Editing The Open Championship (section)

==History==
===Early tournament years (1860–1870)===
[[Image:Willie Park Senior wearing the Championship Belt.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Willie Park Sr.]], the first "Champion Golfer of the Year", wearing the [[Challenge Belt]], the winner's prize at The Open until 1870.]]
The [[1860 Open Championship|first Open Championship]] was played on 17 October 1860 at [[Prestwick Golf Club]] in [[Ayrshire]], Scotland, over three rounds of the twelve-hole [[links golf|links]] course.<ref name="PGA College">{{cite web |url=http://golfcollege.edu/open-championship-champion-golfers-years/ |title=The Open Championship: Champion Golfers Through The Years |website=Professional Golfers Career College |date=9 July 2018 |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200630113353/http://golfcollege.edu/open-championship-champion-golfers-years/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In the mid-19th century golf was played mainly by well-off gentlemen, as hand-crafted clubs and balls were expensive. Professionals made a living from playing for bets, caddying, ball and club making, and instruction. [[Allan Robertson]] was the most famous of these pros, and was regarded as the undisputed best golfer between 1843 and his death in 1859.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bradbeer |first1=Richard |last2=Morrison |first2=Ian |title=The Golf Handbook |isbn=1-86147-006-1 |publisher=Abbeydale Press |year=2000 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/golfhandbook00brad }}</ref><ref name="PGA College" /> [[James Ogilvie Fairlie]] of [[Prestwick Golf Club]] decided to form a competition in 1860, "to be played for by professional golfers",<ref>{{cite news |title=Challenge Belt |work=Fife Herald |date=11 October 1861 |access-date=21 December 2014 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000447/18601011/033/0001 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> and to decide who would succeed Robertson as the "Champion Golfer". [[Blackheath, London, England|Blackheath]] (England), [[Royal Perth Golfing Society|Perth]], [[Bruntsfield Links|Bruntsfield]] (Edinburgh), [[Musselburgh Links|Musselburgh]] and [[St Andrews Golf Club|St Andrews]] golf clubs were invited to send up to three of their best players known as a "respectable caddie" to represent each of the clubs.<ref name="Links Magazine">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.linksmagazine.com/golf_courses/prestwick-golf-club-6-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201143332/http://www.linksmagazine.com/golf_courses/prestwick-golf-club-6-12-12 |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 February 2016 |title=Preswick Golf Club |magazine=Links Magazine |access-date=6 January 2019}}</ref> The winner received the Challenge Belt, made from red leather with a silver buckle and worth £25, which came about thanks to being donated by the [[Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton|Earl of Eglinton]], a man with a keen interest in medieval pageantry (belts were the type of trophy that might have been competed for in archery or jousting).<ref name="Open - Heritage">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/TheOpen |title=1860: The Very First Open |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233520/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/TheOpen |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Links Magazine"/>

The first rule of the new golf competition was "The party winning the belt shall always leave the belt with the treasurer of the club until he produces a guarantee to the satisfaction of the above committee that the belt shall be safely kept and laid on the table at the next meeting to compete for it until it becomes the property of the winner by being won three times in succession".<ref name="Belt&Jug History">{{cite web |url=https://fairwaysofwoodside.com/claret-jug-explore-history-golf-champion-trophy-better-known-claret-jug/ |title=The Claret Jug: Explore The History of the Golf Champion Trophy, Better Known As The Claret Jug |publisher=Fairways of Woodside Golf Course |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108043504/https://fairwaysofwoodside.com/claret-jug-explore-history-golf-champion-trophy-better-known-claret-jug/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Eight golfers contested the event, with [[Willie Park, Sr.]] winning the championship by 2 shots from [[Old Tom Morris]], and he was declared "The Champion Golfer of the Year".<ref name="Open - 1860">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1860/Prestwick|title=1860: The Very First Open|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1860/Prestwick|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="PGA College"/>

