Open Facts

With The Open originating in Scotland, the spiritual home of golf, it is understandable that the first 29 editions of golf’s original Championship were won by Scottish golfers.

Englishman John Ball was the first non-Scot to lift the Claret Jug, in 1890, a victory which led to The Open eventually being recognised as a truly international event.

Four-time winner Walter Hagen was the first US-born golfer to triumph at The Open, in 1922, paving the way for an influx of both American competitors and American victors.

Jock Hutchison and Tommy Armour were born in Scotland, but both men were naturalised citizens of the United States when they won The Open, in 1921 and 1931 respectively.

There have been 89 Champion Golfers since the inaugural Championship in 1860, hailing from 15 different countries, including Jersey, a British Crown Dependency:

USA (31)

Brian Harman (2023)
Collin Morikawa (2021)
Jordan Spieth (2017)
Zach Johnson (2015)
Phil Mickelson (2013)
Stewart Cink (2009)
Tiger Woods (2000, 2005, 2006)
Todd Hamilton (2004)
Ben Curtis (2003)
David Duval (2001)
Mark O’Meara (1998)
Justin Leonard (1997)
Tom Lehman (1996)
John Daly (1995)
Mark Calcavecchia (1989)
Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
Bill Rogers (1981)
Jack Nicklaus (1966, 1970, 1978)
Johnny Miller (1976)
Tom Weiskopf (1973)
Lee Trevino (1971, 1972)
Tony Lema (1964)
Arnold Palmer (1961, 1962)
Ben Hogan (1953)
Sam Snead (1946)
Denny Shute (1933)
Gene Sarazen (1932)
Tommy Armour (1931)
Bobby Jones (1926, 1927, 1930)
Walter Hagen (1922, 1924, 1928, 1929)
Jock Hutchison (1921)

Scotland (21)

Paul Lawrie (above) (1999)
Sandy Lyle (1985)
George Duncan (1920)
James Braid (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910)
Jack White (1904)
Sandy Herd (1902)
Willie Auchterlonie (1893)
Hugh Kirkaldy (1891)
Willie Park Jnr (1887, 1889)
David Brown (1886)
Bob Martin (1876, 1885)
Jack Simpson (1884)
Willie Fernie (1883)
Bob Ferguson (1880, 1881, 1882)
Jamie Anderson (1877, 1878, 1879)
Willie Park Snr (1860, 1863, 1866, 1875)
Mungo Park (1874)
Tom Kidd (1873)
Young Tom Morris (1868, 1869, 1870, 1872)
Old Tom Morris (1861, 1862, 1864, 1867)
Andrew Strath (1865)

England (13)

Sir Nick Faldo (1987, 1990, 1992)
Tony Jacklin (1969)
Max Faulkner (1951)
Sir Henry Cotton (1934, 1937, 1948)
Dick Burton (1939)
Reg Whitcombe (1938)
Alf Padgham (1936)
Alf Perry (1935)
Jim Barnes (1925)
Arthur Havers (1923)
JH Taylor (1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913)
Harold Hilton (1892, 1897)
John Ball (1890)

Australia (5)

Cameron Smith (2022)
Greg Norman (1986, 1993)
Ian Baker-Finch (1991)
Peter Thomson (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965)
Kel Nagle (1960)

South Africa (4)

Ernie Els (2002, 2012)
Louis Oosthuizen (2010)
Gary Player (1959, 1968, 1974)
Bobby Locke (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957)

Northern Ireland (3)

Rory McIlroy (2014)
Darren Clarke (2011)
Fred Daly (1947)

Republic of Ireland (2)

Shane Lowry (2019)
Padraig Harrington (2007, 2008)

Jersey (2)

Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
Ted Ray (1912)

Sweden (1)

Henrik Stenson (2016)

Italy (1)

Francesco Molinari (2018)

Zimbabwe (1)

Nick Price (1994)

Spain (1)

Seve Ballesteros (1979, 1984, 1988)

Argentina (1)

Roberto De Vicenzo (1967)

New Zealand (1)

Bob Charles (1963)

France (1)

Arnaud Massy (1907)