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.
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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.
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