Is The Open Championship same as the British Open? Major championship's history explored

Modified Jul 11, 2023 15:00 GMT

The 150th Open - Day Four — The Open Championship (Image via Getty)

The Open Championship is a historic golf competition that first took place in 1860. It is organized by the R&A and takes place on golf courses in the UK.

In the United States and other countries, the major tournament is commonly referred to as the British Open. Its original name, however, remains The Open Championship.

The tournament was first held at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland on October 17, 1860. It was played over three rounds on a twelve-hole course, with Willie Park Sr. winning by two strokes over Tom Morris. The tournament was staged in Prestwick for the first 12 years before moving to St. Andrews in 1873.

Since then, the tournament has alternated between St. Andrews, Musselburgh, and Prestwick. However, in 1894, St George organized the major event for the first time and became another tournament host city.

The Open Championship was hosted at numerous golf venues over the year, including Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, and Royal Lytham.

The Open Championship venues over the years

Here is the list of all the venues of The Open Championship and the years in which they hosted the major event:

Prestwick

1860
1861
1862
1863
1864
1865
1866
1867
1868
1869
1870
1872
1875
1878
1881
1884
1887
1890
1893
1898
1903
1908
1914
1925

St Andrews

1873
1876
1879
1882
1885
1888
1891
1895
1900
1905
1910
1921
1927
1933
1939
1946
1955
1957
1960
1964
1970
1978
1984
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
2022

Musselburgh

1874
1877
1880
1883
1886
1889

Muirfield

1892
1896
1901
1906
1912
1929
1935
1948
1959
1966
1972
1980
1987
1992
2002
2013

Royal Troon

1923
1950
1962
1973
1982
1989
1997
2004
2016

Carnoustie

1931
1937
1953
1968
1975
1999
2007
2018

Turnberry

1977
1986
1994
2009

Royal St George's

1894
1899
1904
1911
1922
1928,
1934,
1938
1949
1981
1985
1993
2003
2011
2021

Royal Liverpool

1897
1902
1907
1913
1924
1930
1936
1947
1956
1967
2006
2014
2023

Royal Cinque Ports

1909
1920

Royal Lytham & St Annes

1926
1952
1958
1963
1969
1974
1979
1988
1996
2001
2012

Prince's

1932

Royal Birkdale

1954
1961
1965
1971
1976
1983,
1991
1998
2008
2017

Royal Portrush

1951
2019

The Open Championship winners the over the years

Harry Vardon holds the record for winning The Open Championship the maximum number of times. He won the Major six times while sitting behind him is John Henry Taylor, Tom Watson, and Peter Thomson, who won it five times.

Tiger Woods clinched the prestigious trophy of The Open Championship thrice and successfully defended his title in 2006.

Cameron Smith is the defending champion of the tournament, who registered a one-stroke victory over Cameron Smith at St Andrew's in 2022. The 2023 edition of the major will take place at Royal Liverpool.

Here is the list of the previous winners of The Open Championship:

2022: Cameron Smith

2021: Collin Morikawa

2019: Shane Lowry

2018: Francesco Molinari

2017: Jordan Spieth

2016: Henrik Stenson

2015: Zach Johnson

2014: Rory McIlroy

2013: Phil Mickelson

2012: Ernie Els

2011: Darren Clarke