The Open Championship has been won more times by Harry Vardon than any other golfer in history. Vardon claimed the Claret Jug six times between 1896 and 1914, a record that still stands today. Below you will find every Open winner from the first playing at Prestwick in 1860 through the present day, plus key records and tournament history.
Open Championship Key Records
- Most wins: Harry Vardon with 6 titles (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
- Most wins (modern era): Tom Watson with 5 titles (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
- Youngest winner: Young Tom Morris, age 17, in 1868
- Oldest winner: Tom Morris Sr., age 46, in 1867
- Most consecutive wins: Young Tom Morris won 4 straight from 1868 to 1872
- Largest winning margin: Young Tom Morris won by 13 strokes at Prestwick in 1870
- First non-British winner: Arnaud Massy of France in 1907 at Royal Liverpool
- Tiger Woods: Won 3 Open titles (2000, 2005, 2006), including a dominant 8-stroke victory at St Andrews in 2000
About The Open Championship
The Open Championship is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf, first contested in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. It is the only major played outside the United States, rotating among a select group of seaside links courses across England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland known as the Open rota.
The winner receives the Claret Jug, officially called the Golf Champion Trophy. First awarded in 1873, the Claret Jug is one of the most iconic trophies in sports.
Every Open Championship Winner
| Year | Winner | Country | Course |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Collin Morikawa | USA | Royal St George's |
| 2019 | Shane Lowry | Ireland | Royal Portrush |
| 2018 | Francesco Molinari | Italy | Carnoustie |
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth | USA | Royal Birkdale |
| 2016 | Henrik Stenson | Sweden | Royal Troon |
| 2015 | Zach Johnson | USA | St Andrews |
| 2014 | Rory McIlroy | Northern Ireland | Royal Liverpool |
| 2013 | Phil Mickelson | USA | Muirfield |
| 2012 | Ernie Els | South Africa | Royal Lytham & St Annes |
| 2011 | Darren Clarke | Northern Ireland | Royal St George's |
| 2010 | Louis Oosthuizen | South Africa | St Andrews |