A year later, it became "open" to amateurs as well as professionals. Ten professionals and eight amateurs contested the event, with Old Tom Morris winning the championship by 4 shots from Willie Park, Sr.<ref name="Open - 1861">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1861/Prestwick|title=1861|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1861/Prestwick|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="PGA College"/> A prize fund (£10) was introduced in 1863 split between 2nd, 3rd and 4th (the winner only received the Challenge Belt). From 1864 onwards a cash prize was also paid to the winner.<ref name="Open - 1863">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1863|title=1863|publisher=The Open|access-date=24 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1863|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Open - 1864">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1864|title=1864|publisher=The Open|access-date=24 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1864|url-status=dead}}</ref> Before this the only financial incentive was scheduling Prestwick's own domestic tournament the same week, this allowed professionals to earn a few days' work caddying for the wealthier gentlemen.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mocgc.co.uk/format.html|title=Format|website=MOCGC|access-date=17 January 2019|archive-date=26 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126152352/http://www.mocgc.co.uk/format.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Willie Park, Sr. went on to win two more tournaments, and Old Tom Morris three more, before [[Young Tom Morris]] won three consecutive titles between 1868 and 1870. The rules stated that he was allowed to keep the belt for achieving this feat. Because no trophy was available, the tournament was not held in 1871.<ref name="PGA College"/>

===The introduction of course rotation and the Claret Jug (1872–1889)===
On 11 September 1872 agreement was reached between Prestwick, the [[Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers]] and [[The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews|The Royal and Ancient Golf Club]]. They decided that each of the three clubs would contribute £10 towards the cost of a new silver trophy, which became known as the [[Claret Jug]], known officially as The Golf Champion Trophy, and hosting of the Open would be rotated between the three clubs. These decisions were taken too late for the trophy to be presented to the [[1872 Open Championship|1872 Open]] champion, who was once again Young Tom Morris. Instead, he was awarded with a medal inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy', although he is the first to be engraved on the Claret Jug as the 1872 winner. Medals have been given to, and kept by the winner ever since.<ref name="Belt&Jug History"/> [[Young Tom Morris]] died in 1875, aged 24.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.antiquegolfscotland.com/antiquegolf/openchamp.php3?openid=1875 |title=1875: Prestwick |website=antiquegolfscotland.com |access-date=7 January 2019 |archive-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025110319/https://www.antiquegolfscotland.com/antiquegolf/openchamp.php3?openid=1875 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The tournament continued to be dominated and won by Scottish professionals, to be rotated between the three Scottish golf courses, and played over 36 holes in a single day until 1889.<ref name="Open - 1889">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1889/Prestwick |title=1889 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1889/Prestwick |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Image:Braid-James-with-Harry-Varden-c-1907.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Harry Vardon]], the record holding six-time winner of the Open, with five-time winner [[James Braid (golfer)|James Braid]].]]

===English hosts and winners, and the Great Triumvirate (1890–1914)===
In the 1890s, the tournament was won four times by three Englishman (two of whom were amateurs).<ref name="Open Winners">{{cite web |url=https://www.thoughtco.com/british-open-winners-1561074 |title=Golfers Who Have Won the British Open |work=ThoughtCo |publisher=ThoughtCo. |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=26 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180626030842/https://www.thoughtco.com/british-open-winners-1561074 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1892 the tournament was played for the first time at the newly built [[Muirfield]], which replaced [[Musselburgh Links|Musselburgh]] as the host venue used by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.<ref name="Open - 1892">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1892/|title=1892|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1892/|url-status=dead}}</ref> A few years later [[St George's Golf Club|St George's]]<ref name="Open - 1894">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1894/|title=1894|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1894/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Royal Liverpool Golf Club|Royal Liverpool]]<ref name="Open - 1897">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1897/|title=1897|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1897/|url-status=dead}}</ref> in England were added to the rotation. From 1892 the tournament was increased in duration to four 18-hole rounds over two days<ref name="Open - 1892"/> (Prestwick had been extended to an 18-hole course by then<ref name="Open - 1884">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1884/Prestwick|title=1884|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1884/Prestwick|url-status=dead}}</ref>).

