	Z. Johnson, St Andrews
1906	J. Braid, Muirfield	1961	A. Palmer, R. Birkdale	2016	H. Stenson, Royal Troon
1907	A. Massy, Hoylake	1962	A. Palmer, Troon	2017	J. Spieth, Royal Birkdale
1908	J. Braid, Prestwick	1963	R. Charles, R. Lytham	2018	F. Molinari, Carnoustie
1909	J.H. Taylor, Deal	1964	T. Lema, St Andrews	2019	S. Lowry, Royal Portrush
1910	J. Braid, St Andrews	1965	P. Thomson, R. Birkdale	2020	No Championship
1911	H. Vardon, Sandwich	1966	J. Nicklaus, Muirfield	2021	C. Morikawa, Royal St George's
1912	E. Ray, Muirfield	1967	R. de Vicenzo, Hoylake	2022	C. Smith, St Andrews
1913	J.H. Taylor, Hoylake	1968	G. Player, Carnoustie	2023	Royal Liverpool (Hoylake)
1914	H. Vardon, Prestwick	1969	A. Jacklin, R. Lytham	2024	Royal Troon
				2025	Royal Portrush