History of The Open Championship: Celebrating 153 Years
The British Open Championship is officially recognised as the world’s oldest golf major, where both professional and amateur golfers from all over the world put their skills to the test in a bid to take home the Claret Jug.
It stands as one of the four major golf championships globally alongside The Masters, The PGA Championship and the US Open, although The Open is the only championship staged in the UK.
However, despite being theoretically open to both amateur and professional golfers, The Open Championship takes its name from the fact it primarily consists of renowned professional players. In fact, only a small number of amateur golfers can enter by invitation.
Still, it’s a championship steeped in history, and the British Open is hosted on a rotation of beautiful coastal links golf courses throughout the UK. St Andrews and Royal St George’s are two of the most notable.
In 2025, The 153rd Open Championship will be taking place at the famous Royal Portrush in County Antrium, Northern Ireland. Ahead of this year’s historic Open, we’ve taken a trip down memory lane to uncover the journey of golf’s original major.
History of the British Open
The first British Open can be traced back to 1860. It took place at Scotland’s Prestwick Golf Club and was held there every year until 1873, when St Andrews hosted the major for the first time.
Willie Park, Sr., won the inaugural championship and received a silver-buckled leather belt dubbed the Challenge Belt for his victory, which was to be kept by the winner until the following Open Championship.
As the championship progressed, the major began rotating between various golf courses in Scotland, with Prestwick, St Andrews and Musselburgh hosting The Open between 1873 – 1892.
The US Open major was established in 1895, and thirty-five years later, legendary golfer Bobby Jones won The Open Championship, US Open, Amateur Championship and US Amateur in the same year.
In 1931, The British Open was held outside of St Andrews, Prestwick and Musselburgh for the first time, as Carnoustie Golf Links was added to the rotation.
It wasn’t until 1951 that The Championship was staged outside of Scotland, taking place at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. It was also the only time the major took place outside of mainland Britain (until 2019 when Royal Portrush hosted the 148th Open).
The Open Championship continued to grow in popularity. The largest crowd in its history dates back to the 2000 renewal, which saw legendary golfer Tiger Woods claim the coveted Claret Jug.
Since its inaugural running, various courses have been added to the rotation, including Royal St George’s, Muirfield and Royal Liverpool. However, the Old Course at St Andrews, which is arguably the most famous golf venue globally, has hosted the most championships, with 30 in total.
Royal Portrush: Host of 2025 Open Championship
The Royal Troon is one of the world’s oldest golf venues, and it will be the host of the world famous Open Championship once more.
It was established all the way back in 1888 and hosted its first British Open Championship all the way back in 1951. It went on to host the British Open Championship in 2019, and it will do so again in 2025.
The oldest golf major will return once more in 2025 and this is an event that no golf fan will want to miss, and why not experience this famous sporting occasion with Eventmasters’ British Open Championship Hospitality Packages?
When is the 153rd British Open?
The 153rd British Open Championship is set to take place from Sunday 13th July to Sunday 20th July 2025.
Where is the 153rd British Open?
In 2025, the 153rd British Open Championship will take place at one of the world’s oldest golf clubs, Royal Portrush in County Antrim in Northern Ireland.
The Royal Portrush will host its 3rd Open Championship, including it’s first in 1951 that saw Max Faulkner crowned the winner.
Shane Lowry, one of the world’s leading golf players, won his inaugural British Open Championship at Royal Portrush when the venue hosted its last British Open back in 2019.
Tom Watson is one of the most successful golf players in the history of the British Open, with 5 (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982 & 1983).
The only players to have won more British Opens is Harry Yardon with 6 (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911 & 1914).
The course is comprised of 18 holes. At Royal Troon in 2024, life was made harder for the players, with more bunkering, more trees and a harsher run off in certain areas of the course.
As mentioned, the Royal Troon was the host of the British Open Championship last year. It’s history stretches back to its establishment in 1878 with it hosting it’s first ever British Open in 1923. The course has been host to the British Open 10 times.
Who won the British Open in 2024?
In 2024, it was Xander Schauffele who lifted the famous Claret Jug. It was the American’s first ever British Open title. Billy Horschel and Justin Rose were joint second on 7 under par, whilst it was Thriston Lawrence who came just behind the top two in the end with him finishing on 6 under par.
Harman’s winning score was 9 under par. The record for the best winning margin in the Open Championship’s history is Henrik Stenson’s win at Royal Troon in 2016, where he was 20 under par.
Xander Schauffele now finds himself in 2nd in the World Golf Rankings, with only fellow American Scottie Scheffler above him in first place. Rory McIlory fills the other spot in the top three in third place as of the time of writing.
Notable British Open Championship Winners
With a championship that dates back to 1860, there are many notable winners of the British Open! While we could name several iconic golfers, there are a few names that spring to mind immediately within the timeline of British Open winners:
Harry Vardon
Jersey golfer, Harry Vardon, has won the British Open a record number of six times. Vardon’s impressive golfing achievements earned him a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame, with his six British Open Championship medals on display at the Jersey Museum.
Tom Watson
Another golfing legend, Tom Watson, has managed to win the British Open an impressive five times. However, perhaps the most notable win was during 1977 due to his rivalry with Jack Nicklaus, who already won the British Open in 1970.
The championship boiled down to the two players and is often known as “the duel in the Sun.” The pair’s rivalry was a huge talking point at the time and served to increase the popularity of golf.
Tiger Woods
Considered one of the world’s greatest golfers, Tiger Woods has won the British Open three times. His first win was in 2000, held at St Andrews, where he beat the likes of Thomas Bjorn and Ernie Els. In 2005, he claimed the Claret Jug for a second time as the championship was held at St Andrews once again. His third win was at the 135th Open Championship in 2006, held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
How do I get tickets for the British Open in 2025?
Eventmasters are delighted to offer exclusive packages for the British Open in 2025. If you want to experience the world’s oldest and most prestigious golf championship in VIP style, then please call a member of our golf hospitality team on 0121 233 6500 for further details.
2025 Golf VIP Hospitality
- Display 24 Products per page
Enquire About Golf Hospitality Packages in 2025:
Golf Hospitality
One of our Golf Hospitality team members is ready to help you plan your day at your chosen event - Complete this contact form and one of the golf hospitality specialists will be in contact shortly.
