The Open Championship

The Open Championship is one of golf's four majors and the only to be held outside the USA. Commonly referred to as "The British Open" outside of Britain, it is the original golf tournament and was initially contested by just eight professional golfers in 1860.

In claiming the 2007 & 2008 trophies, Padraig Harrington joins an elite band of golfers that have retained the title. These include:

• Tom Morris, Snr, Scotland (1861,1862)
• Tom Morris, Jnr, Scotland (1868,1869,1870)
• Jamie Anderson, Scotland (1877,1878, 1879)
• Bob Ferguson, Scotland (1880,1881,1882)
• John Henry Taylor, England (1894,1895)
• Harry Vardon, England (1898,1899)
• James Braid, Scotland (1905,1906)
• Bobby Jones, USA (1926,1927)
• Walter Hagen, USA (1928,1929)
• Bobby Locke, South Africa (1949,1950)
• Peter Thomson, Australia (1954,1955,1956)
• Arnold Palmer, USA (1961,1962)
• Lee Trevino, USA (1971,1972)
• Tom Watson, USA (1982,1983)
• Tiger Woods, USA (2005,2006)
• Pádraig Harrington, Ireland (2007,2008)

Great Opens Of The Past

The Open Championship has had many great events in its history, here are some highlights from the years:

• 1977, Turnberry: Duel In The Sun - two great champions, Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus duke it out locked at -11 with three holes to play, far ahead of the field. Watson eventually won a thrilling contest between two true legends.
• 1999, Carnoustie: Paul Lawrie capitalised on what can only be descibed as lunacy from Frenchman Jean Van De Velde. Van De Velde collapsed spectacularly in his final round, and even took off his shoes and socks in an attempt to hit the ball out of the water at one point.
• 2007, Carnoustie: Padraig Harrington wins amid a four hole playoff drama in which it felt like neither he nor Sergio Garcia seemed capable of winning. Wild drives, lost balls - this had the lot.
  

The Trophy

The players at the Open Championship play to win the Claret Jug, officially called The Golf Champion Trophy. However this was not the original trophy, originally the winner received the Challenge Belt. This was replaced in 1870 after Tom Morris Junior won three consecutive championships and the right to keep the belt. The Golf Champion Trophy was first given to Tom Kidd in 1873. The winner also receives a gold medal, which unlike the Claret Jug, he does not have to give back after a year.

Amateurs & The Silver Medal

The leading amateur at The Open receives a silver medal, inscribed with "Golf Champion Trophy", the same size of the gold medal awarded to the overall champion. The first winner of the silver medal was Frank Stranahan in 1949. Stranahan also went on to win the medal 1950, 1951 and 1953.

Purse

The total purse for the 2008 Open was £4.2 million ($8,637,720). The Open traditionally had a lower total purse than the other three majors, since 2002 it has been the highest. Padraig Harrington won £750,000 for his victory in 2008.

Qualifying

156 golfers make up the Open Championship each year, they can qualify in numerous ways, the most significant being the following:

• Past winners of the Open who will be sixty or under by the last day of the tournament.
• Any winner of the other three majors from the past five years
• The top ten finishing players from the previous year's championship
• The current top fifty players of the Official World Golf Rankings.
• The top twenty in the previous season's PGA Tour money list and European Tour Order of Merit.
• International Qualifying - events held on five different continents to gives players around the world the change to enter.
• Regional Qualifying - sixteen 18 hole events around the UK, the winners of which move on to Local Qualifying
• Local Qualifying - twelve places are available to successful competitors in these 36 hole events.

Hosting The Open

The Open Championship is unique in that it is always hosted at a links golf course - in 1922 the Championship Committee stated "The Open shall henceforth be played only on links courses, to provide a true test for the skilled players.".

Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland hosted the event from 1860-1870. Since 1872 however, 14 different courses have hosted the event. These are as follows:

• Carnoustie: 1931, 1937, 1953, 1968, 1975, 1999, 2007
• Muirfield: 1931, 1937, 1953, 1968, 1975, 1999, 2007
• Musselburgh: 1874, 1877, 1880, 1883, 1886, 1889
• Prestwick: 1860-1870, 1872, 1875, 1878, 1881, 1884, 1887, 1890, 1893, 1898, 1903, 1908, 1914, 1925
• Prince's: 1932
• Royal Birkdale: 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2008
• Royal Cinque Ports: 1909, 1920
• Royal Liverpool: 1897, 1902, 1907, 1913, 1924, 1930, 1936, 1947, 1956, 1967, 2006
• Royal Lytham & St Annes: 1926, 1952, 1958, 1963, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1988, 1996, 2001
• Royal Portrush: 1951
• Royal St George's: 1894, 1899, 1904, 1911, 1922, 1928, 1934, 1938, 1949, 1981, 1985, 1993, 2003
• Royal Troon: 1923, 1950, 1962, 1973, 1982, 1989, 1997, 2004
• St Andrews: 1873, 1876, 1879, 1882, 1885, 1888, 1891, 1895, 1900, 1905, 1910, 1921, 1927, 1933, 1939, 1946, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1964, 1970, 1978, 1984, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005
• Turnberry: 1977, 1986, 1994

Generally, the hosting of the Open switches between Scotland and England every year, with St Andrews hosting the event every five years. However there is no hard and fast rule - this is at the disgression of the R&A.

