The Open Championship: Every fact and stat you’ll ever need about the world’s oldest Major

The Claret Jug has been won five times by Tom Watson, a record in the modern era.

From the most victories and appearances to the best and worst scores, we run through all the facts, figures, and records in the history of The Open Championship – the oldest golf tournament in the world.

Did you know that Seve Ballesteros was the youngest player in the modern era to win The Open at the age of 22? Or that Scotland has hosted 97 Championships compared to just two in Northern Ireland, none in Wales, and 52 in England?

By the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll be able to impress your mates and go on Mastermind with The Open as your specialist subject!

Who has won The Open the most times?

Harry Vardon holds the record for the most Open wins with six in an 18-year stretch. Tom Watson is one behind on five, while the likes of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Sir Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros have their names etched on the Claret Jug three times.

6 Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
5 James Braid (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910)
5 JH Taylor (1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913)
5 Peter Thomson (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965)
5 Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
4 Tom Morris Snr (1861, 1862, 1864, 1867)
4 Tom Morris Jnr (1868, 1869, 1870, 1872)
4 Willie Park Snr (1860, 1863, 1866, 1875)
4 Walter Hagen (1922, 1924, 1928, 1929)
4 Bobby Locke (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957)
3 Jamie Anderson (1877, 1878, 1879
3 Bob Ferguson (1880, 1881, 1882)
3 Bobby Jones (1926, 1927, 1930)
3 Henry Cotton (1934, 1937, 1948)
3 Gary Player (1959, 1968, 1974)
3 Jack Nicklaus (1966, 1970, 1978)
3 Seve Ballesteros (1979, 1984, 1988)
3 Nick Faldo (1987, 1990, 1992)
3 Tiger Woods (2000, 2005, 2006)

How many courses have hosted the Open?

A total of 14 courses have staged the men’s oldest major, with 10 currently active on the rotation. The Old Course at St Andrews has hosted a record 30 Open Championships, though Prestwick isn’t far behind.

30 St Andrews
24 Prestwick*
16 Muirfield
15 Royal St George’s
13 Royal Liverpool
11 Royal Lytham & St Annes
10 Royal Birkdale
10 Royal Troon (inc. 2024)
8 Carnoustie
6 Musselburgh*
4 Turnberry
2 Royal Cinque Ports*
2 Royal Portrush
1 Prince’s*

*No longer included on The Open rota

What is the widest margin of victory at The Open?

In 1862, Old Tom Morris finished 13 strokes clear of Willie Park Snr at Prestwick, though there were only eight players competing in the field.

It remained a record in all major championships until the 2000 US Open when Tiger Woods stormed to a 15-shot victory at Pebble Beach.

Who is the oldest player ever to win The Open?

Old Tom Morris was 46 years and 99 days old when he celebrated his fourth success at The Open in 1867. The winner’s cheque back then was just £7.

Who is the youngest player ever to win the Open?

The all-time record belongs to Young Tom Morris, who was 17 years, five months, and three days old when he won the first of four Open Championships in 1868.

Seve holds the record in the modern era and was 22 when he won the first of five major titles, beating Jack Nicklaus and Ben Crenshaw by three strokes at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1979.

Has anyone ever successfully defended The Open?

It hasn’t happened very often and the last man to do it was Padraig Harrington in 2008. He joined an exclusive club that includes Tiger Woods (2005-06), Tom Watson (1982-83), Lee Trevino (1970-71), Arnold Palmer (1961-62), Bobby Locke (1950-51), Walter Hagen (1928-29), Bobby Jones (1926-27), James Braid (1905-06), Harry Vardon (1898-99), JH Taylor (1894-95) and Old Tom Morris (1861-62).

Australian Peter Thomson is the only outlier in the modern era as he won three years in a row between 1954 and 1956.

The only other men to complete a hat-trick of wins in succession was Bob Ferguson (1880, 1881 and 1882), Jamie Anderson (1877, 1878 and 1879), and Old Tom Morris (1869, 1870 and 1872 – after The Open was canceled in 1871).

Has anyone ever gone wire-to-wire at The Open?

Tiger Woods led from start to finish at the 2005 Open at St Andrews. Six other players have repeated the feat, including Tom Weiskoph in 1973. The others are Young Tom Morris in 1869, Ted Ray in 1912, Bobby Jones in 1927, Gene Sarazen in 1932, and Henry Cotton in 1934.

Have any left-handed golfers ever won The Open?

Yes. Bob Charles did it first in 1963, and then Phil Mickelson followed suit 50 years later at Turnberry. Brian Harman may well be next.

What is the lowest winning score at The Open?

The lowest 72-hole total at The Open is also the all-time major championship record, which was set by Henrik Stenson in 2016 at Royal Troon. His score of 264 saw him edge Phil Mickelson by three shots on 20-under-par.

Cameron Smith was unable to beat the lowest total score, but he did equal the -20 record at St Andrews in 2022.

Has anyone won The Open on their debut?

Who can forget what American Ben Curtis did as a 300/1 outsider at the 2003 Open? He was ranked 396^th at the time and held off Vijay Singh and Thomas Bjorn to win by one at Royal St George’s.

Most recently Colin Morikawa won on his debut at Sandwich in 2021, becoming the fifth man since World War II to secure the Claret Jug as an Open rookie. The others were Ben Hogan in 1953, Tony Lema in 1964, and Tom Watson in 1975.

Who has made the most appearances in The Open?

Gary Player has not only played in more Opens than anyone else; his 46 starts all came in successive years. He did not miss a single Championship from 1956 through to 2001.

46 Gary Player
43 Sandy Lyle
38 Sandy Herd
38 Tom Watson
38 Jack Nicklaus
37 Nick Faldo
35 Ben Sayers

Who has made the most cuts at The Open?

This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Jack Nicklaus made a record 32 cuts from just 38 appearances, winning three times.

What is the lowest-ever round at The Open?

Branden Grace memorably shot a 62 at Royal Birkdale in the third round of the tournament in 2017. This was the lowest round in major championship history until Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele matched it during the 2023 US Open at Los Angeles Country Club before Shane Lowry shot the mark in Valhalla at the 2024 PGA Championship.

How many times has The Open been decided by a playoff?

In 150 editions of The Open, extra holes have been required just 21 times.

Since 2000, there have been four playoffs at The Open, the most recent occurring in 2015 at St Andrews when Zach Johnson beat Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman to claim his second career major title.

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.