The Open and Mercedes-Benz

For more than 140 years The Open and Mercedes-Benz have shared a commitment to innovation, tradition and setting new standards in their respective areas.

One is golf’s original championship, the world-renowned stage for some of the most iconic moments the sport has ever seen.

The other is one of the planet’s most recognisable automotive manufacturers, built on engineering ambition and with a long history of progress.

Mercedes-Benz has been an official Patron of The Open since 2011, and the evolution of these two iconic brands has long revealed a common desire to push boundaries and explore the art of the possible.

Foundations: 1860

The first Open was staged in 1860, with Willie Park Snr winning at Prestwick on the Ayrshire coast.

The idea for the Championship came from the Earl of Eglinton and Colonel James Fairlie, members of the Prestwick club, who were on a quest to unearth the new Champion Golfer following the death of St Andrews clubmaker Allan Robertson who, without question, had been the greatest player of his time.

In that same year, Carl Friedrich Benz began studying mechanical engineering in Karlsruhe, Germany. Remarkably, he was only 15 years old when he passed the entrance exam, beginning an education that would underpin one of the most significant engineering stories in modern history. Both beginnings were modest in scale, but the foundations for something truly special had now been set.

Defining identities: 1926

In 1926 Bobby Jones won the first of his three Open titles and achieved the legendary feat of winning both The Open and the US Open in the same year.

The triumph sealed Jones’s legacy as one of the defining figures in the game's history, with his exploits in the 1920s and 1930s woven into the fabric of The Open’s story and still talked about to this day.

For Mercedes-Benz, 1926 was equally significant. The merger of Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft officially created the unified Mercedes-Benz brand.

New icons: 1954

In 1954 The Open was played at Royal Birkdale for the first time, a venue which has become synonymous with the championship, producing some of the greatest Champions and an array of magic moments.

The same year, Mercedes-Benz unveiled the 300 SL Gullwing. Voted "Sports Car of the Century" in 1999, it remains one of the most revered sports cars in automotive history. Interestingly, its world-famous roof-hinged doors were born out of technical necessity: the car's innovative, lightweight tubular space frame was so high at the sides that conventional doors were difficult to realize.

Both milestones represented bold additions that would stand the test of time.

A new era: 1972

The Championship entered its second century with The 101st Open at Muirfield in 1972. Here Lee Trevino defended his title to claim back-to-back victories, following on from his triumph at Royal Birkdale a year earlier.

Mercedes-Benz was entering a new chapter of its own. The brand introduced the W 116, a luxury sedan and the first model to carry the S-Class name. This was the moment the modern S-Class dynasty began, marking the start of a new era.

Safety first: 1987

In 1987, Nick Faldo won The 116th Open, also at Muirfield, with a final round of 18 consecutive pars. It was a masterclass in patience, discipline and choosing the right moment to value safety above risk when it mattered most.

Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz was also putting safety first when the front passenger airbag made its debut. Building on the driver's airbag which the brand had already pioneered in 1981, this was another major step in Mercedes-Benz's long leadership in active and passive automotive safety.

Commitment rewarded: 2011

The story of Darren Clarke's victory at The 140th Open at Royal St George’s in 2011 was one of perseverance. Clarke finally lifted the Claret Jug on his 19th attempt.

That same year, Mercedes-Benz became Official Patron of The Open, beginning a relationship grounded in shared values of excellence, heritage and innovation, a natural alignment between two international brands synonymous with performance under pressure.

Tradition and transformation: 2019

The Open returned to Royal Portrush in 2019 for the first time in 68 years, honouring its history while opening a new chapter and reconnecting with a special venue.

On this homecoming Shane Lowry was triumphant to the delight of the buoyant Irish crowds.

That same year, Mercedes-Benz introduced the EQC, its first fully electric EQ model. A significant milestone as the manufacturer pivots towards an electric future.

Looking ahead: 2026

The 154th Open will be staged at Royal Birkdale from 12-19 July 2026, with a new chapter at one of the Championship’s most revered venues set to be written.

For Mercedes-Benz, the 2026 S-Class represents the next chapter in 140 Years of Innovation that has always balanced luxury with technological progress. With intelligence that anticipates the driver’s needs, it redefines arrival. Embodying this forward-looking spirit, the new S-Class will take centre stage this year, bringing home golf's most coveted prize during the traditional Return of the Claret Jug.

These milestones illustrate how The Open and Mercedes-Benz have shown a willingness to evolve throughout the past 140 years without losing sight of what made them distinctive in the first place.