The Challenge Of A Links Course

The Open is always played on what is called a links course. A links golf course is best characterised as follows:

• Usually a coastal venue
• The soil is sandy and drains easily
• Natural seaside grass and rough is prevalent
• Few water hazards or trees - this harks back to the original courses where this simply wasn't possible.
  
• Small "pot" bunkers which are deep and numerous. These were originally made deeper to stop the sand blowing away
• Often difficult weather conditions with high winds, even in the height of summer.
• Fairways are firm, fast and often undulating.
  

Future Open Venues

The venue for the Open Championship has been decided until 2012. The venues are as follows:

• 2009 - Turnberry, Scotland
• 2010 - St Andrews, Scotland
  
• 2011 - Royal St George's, England
• 2012 - Royal Lytham & St Annes
  

Past Open Champions

Year	Winner	Location
2008	Padraig Harrington	Royal Birkdale, England
2007	Padraig Harrington	Carnoustie, Scotland
2006	Tiger Woods	Royal Liverpool, England
2005	Tiger Woods	St. Andrews, Scotland
2004	Todd Hamilton	Royal Troon, Scotland
2003	Ben Curtis	Royal St. George's, England
2002	Ernie Els	Muirfield, Scotland
2001	David Duval	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
2000	Tiger Woods	St. Andrews, Scotland
1999	Paul Lawrie	Carnoustie, Scotland
1998	Mark O'Meara	Royal Birkdale, England
1997	Justin Leonard	Royal Troon, Scotland
1996	Tom Lehman	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1995	John Daly	St. Andrews, Scotland
1994	Nick Price	Turnberry, Scotland
1993	Greg Norman	Royal St. George's, England
1992	Nick Faldo	Muirfield, Scotland
1991	Ian Baker-Finch	Royal Birkdale, England
1990	Nick Faldo	St. Andrews, Scotland
1989	Mark Calcavecchia	Royal Troon, Scotland
1988	Seve Ballesteros	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1987	Nick Faldo	Muirfield, Scotland
1986	Greg Norman	Turnberry, Scotland
1985	Sandy Lyle	Royal St. George's, England
1984	Seve Ballesteros	St. Andrews, Scotland
1983	Tom Watson	Royal Birkdale, England
1982	Tom Watson	Royal Troon, Scotland
1981	Bill Rogers	Royal St. George's, England
1980	Tom Watson	Muirfield, Scotland
1979	Seve Ballesteros	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1978	Jack Nicklaus	St. Andrews, Scotland
1977	Tom Watson	Turnberry, Scotland
1976	Johnny Miller	Royal Birkdale, England
1975	Tom Watson	Carnoustie, Scotland
1974	Gary Player	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1973	Tom Weiskopf	Royal Troon, Scotland
1972	Lee Trevino	Muirfield, Scotland
1971	Lee Trevino	Royal Birkdale, England
1970	Jack Nicklaus	St. Andrews, Scotland
1969	Tony Jacklin	Royal Lytham, Scotland
1968	Gary Player	Carnoustie, Scotland
1967	Roberto de Vicenzo	Hoylake, England
1966	Jack Nicklaus	Muirfield, Scotland
1965	Peter Thomson	Southport, England
1964	Tony Lema	St. Andrews, Scotland
1963	Bob Charles	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1962	Arnold Palmer	Royal Troon, Scotland
1961	Arnold Palmer	Royal Birkdale, England
1960	Kel Nagle	St. Andrews, Scotland
1959	Gary Player	Muirfield, Scotland
1958	Peter Thomson	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1957	Bobby Locke	St. Andrews, Scotland
1956	Peter Thomson	Hoylake, England
1955	Peter Thomson	St. Andrews, Scotland
1954	Peter Thomson	Royal Birkdale, England
1953	Ben Hogan	Carnoustie, Scotland
1952	Bobby Locke	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1951	Max Faulkner	Portrush, Ireland
1950	Bobby Locke	Royal Troon, Scotland
1949	Bobby Locke	Royal St. George's, England
1948	Henry Cotton	Muirfield, Scotland
1947	Fred Daly	Hoylake, England
1946	Sam Snead	St. Andrews, Scotland
1945	Not played
1944	Not played
1943	Not played
1942	Not played
1941	Not played
1940	Not played
1939	Richard Burton	St. Andrews, Scotland
1938	R.A. Whitcombe	Royal St. George's, England
1937	Henry Cotton	Carnoustie, Scotland