Between 1898 and 1925 the tournament either had a cut after 36 holes, or a qualifying event,<ref name="Practice Ruling2">{{cite news|title=British Golf Ruling on Tourney Practice Will Help Americans|date=16 March 1926|newspaper=The Evening Review|location=East Liverpool, Ohio|page=10}}</ref> and the largest field was 226 in 1911.<ref name="Open - 1911">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1911/|title=1911|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1911/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The large field meant sometimes the tournament was spread across up to four days.<ref name="irshlds">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ls1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=6571%2C6860543|title=Golf Championship – First day's play – An Irishman leads|date=27 June 1911|newspaper=Glasgow Herald|pages=9, 10|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412033309/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ls1AAAAAIBAJ&pg=6571,6860543|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1907 [[Arnaud Massy]] from [[France]] became the first non-British winner.<ref name="Open - 1907">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1907/|title=1907|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1907/|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Royal Cinque Ports]] in England became the 6th different Open host course in 1909.<ref name="Open - 1909">{{cite web|url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1909/|title=1909|publisher=The Open|access-date=6 January 2019|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1909/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The pre-war period is most famous for the [[Great Triumvirate (golf)|Great Triumvirate]] of [[Harry Vardon]] (Jersey), [[John Henry Taylor]] (England), and [[James Braid (golfer)|James Braid]] (Scotland). The trio combined to win The Open Championship 16 times in the 21 tournaments held between 1894 and 1914; Vardon won six times (a record that still stands today) with Braid and Taylor winning five apiece. In the five tournaments in this span the Triumvirate did not win, one or more of them finished runner-up. These rivalries enormously increased the public's interest in golf, but the [[First World War]] meant another Open was not held until 1920, and none of the trio won another Open.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/the_open_2003/history/2986433.stm |title=The Great Triumvirate and inter-war years |work=[[BBC Sport]] |date=4 July 2004 |access-date=2009-08-02 |archive-date=13 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313101244/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/the_open_2003/history/2986433.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

===American success with Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones, and the last Open at Prestwick (1920–1939)===
[[Image:Walter Hagen 1922 Open Championship.png|thumb|left|[[Walter Hagen]] playing at the [[1922 Open Championship]] at [[Royal St George's|St George's]], where he became the first American-born winner.]]
In 1920 the Open returned, and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club became the sole organiser of the Open Championship. In 1926 they standardised the format of the tournament to spread over three days (18 holes on day 1 and 2, and 36 on day 3), and include both qualifying and a cut.<ref name="Practice Ruling2"/>

In 1921 eleven U.S.-based players travelled to Scotland financed by a popular subscription called the "British Open Championship Fund", after a campaign by the American magazine ''Golf Illustrated''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll2/id/5391/rec/2 |magazine=Golf Illustrated |date=March 1921 |page=32 |title=Month at a Glance |access-date=6 August 2013 |archive-date=5 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190105145443/https://digital.la84.org/digital/collection/p17103coll2/id/5391/rec/2 |url-status=live }}</ref> Five of these players were British born, and had emigrated to America to take advantage of the high demand for club professionals as the popularity of golf grew.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-history-of-how-scotland-brought-golf-to-america-1-4049651 |newspaper=The Scotsman |date=7 March 2016 |title=The history of how Scotland brought golf to America |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108045744/https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-history-of-how-scotland-brought-golf-to-america-1-4049651 |url-status=live }}</ref> A match was played between the Americans and a team of British professionals, which is seen as a forerunner of the [[Ryder Cup]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/rydercup/11110766/How-the-Ryder-Cup-was-born-at-Gleneagles.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/rydercup/11110766/How-the-Ryder-Cup-was-born-at-Gleneagles.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=20 September 2014 |title=How the Ryder Cup was born at Gleneagles |access-date=6 January 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref> When the Open was held two weeks later, one of these visitors, [[Jock Hutchison]], a naturalised American citizen, won in [[St Andrews]], the town of his birth.<ref name="Open - 1921">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1921/ |title=1921 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1921/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1922 [[Walter Hagen]] won the first of his four Opens, and become the first American-born winner. The period between 1923 and 1933 saw an American-based player win every year (two were British-born), and included three wins by amateur [[Bobby Jones (golfer)|Bobby Jones]], and one by [[Gene Sarazen]], who had already won top tournaments in the United States. English players won every year between 1934 and 1939, including two wins by [[Henry Cotton (golfer)|Henry Cotton]] (he would go on to win a third in 1948).<ref name="PGA College"/>

After overcrowding issues at the 1925 Open at Prestwick, it was decided it was no longer suitable for the growing size of the event, being too short, having too many blind shots, and it could not cope with the volume of spectators.<ref name="Open - 1925">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1925/ |title=1925 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1925/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Open's original venue was replaced on the rota with [[Carnoustie Golf Club|Carnoustie]],<ref name="Open - 1931">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1931/ |title=1931 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1931/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> which hosted for the first time in 1931. [[Royal Troon Golf Club|Troon]] hosted for the first time in 1923,<ref name="Open - 1923">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1923/ |title=1923 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1923/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club|Royal Lytham & St Annes]] was also added, hosting for the first time in 1926.<ref name="Open - 1926">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1926/ |title=1926 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1926/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Prince's Golf Club|Prince's]] hosted its one and only Open in 1932.<ref name="Open - 1932">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1932/ |title=1932 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1932/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Image:Ben Hogan NYWTS.jpg|thumb|[[Ben Hogan]] gets a ticker-tape parade on his return to [[New York City]], after winning the [[1953 Open Championship]].]]

