One of the four big tournaments for men’s professional golf is Open Championship or the British Open. The competition, which is organized by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, is contested on a new links-style golf club every year.
The Open Championship was first won at Prestwick Golf Club in 1860 by Willie Park Sr. Below is the list of Open Championship winners from 1860 to 2022.
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The Open Championship Winners List
| Year | Champion | Runner-Ups | Score | Country | Prize Money |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | Cameron Young | 268 (−20) | AUS | $2,500,000 |
| 2021 | Collin Morikawa | Jordan Spieth | 265 (−15) | USA | $2,070,000 |
| 2020 | Not Held | ||||
| 2019 | Shane Lowry | Tommy Fleetwood | 269 (−15) | IRE | $1,935,000 |
| 2018 | Francesco Molinari | Kevin Kisner | 276 (−8) | Italy | $1,890,000 |
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth | Matt Kuchar | 268 (−12) | USA | $1,845,000 |
| 2016 | Henrik Stenson | Phil Mickelson | 264 (−20) | Sweden | £ 1,175,000 |
| 2015 | Zach Johnson | Marc Leishman | 273 (−15) playoff | USA | £ 1,150,000 |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | Rickie Fowler | 271 (–17) | UK / NIR | £975 000 |
| 2013 | Phil Mickelson | Henrik Stenson | 281 (-3) | USA | £ 945 000 |
| 2012 | Ernie Els | Adam Scott | 273 (-7) | SA | £ 900 000 |
| 2011 | Darren Clarke | Dustin Johnson | 275 (-5) | UK / NIR | £ 900 000 |
| 2010 | Louis Oosthuizen | Lee Westwood | 272 (-16) | SA | £ 850 000 |
| 2009 | Stewart Cink | Tom Watson | 278 (-2) playoff | USA | £ 750 000 |
| 2008 | Pádraig Harrington | Ian Poulter | 283 (+3) | IRE | £ 750 000 |
| 2007 | Pádraig Harrington | Sergio Garcia | 277 (-7) playoff | IRE | £ 750 000 |
| 2006 | Tiger Woods | Chris DiMarco | 270 (-18) | USA | £ 720 000 |
| 2005 | Tiger Woods | Colin Montgomerie | 274 (-14) | USA | £ 720 000 |
| 2004 | Todd Hamilton | Ernie Els | 274 (-10) playoff | USA | £ 720 000 |
| 2003 | Ben Curtis | Thomas Bjørn | 283 (-1) | USA | £ 700 000 |
| 2002 | Ernie Els | Stuart Appleby | 278 (-6) playoff | SA | £ 700 000 |
| 2001 | David Duval | Niclas Fasth | 274 (-10) | USA | £ 600 000 |
| 2000 | Tiger Woods | Thomas Bjørn | 269 (-19) | USA | £ 500 000 |
| 1999 | Paul Lawrie | Justin Leonard | 290 (+6) playoff | SCT | £ 350 000 |
| 1998 | Mark O’Meara | Brian Watts | 280 (E) playoff | USA | £ 300 000 |
| 1997 | Justin Leonard | Darren Clarke | 272 (-12) | USA | £ 250 000 |
| 1996 | Tom Lehman | Ernie Els | 271 (-13) | USA | £ 200 000 |
| 1995 | John Daly | Costantino Rocca | 282 (-6) playoff | USA | £ 125 000 |
| 1994 | Nick Price | Jesper Parnevik | 268 (-12) | Zimbabwe | £ 110 000 |
| 1993 | Greg Norman | Nick Faldo | 267 (-13) | AUS | £ 100 000 |
| 1992 | Nick Faldo | John Cook | 272 (-12) | ENG | £ 95 000 |
| 1991 | Ian Baker-Finch | Mike Harwood | 272 (-8) | AUS | £ 90 000 |
| 1990 | Nick Faldo | Mark McNulty | 270 (-18) | ENG | £ 85 000 |
