The Open 2023

The Open, formerly known as The Open Championship and British Open, is the oldest and most famous golf tournament in the world. It is now called a “major”, along with The Masters, U.S. Open and PGA Championship.

It is held every year in the third week of July at some of the most prestigious clubs in the United Kingdom, the so-called rotation courses, links-style golf courses, whose main feature is that they are located in coastal areas.

The reason for playing the first The Open was the search for the successor as “Champion of Golf” of Allan Robertson who died in 1859, considered the first “great” of golf, who dominated the sport in the mid-nineteenth century.

The first edition of The Open was held on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club, with the participation of 8 professionals who played 3 rounds in a single day, for a total of 36 holes as Prestwick Golf Club had only 12 holes.

The first winner was Willie Parker Sr., who won by a difference of 2 strokes over Tom Morris Sr. The prize was the Challenge Belt, a belt with silver detailing that he would enjoy until next year.

Tom Morris Jr. won the 1870 The Open for the third time in a row, and permanently kept the Challenge Belt. As there was no prize for the winner, the 1871 edition was not played, returning to action in 1872, with a new trophy: the legendary Claret Jug.

Prestwick Golf Club ran the tournament between 1860 and 1870; from then on, it shared the responsibility with two other clubs, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. Since 1920 it has been organised by The Royal & Ancient Golf Club.

The Open has only missed its annual event on 13 occasions, due to the lack of a trophy (1871), World War I (1915-1919), World War II (1940-1945) and most recently the Covid-19 Pandemic (2020).