Latest The Open Championship News

Latest The Open Championship News

More The Open Championship News

NBC’s Disregard of Chinese Golf Pro During Open Final Round Didn’t Sit Well With Fans

NBC's ignorance of Chinese golf pro's feats gets the fans infuriated as they voice the unfair treatment he received during broadcast.
Haotong Li

PGA Tour Rising Star Who Banked $2.7 Million in Less Than 10 Days Is Now Having Second Thoughts

A rising PGA Tour star's latest social media post has golf fans buzzing. What did he say after his massive European win?
Golfer Silhouette

Golf Coach Who Fell Out With Tiger Woods Offers Blunt Take On Scottie Scheffler Comparisons

Years after their conflict, Tiger Woods's former coach gives his opinion on his ex-boss getting compared with Scottie Scheffler.
PGA, Golf Herren The Open Championship – Second Round Jul 19, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Tiger Woods on the 12th hole during t

Tiger Woods Fans Drag Journalist Over Golf Stat Ranking Scottie Scheffler Above 15x Major Champ

Tiger Woods, 15-time major winner, faces unexpected comparisons as fans defend his legacy against rising star Scottie Scheffler’s stats.
Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods collage

Justin Thomas Has Strange Experience That Went Nearly Unnoticed During Golf’s Final Major

Justin Thomas experienced a rare and bizarre streak during the 2025 Open Championship — one that almost slipped under the radar.
Memorial Tournament presented by Workday Justin Thomas of the United States gestures to a spectator as he looks down the

Jon Rahm Asserts He Can Be on Scottie Scheffler’s Level Despite Struggles at the Open

Spanish LIV Golf pro Jon Rahm reflected on Scottie Scheffler's achievements and whether he could possibly emulate it.
Scottie Scheffler Jon Rahm Collage

Keegan Bradley’s Feelings About Bryson DeChambeau Clear as Private Interaction Revealed

Bryson DeChambeau has just received a message from Ryder Cup Team USA’s captain, Keegan Bradley. But that does not mean he is not tired.
Bryson Keegan

Scottie Scheffler WITB July 2025: PGA Tour Pro’s Golf Bag at The Open 2025 Explored

Here’s everything you need to know about the clubs behind Scottie Scheffier’s historic run at The Open Championship.
U.S. Open 2025

The Open 2025: Are Winners Exempt for Life? All Perks Besides the ‘Claret Jug’ Trophy Explored

From major exemptions to global prestige, here’s everything a winner earns after claiming The Open Championship title.
Xander Schauffele

Justin Thomas Puts Aside LIV Golf Feud to Wish 52-Year-Old Pro Well at The Open

Justin Thomas stance towards the LIV golfers has finally started to mellow down, and his latest interaction is all the proof you need!
Syndication: The Courier-Journal Justin Thomas waves to fans as he finishes the day on the 18th hole -10 during the thir

Who Is Li Haotong’s Caddie? All You Need to Know About DP World Tour Pro’s Trusted Bagman

Li Haotong seeks his first major win at The Open, but regardless of the outcome, his strong game warrants a look at the man behind him!
Li Haotong

Augusta National Faces Serious Competition as Royal Portrush Gives It a Run for Its Money, Report

NBC reporter's bold comparison with Augusta Nationals during The Open at Royal Portrush has stirred conversation across the sport
DP World Tour Championship 2024 Rory McIlroy (NIR) with six titles under his belt after the final round of the DP World

Calls Mount Against Sergio Garcia for Angrily Breaking His Driver at The Open: ‘Pathetic’

Sergio Garcia is nowhere near winning The Open at Royal Portrush. But that does not mean he cannot get frustrated, and golf fans are upset.
PGA, Golf Herren WGC – Mexico Championship – First Round, Feb 20, 2020; Mexico City, MEX; Sergio Garcia watches his shot

The Open 2025: Prize Money Breakdown & Winner’s Payout

Apart from the Claret Jug, what will the winner of The Open 2025 take home? Learn about the prize money of the last major of the season.
Xander Schauffele

Dustin Johnson Feeling the Consequences of Greg Norman’s Biggest Mistake as LIV Golf CEO

One decision by Greg Norman before stepping down as LIV CEO has left golf's biggest stars in serious trouble. Here's why.
The inaugural LIV Golf Invitational

Tyrrell Hatton Net Worth 2025: LIV Golfer’s Career Earnings, Endorsements & More

How did Tyrrell Hatton build a $95 million fortune? The LIV Golf star's financial journey will shock you.
Tyrrell Hatton.