| 1989 | Mark Calcavecchia | Wayne Grady | 275 (-13) playoff | USA | £ 80 000 |
| 1988 | Seve Ballesteros | Nick Price | 273 (-11) | Spain | £ 80 000 |
| 1987 | Nick Faldo | Paul Azinger | 279 (-5) | ENG | £ 75 000 |
| 1986 | Greg Norman | Gordon Brand | 280 (E) | AUS | £ 70 000 |
| 1985 | Sandy Lyle | Payne Stewart | 282 (+2) | SCT | £ 65 000 |
| 1984 | Seve Ballesteros | Bernhard Langer | 276 (-12) | Spain | £ 55 000 |
| 1983 | Tom Watson | Andy Bean | 275 (-9) | USA | £ 40 000 |
| 1982 | Tom Watson | Peter Oosterhuis | 284 (-4) | USA | £ 32 000 |
| 1981 | Bill Rogers | Bernhard Langer | 276 (-4) | USA | £ 25 000 |
| 1980 | Tom Watson | Lee Trevino | 271 (-13) | USA | £ 25 000 |
| 1979 | Seve Ballesteros | Ben Crenshaw | 283 (-1) | Spain | £ 15 000 |
| 1978 | Jack Nicklaus | Ben Crenshaw | 281 (-7) | USA | £ 12 500 |
| 1977 | Tom Watson | Jack Nicklaus | 268 (-12) | USA | £ 10 000 |
| 1976 | Johnny Miller | Seve Ballesteros | 279 (-9) | USA | £ 7 500 |
| 1975 | Tom Watson | Jack Newton | 279 (-5) playoff | USA | £ 7 500 |
| 1974 | Gary Player | Peter Oosterhuis | 282 (-2) | SA | £ 5 500 |
| 1973 | Tom Weiskopf | Neil Coles | 276 (-12) | USA | £ 5 500 |
| 1972 | Lee Trevino | Jack Nicklaus | 278 (-6) | USA | £ 5 500 |
| 1971 | Lee Trevino | Lu-Liang Huan | 278 (-10) | USA | £ 5 500 |
| 1970 | Jack Nicklaus | Doug Sanders | 283 (-5) playoff | USA | £ 5 250 |
| 1969 | Tony Jacklin | Bob Charles | 280 (-4) | ENG | £ 4 250 |
| 1968 | Gary Player | Bob Charles | 289 (+1) | SA | £ 3 000 |
| 1967 | Roberto DeVicenzo | Jack Nicklaus | 278 (-10) | Argentina | £ 2 100 |
| 1966 | Jack Nicklaus | Doug Sanders | 282 (+2) | USA | £ 2 100 |
| 1965 | Peter Thomson | Brian Huggett | 285 (-3) | AUS | £ 1 750 |
| 1964 | Tony Lema | Jack Nicklaus | 279 (-9) | USA | £ 1 500 |
| 1963 | Bob Charles | Phil Rodgers | 277 (-7) playoff | NZ | £ 1 500 |
| 1962 | Arnold Palmer | Kel Nagle | 276 (-12) | USA | £ 1 400 |
| 1961 | Arnold Palmer | Dai Rees | 284 (-4) | USA | £ 1 400 |
| 1960 | Kel Nagle | Arnold Palmer | 278 (-10) | AUS | £ 1 250 |
| 1959 | Gary Player | Fred Bullock | 284 (E) | SA | £ 1 000 |
| 1958 | Peter Thomson | Dave Thomas | 274 (-10) playoff | AUS | £ 1 000 |
| 1957 | Bobby Locke | Peter Thomson | 279 (-9) | SA | £ 1 000 |
| 1956 | Peter Thomson | Flory Van Donck | 286 (-2) | AUS | £ 1 000 |
| 1955 | Peter Thomson | John Fallon | 281 (-7) | AUS | £ 1 000 |
| 1954 | Peter Thomson | Bobby Locke | 283 (-5) | AUS | £750 |
| 1953 | Ben Hogan | Antonio Cerda | 282 (-6) | USA | £500 |
| 1952 | Bobby Locke | Peter Thomson | 287 (-1) | SA | £300 |
| 1951 | Max Faulkner | Antonio Cerda | 285 (-3) | ENG | £300 |
| 1950 | Bobby Locke | Roberto De Vicenzo | 279 (-9) | SA | £300 |
| 1949 | Bobby Locke | Harry Bradshaw | 283 (-5) | SA | £300 |
| 1948 | Henry Cotton | Fred Daly | 288 (E) | ENG | £150 |
| 1947 | Fred Daly | Reggie Horne | 293 (+5) | NIR | £150 |
| 1946 | Sam Snead | Johnny Bulla | 290 (+2) | USA | £150 |
| 1940–1945 | No Championships Because of World War II | ||||
