The Open Championship, or simply The Open (often referred to as the British Open outside the UK), is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico. The Open is played on the weekend of the third Friday in July. It is the third major to take place each year, following The Masters and the U.S. Open, but before the PGA Championship. The event takes place every year on one of nine historic links courses in Scotland or England (the event has been held once in Northern Ireland, but Royal Portrush is no longer on the rota, or "rotation"). In 2010, The Open will have a prize fund of US $7 million (approximately €5.51 million or £4.55 million), with £750,000 going to the winner. Historically, The Open's prize money was consistently the least of the four majors; from 2002 to 2008, it was the highest. Uniquely among the four major championships, the Open features a four-hole playoff for all golfers tied at the end of regulation, with the playoff continuing into sudden death holes if players remain tied after four holes.
Past Winners 2009 Stewart Cink Turnberry, Scotland 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, Southport, England 1997 Justin Leonard Royal Troon, Scotland 1996 Tom Lehman Royal Lytham and St. Annes, Lytham, England 1995 John Daly St. Andrews, Scotland 1994 Nick Price Turnberry Golf Links' Aisla Course, 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, 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, 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, Scotland 1973 Tom Weiskopf 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, England 1962 Arnold Palmer Troon, Scotland 1961 Arnold Palmer Royal Birkdale, England 1960 Kel Nagle St. Andrews, Scotland 1959 Gary Player Muirfield, Scotland 1958 Peter Thomson Royal Lytham, 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, England 1951 Max Faulkner Portrush, Ireland 1950 Bobby Locke 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, England 1925 James Barnes Prestwick, Scotland 1924 Walter Hagen Hoylake, England 1923 Arthur Havers 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
