Editing The Open Championship (section)

===Champion's prizes and benefits===
[[File:Henry Cotton 1937.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Henry Cotton (golfer)|Henry Cotton]] holding the [[Claret Jug]] after winning the [[1937 Open Championship|1937 Open]]]]
[[File:Young Tom Morris.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Young Tom Morris]] ({{circa|1873}}) got to keep the original trophy, the [[Challenge Belt|championship belt]], after winning three consecutive Opens (1868 to 1870).]]
The champion receives trophies, the winner's prize money, and several exemptions from world [[Professional golf tours|golf tours]] and tournaments. He is also likely to receive a winner's bonus from his sponsors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/baby-youre-a-rich-man-what-win|title=Baby, You're a Rich Man: What Winning Another Major Means for Rory's Finances|date=22 July 2014|work=Golf Digest|access-date=14 January 2019}}</ref> The prizes and privileges on offer for the champion included:

* [[Claret Jug|The Golf Champion Trophy]] (commonly known as the Claret Jug). The winner keeps the trophy until the next Open, at which point it must be returned, and a replica is provided as a replacement.<ref name="Open Goodies">{{Cite news|url=https://www.golf.com/tour-news/2017/07/23/more-claret-jug-all-goodies-open-championship-winner-will-take-home|title=Here are all the goodies the winner of the Open Championship will take home|date=23 July 2017|work=GOLF.com|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-date=30 June 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630135829/https://golf.com/news/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="claretjug">{{cite web|url=http://www.theopen.com/Heritage/ClaretJug|title=Claret Jug|work=theopen.com|access-date=16 June 2016|archive-date=8 June 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160608070146/http://www.theopen.com/Heritage/ClaretJug|url-status=live}}</ref>
* The winner's gold medal (originally awarded in 1872 when the Claret Jug was not yet ready, and since awarded to all champions).<ref name="Open Goodies" /><ref name="claretjug"/>
* If the winner is a professional, then the winner's share (18%) of the purse.<ref name="Prize Distribution">{{Cite news|url=https://thegolfnewsnet.com/golfnewsnetteam/2018/07/19/british-open-championship-purse-payout-percentages-distribution-110238/|title=British Open Championship purse payout percentages and distribution|date=19 July 2018|work=Golf News Net|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-date=16 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116045841/https://thegolfnewsnet.com/golfnewsnetteam/2018/07/19/british-open-championship-purse-payout-percentages-distribution-110238/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Guaranteed entry to all future Open Championships until the age of 55 (60 prior to 2024), and entry to the next ten Opens, even if over the age of 55.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theopen.com/Players/Exemptions|title=Exemptions|date=14 January 2019|website=The Open|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-date=20 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720195127/https://www.theopen.com/Players/Exemptions|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Entry to the next five editions of the [[Masters Tournament]], [[PGA Championship]], and [[U.S. Open (golf)|U.S. Open]].<ref name="Open Goodies" />
* Five year membership to the [[PGA Tour]] and the [[European Tour]].<ref name="Open Goodies" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/players/examptioncat/index.html|title=European Tour Order|date=14 January 2019|website=European Tour|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-date=16 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116050019/http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/players/examptioncat/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Entry to the next edition of the [[WGC-HSBC Champions]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hsbcgolf.com/qualifying-criteria |title=Qualifying Criteria |date=14 January 2019 |website=WGC-HSBC Champions |access-date=14 January 2019 |archive-date=16 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116045818/https://www.hsbcgolf.com/qualifying-criteria |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Entry to the next five editions of [[The Players Championship]], and the five invitational tournaments ([[Genesis Invitational]], [[Fort Worth Invitational]], the [[Arnold Palmer Invitational]], the [[RBC Heritage]], and the [[Memorial Tournament]]) on the PGA Tour.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://playersupport.pgatourhq.com/Tour/PLP/playersupportinforegistration.nsf/xsp/.ibmmodres/domino/OpenAttachment/Tour/PLP/playersupportinforegistration.nsf/C727DB7A7733806285257CC50066F582/pgAttachments/2015-16%20PGA%20TOUR%20Handbook%20&%20Regulations%20-%20Final.pdf|title=2015–16 PGA Tour Player Handbook & Tournament Regulations|date=5 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412192428/https://playersupport.pgatourhq.com/Tour/PLP/playersupportinforegistration.nsf/xsp/.ibmmodres/domino/OpenAttachment/Tour/PLP/playersupportinforegistration.nsf/C727DB7A7733806285257CC50066F582/pgAttachments/2015-16%20PGA%20TOUR%20Handbook%20%26%20Regulations%20-%20Final.pdf|archive-date=12 April 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*Automatic invitations to three of the five [[Senior major golf championships|senior majors]] once they turn 50; they receive a one-year invitation to the [[U.S. Senior Open]] and a lifetime invitation to the [[Senior PGA Championship]] and [[Senior Open Championship]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://champs.usga.org/EntryForms/senioropen_2014.pdf|title=2014 U.S. Senior Open Entry Form|publisher=USGA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808180437/https://champs.usga.org/EntryForms/senioropen_2014.pdf|archive-date=8 August 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pga.org/sites/default/files/assets/library/Media/mg-sr-pga.pdf|title=79th Kitchenaid Senior PGA Championship|website=PGA|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160821131134/https://www.pga.org/sites/default/files/assets/library/Media/mg-sr-pga.pdf|archive-date=21 August 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europeantour.com/mm/Document/Static/Static/34/17/63/2018SOCEntryFormFinal_English.pdf|title=Senior Open Entry Form|date=14 January 2019|website=European Tour|access-date=14 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190116045852/http://www.europeantour.com/mm/Document/Static/Static/34/17/63/2018SOCEntryFormFinal_English.pdf|archive-date=16 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[FedEx Cup]], [[Race to dubai|Race to Dubai]], [[Ryder Cup]]/[[Presidents Cup]], and [[Official World Golf Ranking]] points.<ref name="Open Goodies" />

From 1860 to 1870, the winner received the challenge belt. When this was awarded to [[Young Tom Morris]] permanently for winning three consecutive tournaments, it was replaced by the gold medal (1872 onwards), and the Claret Jug (1873 onwards).<ref name="claretjug" />