===Bobby Locke, Peter Thomson, and Ben Hogan's Triple Crown (1946–1958)===
The Open returned after the [[Second World War]] to St Andrews, with a victory for American [[Sam Snead]]. [[Bobby Locke]] became the first South African winner, winning three times in four years between 1949 and 1952, and later winning a fourth title in 1957. Having already won the [[Masters Tournament|Masters]] and the [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]] earlier in the year, Ben Hogan won in his one and only Open appearance in 1953 to win the "Triple Crown".<ref name="PGA College"/> His achievement was so well regarded he returned to [[New York City]] to a ticker-tape parade.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-hogan-mystique-reimagined |magazine=Golf Digest |date=12 July 2018 |title=The Hogan Mystique, reimagined |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107234945/https://www.golfdigest.com/story/the-hogan-mystique-reimagined |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Peter Thomson (golfer)|Peter Thomson]] became the first Australian winner, winning four times in five years between 1954 and 1958, and later winning a fifth title in 1965.<ref name="PGA College"/> After flooding prevented [[Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club|Royal Cinque Ports]] from hosting, both in 1938 and 1949, it was removed from the rota.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.royalcinqueports.com/open_rota |publisher=Royal Cinque Ports |title=Open Rota |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=2 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502165650/https://www.royalcinqueports.com/open_rota |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Open was played outside of England and Scotland for the first time in 1951 at [[Royal Portrush Golf Club|Royal Portrush]], [[Northern Ireland]].<ref name="Open - 1951">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1951/ |title=1951 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1951/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The period saw fewer American entrants, as the [[PGA Tour]] had grown to be quite lucrative, and the [[PGA Championship]] was often played at the same or similar time paying triple the prize money.<ref name=ghcpmrsd>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zuo-AAAAIBAJ&pg=5254%2C4739915 |newspaper=Glasgow Herald |location=Scotland |title=Centenary Open Championship: prize money increased |date=4 December 1959 |page=12 |access-date=27 September 2020 |archive-date=12 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412033309/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zuo-AAAAIBAJ&pg=5254,4739915 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="PGA Champ">{{cite web |url=https://www.pga.org/sites/default/files/assets/library/Media/mg-pga-champ.pdf/ |title=PGA Stats |publisher=PGA of America |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=8 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108050515/https://www.pga.org/sites/default/files/assets/library/Media/mg-pga-champ.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> A larger golf ball was also used in America, which meant they had to adjust for the Open.<ref name="Open - 1953">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1953/ |title=1953 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1953/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Player, Palmer, Nicklaus – The Big Three (1959–1974)===
In 1959, [[Gary Player]], a young [[South Africa]]n, won the first of his three Opens. Only four Americans had entered, but in 1960 [[Arnold Palmer]] travelled to Scotland after winning the [[Masters Tournament|Masters]] and [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]], in an attempt to emulate [[Ben Hogan|Hogan's]] 1953 feat of winning all three tournaments in a single year. Although he finished second to [[Kel Nagle]], he returned and won the Open in 1961 and 1962. Palmer was hugely popular in America, and his victories are likely to have been the first time many Americans would have seen the Open on television. This, along with the growth of trans-Atlantic jet travel, inspired many more Americans to travel in the future.<ref name="PGA College"/>

