The 151st OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP  

The 151st OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP  

July 20 to 23, 2023 

The OPEN is the longest running professional tournament in golf.  It is followed by the US Open which started in 1895 in Newport RI.  It was won by Englishman Horace Rollings.

The Royal Liverpool Golf Club was founded in 1869 and received the “Royal” designation in 1871.  This is the 13th time the tournament has been played here and they are #5 of the 11 Clubs where “The OPEN Championship” is held.  Old Course at St Andrews is #1 with 30. 

In 1951 and 2019, Royal Q3X in Northern Ireland hosted the tournament and in 2019  Irishman Shane Lowry won.  It is the only course to host the tournament outside of England or Scotland.  They will host the 2025 OPEN.  Next years OPEN will be at Royal Troon, Scotland.  The 2026 OPEN will be at Royal St Lytham & St Anns, Lancaster, England

HISTORY

1860 The first OPEN held in Prestwick Golf Club was won by Willy Parks who made no money.

Prestwick was a 12 hole course and 8 professionals played 3 rounds.

1861 Old Tom Morris who was influential in starting the OPEN wins his first of 3.

1863 Willy Parks wins again and earns 6 pounds.

1868 Young Tom Morris wins his first of 4.  He dies suddenly on Christmas Day 1872. 

1872 The Claret Jug was decided to be their trophy, but it was not awarded until 1873.

1896 Harry Vardon wins his first of 6 OPENS.

1913 Francis Ouimet a 20 year old Amateur defeats Ted Ray and Harry Vardon, 2 of the worlds best professionals in an 18 hole playoff at the US Open.

1921 John Hutchison, born in Scotland becomes the first American citizen to win the OPEN.  It was also the first time US amateur Bobby Jones played in the OPEN.   

1923 Bobby Jones wins his first of 3 OPENS, but received no money as he was an amateur and would remain one for his entire career.  His last win is in1930 when he won the Grand Slam.

1931 Carnousti hosts OPEN for the 1st time.  Considered the hardest and has hosted 8 times.

1946 Sam Snead won the first open played since 1939 due to WWII.  He won 150 pounds and lost money due to high travel expenses.  He took a train to St Andrews and commented that it “looked like an old abandoned golf course”.

1953  Ben Hogan wins his first and only OPEN at Carnoustie and returned to the US to a ticker tape parade in NY City.

1960  Arnold Palmer plays in the British OPEN for the first time and his appearance is credited with revitalizing the tournament even though he lost to Australian Key Negle.

1961 Arnold Palmer returns and wins at Royal Birkdale and wins in 1962 at Troon. 

1966 Jack Nicklaus wins his first of 3 OPENS at Muirfield.

1977 Tom Watson won his 2nd of 5 OPENS at Turnberry hosting the OPEN for the first time.

1988 Seve Ballesteros wins his last of 3 OPENS at Royal Lytham & St Anns.

1995 John Daly at St Andrews defeats Constantino Rocca who tied with a 70’ putt on the 72nd hole.  Daly won by 6 strokes in a 4 hole playoff and values this as one of his greatest wins.

2000 Tiger Woods wins and becomes the youngest to win the Career Grand Slam at 24.

2009 Tom Watson at 59 led thru 71 holes, bogied last hole and lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink.

2022 The Old course at St Andrews hosted the 150th OPEN where Rory McIlroy loses to Cam Smith after leading by 6 strokes going into the final round.

The 14 host courses have great logos and we will show them in our coverage.  Here are 3.