1936	Alfred Padgham	Hoylake, Scotland
1935	Alfred Perry	Muirfield, Scotland
1934	Henry Cotton	Royal St. George's, England
1933	Denny Shute	St. Andrews, Scotland
1932	Gene Sarazen	Prince's, England
1931	Tommy Armour	Carnoustie, Scotland
1930	Robert Jones Jr.	Hoylake, England
1929	Walter Hagen	Muirfield, Scotland
1928	Walter Hagen	Royal St. George's, England
1927	Robert Jones Jr.	St. Andrews, Scotland
1926	Robert Jones Jr.	Royal Lytham & St. Annes, England
1925	James Barnes	Prestwick, Scotland
1924	Walter Hagen	Hoylake, England
1923	Arthur Havers	Royal Troon, Scotland
1922	Walter Hagen	Royal St. George's, Scotland
1921	Jock Hutchison	St. Andrews, Scotland
1920	George Duncan	Deal, England
1919	Not played
1918	Not played
1917	Not played
1916	Not played
1915	Not played
1914	Harry Vardon	Prestwick, Scotland
1913	J.H. Taylor	Hoylake, Scotland
1912	Edward Ray	Muirfield, Scotland
1911	Harry Vardon	Royal St. George's, England
1910	James Braid	St. Andrews, Scotland
1909	J.H. Taylor	Deal, England
1908	James Braid	Prestwick, Scotland
1907	Arnaud Massy	Hoylake, England
1906	James Braid	Muirfield, Scotland
1905	James Braid	St. Andrews, Scotland
1904	Jack White	Royal St. George's, England
1903	Harry Vardon	Prestwick, Scotland
1902	Alexander Herd	Hoylake, England
1901	James Braid	Muirfield, Scotland
1900	J.H. Taylor	St. Andrews, Scotland
1899	Harry Vardon	Royal St. George's, England
1898	Harry Vardon	Prestwick, Scotland
1897	Harold Hilton	Hoylake, England
1896	Harry Vardon	Muirfield, Scotland
1895	J.H. Taylor	St. Andrews, Scotland
1894	J.H. Taylor	Royal St. George's, England
1893	William Auchterlonie	Prestwick, Scotland
1892	Harold Hilton	Muirfield, Scotland
1891	Hugh Kirkaldy	St. Andrews, Scotland
1890	John Ball	Prestwick, Scotland
1889	Willie Park Jr.	Musselburgh, Scotland
1888	Jack Burns	St. Andrews, Scotland
1887	Willie Park Jr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1886	David Brown	Musselburgh, Scotland
1885	Bob Martin	St. Andrews, Scotland
1884	Jack Simpson	Prestwick, Scotland
1883	Willie Fernie	Musselburgh, Scotland
1882	Robert Ferguson	St. Andrews, Scotland
1881	Robert Ferguson	Prestwick, Scotland
1880	Robert Ferguson	Musselburgh, Scotland
1879	Jamie Anderson	St. Andrews, Scotland
1878	Jamie Anderson	Prestwick, Scotland
1877	Jamie Anderson	Musselburgh, Scotland
1876	Robert Martin	St. Andrews, Scotland
1875	Willie Park	Prestwick, Scotland
1874	Mungo Park	Musselburgh, Scotland
1873	Tom Kidd	St. Andrews, Scotland
1872	Tom Morris Jr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1871	Not played
1870	Tom Morris Jr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1869	Tom Morris Jr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1868	Tom Morris Jr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1867	Tom Morris Sr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1866	Willie Park	Prestwick, Scotland
1865	Andrew Strath	Prestwick, Scotland
1864	Tom Morris Sr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1863	Willie Park	Prestwick, Scotland
1862	Tom Morris Sr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1861	Tom Morris Sr.	Prestwick, Scotland
1860	Willie Park	Prestwick, Scotland

Open Records

• Oldest winner: Old Tom Morris (46 years, 99 days), 1867.
• Youngest winner: Young Tom Morris (17 years, 181 days), 1868.
• Most wins: 6, Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914).
• Lowest absolute 72-hole score: 267, Greg Norman (66-68-69-64), 1993.
• Lowest aggregate score in relation to par: -19, Tiger Woods (67-66-67-69, 269), 2000 
• Largest victory margin: 13 strokes, Old Tom Morris, 1862. This remained a record for all majors until 2000, when Woods won the U.S. Open by 15 strokes at Pebble Beach. However, Old Tom's 13-stroke margin was achieved over just 36 holes.

References & Sources

• The official site of The Open Championship
• The R&A
• Past winners of the Open Championship