Every previous British Open Championship winner at Royal Troon

Royal Troon has hosted The Open Championship nine times and has staged some of the greatest moments in Open history.

Royal Troon has hosted The Open Championship nine times and has staged some of the greatest moments in Open history. Here’s a brief rundown of every Open at Troon so far…

The 152nd British Open will be the 10th at Royal Troon. But who won the previous nine – and how did they end up winning the Claret Jug?

1923

Norfolk’s Arthur Havers holed out from the bunker on the 72nd hole to finish one stroke clear of defending champion Walter Hagen. His reward was a £75 winner’s cheque, a little under £3m less than what Brian Harman won in 2023.

1950

Bobby Locke picked up the second of four Open titles after missing just two fairways all week. Every year thereafter he sent a Christmas card to the club with the same message: “Still the best greens in the world.”

1962

Three months after winning the Masters for the first time, Arnold Palmer went back-to-back at The Open with a commanding six-shot victory over Kel Nagle. He was given an honorary membership of the club 20 years later.

1973

American Tom Weiskopf became the first man in 39 years to win wire-to-wire, though the Championship is perhaps best remembered for Gene Sarazan’s hole-in-one on the Postage Stamp during the first round.

1982

A month after winning the US Open, Tom Watson came from three back in the final round to be named Champion Golfer of the Year for a fourth time. He successfully defended the Claret Jug a year later at Royal Birkdale.

1989

Greg Norman shot a course-record 64 in the final round, but came unstuck during a three-man playoff after hitting his third shot out of bounds on 18. Mark Calcavecchia birdied the hole and finished three clear of Wayne Grady.

1997

Starting the final round five back, Justin Leonard birdied six holes on the front nine and closed with a 65 – the lowest round of the day – to claim a sensational three-shot victory over Darren Clarke and Jesper Parnevik.

2004

Listed at 500-1 to win, Todd Hamilton overtook reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson down the stretch and defeated Ernie Els in a four-hole play-off. He also became the sixth consecutive American to win at Troon.

2016

In an epic final-round duel with Phil Mickelson, Henrik Stenson reeled off 10 birdies to claim a three-shot victory on 20-under-par, the lowest 72-hole score in Open history. JB Holmes finished way back in third on -6.

See who our experts think will win the 2024 Open at Royal Troon.

About the author

Michael Catling
Features Editor

Michael Catling is Today’s Golfer‘s Features Editor and an award-winning journalist who specializes in golf’s Majors and Tours, including DP World, PGA, LPGA, and LIV.

Michael joined Today’s Golfer in 2016 and has traveled the world to attend the game’s biggest events and secure exclusive interviews with dozens of Major champions, including Jack Nicklaus, Jordan Spieth, Tom Watson, Greg Norman, Gary Player, and Justin Thomas.

Get in touch with Michael via email and follow him on Twitter.