| 1939 | Richard Burton | Johnny Bulla | 290 | ENG | £100 |
| 1938 | Reg Whitcombe | James Adams | 295 | ENG | £100 |
| 1937 | Henry Cotton | RA Whitcombe | 290 | ENG | £100 |
| 1936 | Alf Padgham | James Adams | 287 | ENG | £100 |
| 1935 | Alf Perry | Alfred Padgham | 283 | ENG | £100 |
| 1934 | Henry Cotton | Sid Brews | 283 | ENG | £100 |
| 1933 | Denny Shute | Craig Wood | 292 playoff | USA | £100 |
| 1932 | Gene Sarazen | Macdonald Smith | 283 | USA | £100 |
| 1931 | Tommy Armour | Jose Jurado | 296 | USA(nat) | £100 |
| 1930 | Bobby Jones (Amateur) | Leo Diegel | 291 | USA | Am – £100 |
| 1929 | Walter Hagen | Johnny Farrell | 292 | USA | £75 |
| 1928 | Walter Hagen | Gene Sarazen | 292 | USA | £75 |
| 1927 | Bobby Jones (Am) | Aubrey Boomer | 285 | USA | Am – £75 |
| 1926 | Bobby Jones (Am) | Al Watrous | 291 | USA | Am – £75 |
| 1925 | Jim Barnes | Archie Compston | 300 | USA (nat) | £75 |
| 1924 | Walter Hagen | Ernest Whitcombe | 301 | USA | £75 |
| 1923 | Arthur Havers | Walter Hagen | 295 | ENG | £75 |
| 1922 | Walter Hagen | James Barnes | 300 | USA | £75 |
| 1921 | Jock Hutchison | Roger Wethered | 296 playoff | USA (nat) | £75 |
| 1920 | George Duncan | Alex Herd | 303 | SCOT | £75 |
| 1915–1919 | No Championships Because of World War I | ||||
| 1914 | Harry Vardon | J. Taylor | 306 | Jersey | £50 |
| 1913 | John Henry Taylor | Edward Ray | 304 | ENG | £50 |
| 1912 | Ted Ray | Harry Vardon | 295 | Jersey | £50 |
| 1911 | Harry Vardon | Arnaud Massy | 303 playoff | Jersey | £50 |
| 1910 | James Braid | Alex Herd | 299 | SCT | £50 |
| 1909 | John Henry Taylor | Tom Ball | 291 | ENG | £50 |
| 1908 | James Braid | Tom Ball | 291 | SCT | £50 |
| 1907 | Arnaud Massy | J. Taylor | 312 | France | £50 |
| 1906 | James Braid | J. Taylor | 300 | SCT | £50 |
| 1905 | James Braid | Rowland Jones | 318 | SCT | £50 |
| 1904 | Jack White | James Braid | 296 | SCT | £50 |
| 1903 | Harry Vardon | Tom Vardon | 300 | Jersey | £50 |
| 1902 | Sandy Herd | James Braid | 307 | SCT | £50 |
| 1901 | James Braid | Harry Vardon | 309 | SCT | £50 |
| 1900 | John Henry Taylor | Harry Vardon | 309 | ENG | £50 |
| 1899 | Harry Vardon | Jack White | 310 | Jersey | £30 |
| 1898 | Harry Vardon | Willie Park Jr | 307 | Jersey | £30 |
| 1897 | Harold Hilton (Am) | James Braid | 314 | ENG | Am – £30 |
| 1896 | Harry Vardon | J. Taylor | 316 playoff | Jersey | £30 |
| 1895 | John Henry Taylor | Alex Herd | 332 | ENG | £30 |
| 1894 | John Henry Taylor | Douglas Rolland | 326 | ENG | £30 |
| 1893 | William Auchterlonie | John Laidlay | 322 | SCT | £30 |
| 1892 | Harold Hilton | John Ball | 305 | ENG | Am – £35 |
| 1891 | Hugh Kirkaldy | Willie Fernie | 166 | SCT | £10 |
| 1890 | John Ball (Am) | Willie Fernie | 164 | ENG | Am – £13 |
| 1889 | Willie Park, Jnr | Andrew Kirkaldy | 155 playoff | SCT | £8 |
| 1888 | Jack Burns | David Anderson, Jr. | 171 | SCT | £8 |
| 1887 | Willie Park, Jnr | Bob Martin | 161 | SCT | £8 |
| 1886 | David Brown | Willie Campbell | 157 | SCT | £8 |
