The Open Championship is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious golf competitions. It is the only one of the four men's major championships, dating back to 1860, that is held outside of the United States and has always been held only in the United Kingdom. In October 1860, the first Open Championship was held at the Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire. Willie Park Sr. of Musselburgh made history that year by winning. The competition has continued since, albeit on a new course each year, until 2024. To date, the competition has been rotated among 14 different courses in the United Kingdom.
Which course has The Open Championship been held at the most?
The Old Course at St Andrews is the course that has hosted The Open the most times. The world's oldest golf course, it has hosted 30 championship reruns. The most recent one happened in 2022 when Cameron Smith won the Claret Jug and became the fifth Australian to do so.
St Andrews usually hosts the championship every five years, given its significance in the sport. Prestwick Golf Club, which has hosted 24 The Open events, including the first 12, is its closest rival. But in the 1920s, it was removed from the Open rotation.
What are the courses where the Open Championship has been played?
The Open Championship takes place every July in the UK. Being one of the tournaments famous for its tradition, much has stayed the same since it began! For example, the courses; the Open tournament takes place in 14 different courses, and the committee decides which course will be used for which year. This comprehensive table contains a list of the courses included in the Open. The courses shown here were either part of the Open Rota or on the Open Rota and are pending.
| Course Name | Location | First Played in | Last Played in | Times | Lowest score 72 hole score | Winner |
| Prestwick Golf Club | Prestwick, Scotland | 1860 | 1925 | 24 | 291 | James Braid (1908) |
| Old Course at St Andrews | St Andrews, Scotland | 1873 | 2022 | 30 | 268 (−20) | Cameron Smith (2022) |
| Musselburgh Links | Musselburgh, Scotland | 1874 | 1889 | 6 | 155 | Willie Park, Jnr (1889) |
| Muirfield | Gullane, Scotland | 1892 | 2013 | 16 | 271 (−13) | Tom Watson (1980) |
| Royal St George's Golf Club | Sandwich, England | 1894 | 2021 | 15 | 265 (−15) | Collin Morikawa (2021) |
| Royal Liverpool Golf Club | Hoylake, England | 1897 | 2023 | 13 | 270 (−18) | Tiger Woods (2006) |
| Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club | Deal, England | 1909 | 1920 | 2 | 291 | John Henry Taylor (1909) |
| Royal Troon Golf Club | Troon, Scotland | 1923 | 2016 | 9 | 264 (−20) | Henrik Stenson (2016) |
| Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club | Lytham St Annes, England | 1926 | 2012 | 11 | 271 (−13) | Tom Lehman (1996) |
| Carnoustie Golf Links | Carnoustie, Scotland | 1931 | 2018 | 8 | 276 (−8) | Francesco Molinari (2018) |
| Prince's Golf Club | Sandwich, England | 1932 | 1932 | 1 | 283 (−13) | Gene Sarazen (1932) |
| Royal Portrush Golf Club | Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland | 1951 | 2019 | 2 | 269 (−15) | Shane Lowry (2019) |
| Royal Birkdale Golf Club | Southport, England | 1954 | 2017 | 10 | 268 (−12) | Jordan Spieth (2017) |
| Turnberry | South Ayrshire, Scotland | 1977 | 2009 | 4 | 268 (−12) | Tom Watson (1977)Nick Price (1994) |
FAQ's On The Open Championship
A. Since 1873, this major has been held at the Old Course thirty times, most recently in 2022.
A. Max Faulkner won his only major championship at the Open Championship, held at Royal Portrush for the first time in 1951. In July 2019, The Open made a repeat visit to Portrush.
A. The Old Course at Royal Troon hosted The Open Championship for the first time in 1923, according to Royal Troon Golf Club. The competition has reappeared eight more times since then.