The period is primarily defined by the competition between Player, Palmer, and [[Jack Nicklaus]]. Nicklaus won three times (1966, 1970, 1978) and had a record seven runner-ups. American [[Lee Trevino]] also made his mark winning his two Opens back to back in 1971 and 1972, the latter denying Nicklaus a calendar year Grand Slam.<ref name="PGA College"/> The only British champion in this period was [[Tony Jacklin]],<ref name="Open - 1969">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1969/ |title=1969 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1969/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and it is also notable for having the first winner from [[Argentina]], [[Roberto De Vicenzo]].<ref name="Open - 1967">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1967/ |title=1967 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1967/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Watson, Ballesteros, Faldo, and Norman (1975–1993)===
By 1975, the concept of the modern majors had been firmly established, and the [[PGA Championship]] had been moved to August since 1969,<ref name="PGA Champ"/> so no longer clashed with the Open. This meant the Open had a feel similar to the current tournament, with the leaders after 36 holes going off last (1957 onwards),<ref>{{cite news|title=Draw for the Open Golf Championship|date=13 June 1957|newspaper=The Times|page=3}}</ref> all players having to use the "bigger ball" (1974 onwards),<ref>{{cite news|title=R&A made bigger ball compulsory|date=22 January 1974|newspaper=The Times|page=10}}</ref><ref name="asbcio">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5VAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5029%2C3353853|title=American-size ball compulsory in Open|last=Jacobs|first=Raymond|date=22 January 1974|work=Glasgow Herald|page=4|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412033309/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=E5VAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5029,3353853|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="mcobd">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FJVAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4995%2C3676638|title=Manufacturers criticize Open ball decision|date=23 January 1974|work=Glasgow Herald|page=4|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=12 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412033309/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FJVAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4995,3676638|url-status=live}}</ref> play spread over four days (1966 onwards, although the days were Wednesday to Saturday until 1980),<ref name="Open - 1966">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1966/ |title=1966 |publisher=The Open |access-date=24 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1966/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Open - 1980">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1980/ |title=1980 |publisher=The Open |access-date=24 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1980/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and a field containing all the world's best players.

American [[Tom Watson (golfer)|Tom Watson]] won in 1975. [[Turnberry (golf course)|Turnberry]] hosted for the first time in 1977, and Watson won the Open for the second time, after one of the most celebrated contests in golf history, when his duel with [[Jack Nicklaus]] went to the final shot before Watson emerged as the champion. He would go on to win again in 1980, 1982 and 1983, to win 5 times overall,<ref name="PGA College"/> a record only bettered by [[Harry Vardon]], and he became regarded as one of the greatest links golf players of all time.<ref name="Watson">{{cite web |url=https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tom-watson-jack-nicklaus-tiger-woods-could-claim-title-best-american-links-player |title=Tom Watson may be the best U.S.-born links player, but don't discount Jack and Tiger |website=Golf.com |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107234953/https://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tom-watson-jack-nicklaus-tiger-woods-could-claim-title-best-american-links-player |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 1976, 19-year-old [[Spaniard]] [[Seve Ballesteros]] gained attention in the golfing world when he finished second.<ref name="Open - 1976">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1976/ |title=1976 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1976/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He would go on to win three Opens (1979, 1984, 1988), and was the first [[continental European]] to win since [[Arnaud Massy]] in 1907. Other multiple winners in this period were Englishman [[Nick Faldo]] with three (1987, 1990, 1992), and Australian [[Greg Norman]] with two (1986, 1993).<ref name="PGA College"/>

===Tiger Woods and the modern era (1994 onwards)===
[[File:Tiger out of reach - geograph.org.uk - 363460.jpg|thumb|left|[[Tiger Woods]] won the Open twice at St Andrews.]]
Every year between 1994 and 2004 had a first-time winner.<ref name="European Tour Open">{{cite web |url=http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2019/tournamentid=2019062/history/index.html |title=Tournament History |publisher=European Tour |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630135325/https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/schedule/2019/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1999, the Open at Carnoustie was famously difficult, and Frenchman [[Jean van de Velde (golfer)|Jean van de Velde]] had a three-shot lead teeing off on the final hole. He ended up triple bogeying after finding the [[Barry Burn]], and Scotman [[Paul Lawrie]], ranked 241st in the world, ended up winning in a playoff. He was 10 strokes behind the leader going into the final round, a record for all majors.<ref name="Open - 1999">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1999/ |title=1999 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/1999/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was not the only unheralded champion during this span, as 396th-ranked [[Ben Curtis (golfer)|Ben Curtis]]<ref name="Open - 2003">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2003/ |title=2003 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2003/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> and 56th-ranked [[Todd Hamilton]]<ref name="Open - 2004">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2004/ |title=2004 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2004/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> won in 2003 and 2004, respectively.