| 1885 | Bob Martin | Archie Simpson | 171 | SCT | £10 |
| 1884 | Jack Simpson | Willie Fernie | 160 | SCT | £8 |
| 1883 | Willie Fernie | Robert Ferguson | 159 playoff | SCT | £8 |
| 1882 | Bob Ferguson | Willie Fernie | 171 | SCT | £12 |
| 1881 | Bob Ferguson | Jamie Anderson | 170 | SCT | £8 |
| 1880 | Bob Ferguson | Peter Paxton | 162 | SCT | £8 |
| 1879 | Jamie Anderson | James Allan | 169 | SCT | £10 |
| 1878 | Jamie Anderson | Bob Kirk | 157 | SCT | £8 |
| 1877 | Jamie Anderson | Robert Pringle | 160 | SCT | £8 |
| 1876 | Bob Martin | David Strath | 176 | SCT | £10 |
| 1875 | Willie Park, Snr | Bob Martin | 166 | SCT | £8 |
| 1874 | Mungo Park | Tom Morris, Jr. | 159 | SCT | £8 |
| 1873 | Tom Kidd | Jamie Anderson | 179 | SCT | £11 |
| 1872 | Tom Morris, Jnr | David Strath | 166 | SCT | £8 |
| 1871 | not held | ||||
| 1870 | Tom Morris, Jnr | Bob Kirk | 149 | SCT | £6 |
| 1869 | Tom Morris, Jnr | Bob Kirk | 154 | SCT | £6 |
| 1868 | Tom Morris, Jnr | Tom Morris, Sr. | 157 | SCT | £6 |
| 1867 | Tom Morris, Snr | Willie Park | 170 | SCT | £7 |
| 1866 | Willie Park, Snr | David Park | 169 | SCT | £6 |
| 1865 | Andrew Strath | Willie Park | 162 | SCT | £8 |
| 1864 | Tom Morris, Snr | Andrew Strath | 167 | SCT | £6 |
| 1863 | Willie Park, Snr | Tom Morris, Sr. | 168 | SCT | – |
| 1862 | Tom Morris, Snr | Willie Park | 163 | SCT | – |
| 1861 | Tom Morris, Snr | Willie Park | 163 | SCT | – |
| 1860 | Willie Park, Snr | Tom Morris, Sr. | 174 | SCT | – |
Most Time Winners in the Open Championship
| Player | Wins | Year |
| Harry Vardon | 6 Times | 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914 |
| James Braid | 5 Times | 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910 |
| J.H. Taylor | 5 Times | 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913 |
| Peter Thomson | 5 Times | 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965 |
| Tom Watson | 5 Times | 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983 |
| Old Tom Morris | 4 Times | – |
| Young Tom Morris | 4 Times | – |
| Willie Park Sr. | 4 Times | – |
| Walter Hagen | 4 Times | 1922, 1924, 1928, and 1929 |
| Bobby Locke | 4 Times | 1949, 1950, 1952, 1957 |
Missing Years Of The British Open
The Open Championship is the oldest big tournament in golf, but it hasn’t operated continuously until 1860. Since the Open Championship’s beginning, there have been 13 years without one.
After Young Tom Morris won the British Open 3 times in a row from 1868 to 1870, he officially acquired the trophy, the “challenge belt,” and the 1871 Open Championship was scrapped.
Because the event organizers were unsure of how to go, they had the opportunity to change the competition format. The 1871 British Open was lost due to the longer-than-anticipated duration of these discussions.
Because of World War I, the British Open was postponed from 1915 to 1919; again, due to World War II, it was postponed from 1940 to 1945. The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 Open Championship.