“Very Strange”: Rory McIlroy Caught Off Guard by Rare Golf Oddity at The Open

Bizarre only covers half of what happened yesterday when Rory McIlroy tried to punch a shot out of rough. He is also flabbergasted.
PGA Tour: 2025 Genesis Invitational-Astros

‘I Was Wrong’: Phil Mickelson Forced Into Withdrawing Scottie Scheffler Dig by PGA Tour Veteran

Phil Mickelson admits to having made a mistake and makes a sharp U-turn after taking a dig at Scottie Scheffler several times.
Phil Mickelson – Scottie Scheffler

Golf Pro Responds to Rory McIlroy Spoiling His Big Royal Portrush Moment by Accident

European Tour pro's Open Championship moment gets overshadowed in viral TV coverage gaffe. His reaction says it all.
PGA: PGA Championship – Practice Round

Tiger Woods Fans Are Upset With Famed Caddie Over Scottie Scheffler Verdict at The Open

Scottie Scheffler's comparison with Tiger Woods is not new; his dominant run at the Open has sparked new comparisons and a fierce fan debate.
Scottie Scheffler and Tiger Woods collage

LIV Golf Bad Boy Does Not Want His ‘Pride’ to Be Hurt as Ryder Cup Race Heats Up

Legion XIII pro shares how he doesn't want to break his Ryder Cup streak as he looks for automatic qualification to Bethpage.
The 2023 Ryder Cup

Rory McIlroy Makes ‘Little Disappointing’ Confession Chasing Scottie Scheffler at The Open

Rory McIlroy is on a mission to chase his second The Open title against Scottie Scheffler but it’s been disappointing. At least, for him.
Scottie Scheffler Rory McIlroy collage

Golf World Misses It as Scottie Scheffler Ties Rare Tiger Woods Record Midway at The Open

Is Scottie Scheffler well on his way to achieving greatness like Tiger Woods? Well, the records at The Open do tell us that!
Scottie Scheffler Tiger Woods collage

Brooks Koepka’s ‘Biggest Hater’ Revealed by Wife Jena Sims After New Career Low for LIV Golf Pro

Despite an adverse set of results, Brooks Koepka has felt at home at the Royal Portrush due to a key factor.
PGA: U.S. Open – Practice Round

Struggles at Portrush Go Unmentioned as Collin Morikawa Breaks Silence After Missing the Cut

Collin Morikawa missed a second cut in a row on the PGA Tour after carding a 7 over par at the 2025 Open Championship.
Collin Morikawa poker shocked face

Haotong Li’s Net Worth 2025: DP World Tour Pro’s Career Earnings, Endorsements & More

Wondering how much money Haotong Li has earned over the years on the professional tour circuit? Well, you've come to the right place then!
Li Haotong

About The Open Championship

The Open Championship is not just the oldest of the four majors in men's golf but is also one of the most anticipated sporting events every year! Since it was first held in 1860, many of the sport's greatest have claimed goosebumps-raising victories at the event.

article-image

via Reuters

So, where was the first-ever Open Championship held? What are some unique traditions associated with the major? Let's find out!