In 2000, [[Tiger Woods]], having just won the U.S. Open, became champion by a post-war record 8 strokes<ref name="Open - 2000">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2000/ |title=2000 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2000/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> to become the youngest player to win the [[Grand Slam (golf)#Career Grand Slam|career Grand Slam]] at age 24.<ref name="PGA College"/> After winning the 2002 Masters and U.S. Open, he became the latest American to try to emulate [[Ben Hogan]] and win the Open in the same year. His bid came to a halt on Saturday with the worst round of his career up to that time, an 81 (+10) in cold, gusty rain.<ref name="Open - 2002">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2002/ |title=2002 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2002/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He went on to win again back-to-back in 2005 and 2006 to bring his total to three wins. Other multiple winners in this era are South African [[Ernie Els]] (2002, 2012) and Irishman [[Pádraig Harrington]] (2007, 2008).<ref name="PGA College"/><ref name="European Tour Open"/>

[[File:Blackpool Transport bus 370 (F370 AFR), 15 July 2012.jpg|thumb|Bus service taking attendees to the 2012 Open at Royal Lytham in Lancashire.]]
In 2009, 59-year-old [[Tom Watson (golfer)|Tom Watson]] led the tournament through 71 holes and needed just a par on the last hole to become the oldest ever winner of a major championship, and also match [[Harry Vardon]]'s six Opens. Watson bogeyed, setting up a four-hole playoff, which he lost to [[Stewart Cink]].<ref name="Open - 2009">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2009/ |title=2009 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2009/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2015, [[Jordan Spieth]] became another American to arrive having already won the year's Masters and U.S. Open tournaments. He finished tied for fourth as [[Zach Johnson]] became champion.<ref name="Open - 2015">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2015/ |title=2015 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2015/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Spieth would go on to win the 2017 Open at [[Royal Birkdale]].<ref name="European Tour Open"/>

American [[Phil Mickelson]] won his first Open, and fifth major, in 2013.<ref name="European Tour Open"/> In 2016, he was involved in an epic duel with Sweden's [[Henrik Stenson]], which many people compared to the 1977 [[1977 Open Championship|Duel in the Sun]] between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Stenson emerged the winner, and the first [[Scandinavia]]n winner of a male professional major championship, with a record Open (and major) score of 264 (−20), three shots ahead of Mickelson, and 14 shots ahead of third place. [[Jack Nicklaus]] shared his thoughts on the final round, saying: "Phil Mickelson played one of the best rounds I have ever seen played in the Open and Henrik Stenson just played better—he played one of the greatest rounds I have ever seen".<ref name="Open - 2016">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2016/ |title=2016 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2016/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Jack">{{cite news |url=https://www.golfchannel.com/article/golf-central-blog/jack-henrik-v-phil-better-duel-suntitle=2016 |title=Jack: Henrik v. Phil better than Duel in the Sun |work=Golf Channel |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630135315/https://www.nbcsports.com/golf |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Francesco Molinari]] won the 2018 Open at [[Carnoustie Golf Club|Carnoustie]] by two shots, to become the first Italian major winner.<ref name="Open - 2018">{{cite web |url=https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2018/ |title=2018 |publisher=The Open |access-date=6 January 2019 |archive-date=7 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107233514/https://scores.theopen.com/Heritage/PreviousOpens#!/2018/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Shane Lowry]] won the [[2019 Open Championship|2019 Open]] when the tournament returned to [[Royal Portrush Golf Club]], to become the second champion from the [[Republic of Ireland]].<ref name=espscbd>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/leaderboard/_/tournamentId/401056547 |work=ESPN |title=The Open Championship: Leaderboard |date=18 July 2019 |access-date=27 July 2019 |archive-date=30 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630135315/https://www.espn.com/golf/leaderboard/_/tournamentId/401056547 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2020, the Open Championship was cancelled because of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. It was the first time the championship had been cancelled since World War II. The R&A also confirmed that [[Royal St George's]], which would have hosted the championship in 2020, would be the host venue in 2021, effectively retaining the [[Old Course at St Andrews]] as the venue for the 150th Open.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/52135613|title=The Open cancelled – R&A announces St George's in Kent to host 149th Championship in 2021|date=2020-04-06|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2020-04-06|language=en-gb|archive-date=5 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105051918/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/52135613|url-status=live}}</ref>