The Open Championship 2018: Complete list of previous winners

Ahead of the 2018 edition of The Open Championship at Carnoustie, here is a complete list of previous winners of the oldest major championship in golf.

First played in 1860, The Open Championship holds the distinction of the oldest major championship in golf and is certainly one of the most prestigious titles a golfer can hold. After more than a century and a half, only 84 men in the history of the game can call themselves a winner of The Open. Seeing as how there have been 146 playings of this storied event, that obviously means that a number of men have won this tournament more than once. Actually, 27 can make that claim.

Harry Vardon, who won this tournament in two different centuries, holds the most wins at The Open with six. James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Peter Thomson and Tom Watson, who just last month was named the first-ever Global Ambassador for The Open, are right behind him with five titles. A group of five, including both Tom Morris Sr. and Jr., have four Open Championship victories and a group of nine that includes Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Bobby Jones have claimed three titles each. Two-time winners, of which there have been eight, include Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and Ernie Els. Tom Morris Jr., the youngest player to win The Open at just 17 years of age, holds the most consecutive victories with four from 1868-1872. The tournament was not played in 1871.

The 2018 edition of The Open will be held at Carnoustie, which will host the tournament for the eighth time and the first time in 11 years. First played at the Scottish track in 1931, Tommy Armour won with a score of 12-over, something that’s not likely to happen this week. The other winners at Carnoustie were Henry Cotton (1937), Ben Hogan (1953), Gary Player (1968), Tom Watson (1975), Paul Lawrie (1999) and Padraig Harrington (2007), so it’s safe to say that this week’s winner will be joining some nice company.

Here’s the complete list of winners of The Open Championship. (*=won in a playoff, (a)=amateur)

1860: Willie Park Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 174

1861: Tom Morris Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 163

1862: Tom Morris Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 163

1863: Willie Park Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 168

1864: Tom Morris Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 167

1865: Andrew Strath — Prestwick Golf Club — 162

1866: Willie Park Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 169

1867: Tom Morris Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 170

1868: Tom Morris Jr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 154

1869: Tom Morris Jr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 157

1870: Tom Morris Jr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 149

The Open Championship was not played in 1871. 

1872: Tom Morris Jr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 166

1873: Tom Kidd — St. Andrews — 179

1874: Mungo Park — Musselburgh Links — 159

1875: Willie Park Sr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 166

1876: Bob Martin* — St. Andrews – 176

1877: Jamie Anderson — Musselburgh Links — 160

1878: Jamie Anderson — Prestwick Golf Club — 157

1879: Jamie Anderson — St. Andrews — 169

1880: Bob Ferguson — Musselburgh Links — 162

1881: Bob Ferguson — Prestwick Golf Club — 170

1882: Bob Ferguson — St. Andrews — 171

1883: Willie Fernie* — Musselburgh Links — 159

1884: Jack Simpson — Prestwick Golf Club — 160

1885: Bob Martin — St. Andrews — 171

1886: David Brown — Musselburgh Links — 157

1887: Willie Park Jr. — Prestwick Golf Club — 161

1888: Jack Burns — St. Andrews — 171

1889: Willie Park Jr.* — Musselburgh Links — 155

1890: John Ball (a) — Prestwick Golf Club — 162

1891: Hugh Kirkaldy — St. Andrews — 166

1892: Harold Hilton (a) — Muirfield — 305

1893: William Auchterlonie — Prestwick Golf Club — 322

1894: John Henry Taylor — Royal St. George’s — 326

1895: John Henry Taylor — St. Andrews — 332

1896: Harry Vardon* — Muirfield — 316

1897: Harold Hilton (a) — Royal Liverpool — 314

1898: Harry Vardon — Prestwick Golf Club — 307

1899: Harry Vardon — Royal St. George’s — 310

1900: John Henry Taylor — St. Andrews — 309

1901: James Braid — Muirfield — 309

1902: Sandy Herd — Royal Liverpool — 307

1903: Harry Vardon — Prestwick Golf Club – 300

1904: Jack White — Royal St. George’s — 296

1905: James Braid — St. Andrews — 318

1906: James Braid — Muirfield — 300

1907: Arnaud Massy — Royal Liverpool — 312

1908: James Braid — Prestwick Golf Club — 291

1909: John Henry Taylor — Royal Cinque Ports — 291

1910: James Braid — St. Andrews — 291

1911: Harry Vardon* — Royal St. George’s — 303

1912: Ted Ray — Muirfield — 295

1913: John Henry Taylor — Royal Liverpool — 304

1914: Harry Vardon — Prestwick Golf Club — 306

The Open Championship was not played from 1915-1919 due to World War I. 

Related Story: Complete list of winners of the U.S. Open

1920: George Duncan — Royal Cinque Ports — 303 (+15)

1921: Jock Hutchison* — St. Andrews — 296 (+8)

1922: Walter Hagen — Royal St. George’s — 300 (+20)

1923: Arthur Havers — Royal Troon — 295 (+7)

1924: Walter Hagen — Royal Liverpool — 301 (+13)

1925: Jim Barnes — Prestwick Golf Club — 300 (+16)

1926: Bobby Jones (a) — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 291 (+7)

1927: Bobby Jones (a) — St. Andrews — 285 (-3)

1928: Walter Hagen — Royal St. George’s — 292 (+12)

1929: Walter Hagen — Muirfield — 292 (+8)

1930: Bobby Jones (a)– Royal Liverpool — 291 (+3)

1931: Tommy Armour — Carnoustie — 296 (+12)

1932: Gene Sarazen — Prince’s Golf Club — 283 (-5)

1933: Denny Shute* — St. Andrews — 292 (+4)

1934: Henry Cotton — Royal St. George’s — 283 (+3)

1935: Alf Perry — Muirfield — 283 (-5)

1936: Alf Padgham — Royal Liverpool — 287 (-9)

1937: Henry Cotton — Carnoustie — 290 (+6)

1938: Reg Whitcombe — Royal St. George’s — 295 (+15)

1939: Dick Burton — St. Andrews — 290 (-2)

The Open Championship was not played from 1940-1945 due to World War II. 