The rich history of the golf's oldest major

The Open Championship, or the British Open, was held for the first time ever on October 17th, 1860, at the Prestwick Golf Club. The second-oldest golfing major, the US Open, came into existence 35 years later. The field for the first British Open consisted of just eight players, out of whom Willie Park Sr emerged as the winner. It was a single-day event and consisted of three back-to-back rounds of twelve holes each. In the year 1892, the format of the Open changed to 72 holes played over the span of two days.

article-image

via Getty

From 1872 to 1894, the coveted tournament alternated between three venues in Scotland: Prestwick, Musselburgh, and St. Andrews. Liverpool's Royal St. George Golf Club became the first club in England in 1894 to host the major. To date, St. Andrews Links in Scotland has hosted the tournament a whopping 30 times, followed by Prestwick (24) and Muirfield (16).

The Open Championship format and qualification

Every year, the Open is organized by the R&A Trust, which is one of the main governing bodies of golf in the world. They also stage the AIG Women's Open, one of the five majors in women’s golf, every year.

article-image

via Reuters

Players can make their way into the field for the Open Championship in four ways. They can either enter via exemption, open Qualifying Series (OQS), local and final qualifying, and if the 156-player field size hasn't been reached, then by being one of the highest-rated players in the Official World Golf Rankings(OWGR) that is not already qualified.

The Open is a four-day event played over 72 holes and consists of 156 players. Every year, it kicks off on the day before the third Friday in July. After 36 holes are done, only the top 70 get to play the remaining holes. In case of a tie at the end of 72 holes, a four-hole aggregate playoff occurs. If players are still tied, then a sudden-death matchup is held.

Most notable winners of the Open Championship

To this date, Harry Vardon holds the record for most British Open wins. Called "The Stylist," Vardon won the title six times between 1896 and 1914. American golfing legend Tom Watson won the major five times between 1975 and 1983. Three other players, James Braid, Peter Thomson, and John Henry Taylor, have also won the major five times each. The trio of Vardon, Braid, and Taylor were referred to as the "Great Triumvirate."

 

article-image

via Getty

A roster of golfing greats has picked up the trophy thrice in their careers. The list includes Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, Bobby Jones, and Seve Ballesteros, among others. Tom Morris Junior became the youngest ever player to win the title in 1868 at the age of just 17. He also holds the record for the greatest margin victory at the major, a whopping 13 strokes win.

The record for the lowest 18-hole score was achieved by Branden Grace, who carded a 62 in the third round of the event's 2017 edition. Meanwhile, the lowest final-round score came at the 2016 Open at Royal Troon. In his last five holes, Henrik Stenson made birdie-par-birdie-birdie-birdie to post an 8-under 63, edging past Phil Mickelson in an epic battle.

A major unlike any other

Every year, the Open is held on a coastal links golf course. In fact, links golf is often considered as the "purest" form of the sport as it is connected to the game's establishment in 15th century Scotland. An amazing factor about links courses is that no two holes play out in the same manner. Owing to weather conditions, the same hole can play completely differently the following day.

Key traditions associated with the Open Championship

One of the distinctive features of the Open Championship is the Claret Jug, the trophy which is awarded to the victorious golfer every year. However, it wasn't introduced until 1873, a year in which Tom Kidd won the major. A winner is allowed to keep the trophy for a year and must return it before the next edition. He is then awarded a replica in its place.

article-image

via Reuters

The yellow manual scoreboard is another unique aspect of the Open. With time, however, the manual boards have paved the way for electronic models. "What happened to the yellow scoreboards?" 5-time Open champion Tom Watson had inquired during the event's 2014 edition at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake. "There's no more yellow scoreboard."

The Open's economic contribution

The 145th edition of the Open, which was held at Royal Troon, delivered over $69 million (€64 million) worth of benefits to Scotland, according to a study by Sheffield Hallam University's Sport Industry Research Centre. Additionally, the country also made a whopping $50 million in destination marketing benefits, owing to the exposure brought about by the major, which was broadcast in 193 territories globally.

Meanwhile, the 148th Open at Royal Portrush produced more than $109 million (€100 million) in economic benefit for Northern Ireland, per an independent study commissioned by the R&A. Additionally, they also witnessed an additional $49 million ( €45 million) in destination marketing benefit, thanks to over 5,400 hours of global television coverage.