Next: Best golfer from every state

1946: Sam Snead — St. Andrews — 290 (+2)

1947: Fred Daly — Royal Liverpool — 293 (+5)

1948: Henry Cotton — Muirfield — 284 (E)

1949: Bobby Locke* — Royal St. George’s — 283 (-5)

1950: Bobby Locke — Royal Troon — 279 (-9)

1951: Max Faulkner — Royal Portrush — 285 (-3)

1952: Bobby Locke — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 287 (-1)

1953: Ben Hogan — Carnoustie — 282 (-6)

1954: Peter Thomson — Royal Birkdale — 283 (-3)

1955: Peter Thomson — St. Andrews — 281 (-7)

1956: Peter Thomson — Royal Liverpool — 286 (-2)

1957: Bobby Locke — St. Andrews — 279 (-9)

1958: Peter Thomson* — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 274 (-10)

1959: Gary Player — Muirfield — 284 (E)

1960: Kel Nagle — St. Andrews — 278 (-10)

1961: Arnold Palmer — Royal Birkdale — 284 (-4)

1962: Arnold Palmer — Royal Troon — 276 (-12)

1963: Bob Charles* — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 277 (-7)

1964: Tony Lema — St. Andrews — 279 (-9)

1965: Peter Thomson — Royal Birkdale — 285 (-7)

1966: Jack Nicklaus — Muirfield — 282 (-2)

1967: Roberto De Vicenzo — Royal Liverpool – 278 (-10)

1968: Gary Player — Carnoustie — 289 (+1)

1969: Tony Jacklin — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 280 (-4)

1970: Jack Nicklaus* — St. Andrews — 283 (-5)

1971: Lee Trevino — Royal Birkdale — 278 (-14)

1972: Lee Trevino — Muirfield — 278 (-6)

1973: Tom Weiskopf — Royal Troon — 276 (-12)

1974: Gary Player — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 282 (-2)

1975: Tom Watson* — Carnoustie — 279 (-9)

1976: Johnny Miller — Royal Birkdale — 279 (-9)

1977: Tom Watson — Turnberry — 268 (-12)

1978: Jack Nicklaus — St. Andrews — 281 (-7)

1979: Seve Ballesteros — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 283 (-1)

1980: Tom Watson — Muirfield — 271 (-13)

1981: Bill Rogers — Royal St. George’s — 276 (-4)

1982: Tom Watson — Royal Troon — 284 (-4)

1983: Tom Watson — Royal Birkdale — 275 (-9)

1984: Seve Ballesteros — St. Andrews — 276 (-12)

1985: Sandy Lyle — Royal St. George’s — 282 (+2)

1986: Greg Norman — Turnberry — 280 (E)

1987: Nick Faldo — Muirfield — 279 (-5)

1988: Seve Ballesteros — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 273 (-11)

1989: Mark Calcavecchia* — Royal Troon — 275 (-13)

1990: Nick Faldo — St. Andrews — 270 (-18)

1991: Ian Baker-Finch — Royal Birkdale — 272 (-8)

1992: Nick Faldo — Muirfield — 272 (-12)

1993: Greg Norman — Royal St. George’s — 267 (-13)

1994: Nick Price — Turnberry — 268 (-12)

1995: John Daly* — St. Andrews — 282 (-6)

1996: Tom Lehman — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 271 (-13)

1997: Justin Leonard — Royal Troon — 272 (-12)

1998: Mark O’Meara* — Royal Birkdale — 280 (E)

1999: Paul Lawrie* — Carnoustie — 290 (+6)

2000: Tiger Woods — St. Andrews — 269 (-19)

2001: David Duval — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 274 (-10)

2002: Ernie Els* — Muirfield — 278 (-6)

2003: Ben Curtis — Royal St. George’s — 283 (-1)

2004: Todd Hamilton* — Royal Troon — 274 (-10)

2005: Tiger Woods — St. Andrews — 274 (-14)

2006: Tiger Woods — Royal Liverpool — 270 (-18)

2007: Padraig Harrington* — Carnoustie — 277 (-7)

2008: Padraig Harrington — Royal Birkdale — 283 (+3)

2009: Stewart Cink* — Turnberry — 278 (-2)

2010: Louis Oosthuizen — St. Andrews — 272 (-16)

2011: Darren Clarke — Royal St. George’s — 275 (-5)

2012: Ernie Els — Royal Lytham & St. Annes — 273 (-7)

2013: Phil Mickelson — Muirfield — 281 (-3)

2014: Rory McIlroy — Royal Liverpool — 271 (-17)

2015: Zach Johnson* — St. Andrews — 273 (-15)

2016: Henrik Stenson — Royal Troon — 264 (-20)

2017: Jordan Spieth — Royal Birkdale — 268 (-12)

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