6th green at Royal St Georges

Royal St George's

Located on the Kent coastline, Royal St George's has staged 15 Open Championships, with victors at the spectacular, undulating venue including the likes of J.H. Taylor, Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Henry Cotton, Bobby Locke, Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman.

Collin Morikawa produced a magnificent display to win The 149th Open at Royal St George's, as the Championship returned to Sandwich for the first time since Darren Clarke was crowned Champion Golfer of the Year in 2011.

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England's first Open venue

Sandwich has always produced drama and its list of Champion Golfers includes Bobby Locke, Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman.

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The Open at Royal St George's

1894

1894-J-H-Taylor-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

1894-J-H-Taylor-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

JH Taylor wins first Open held outside Scotland

1899

1899-Harry-Vardon-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

1899-Harry-Vardon-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

Vardon captures his third Open title

1904

White wins title at first three-day Open

1911

1911-Harry-Vardon-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

1911-Harry-Vardon-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

Harry Vardon won four Opens in eight years and took eight more to win his fifth to tie James Braid

1922

1922-Walter-Hagen-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

1922-Walter-Hagen-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

Walter Hagen claimed the first of his four Open titles at Royal St George’s

1928

1928-Walter-Hagen-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

1928-Walter-Hagen-Open-Champion-Royal-St-Georges

Hagen's Royal St George's double

1934

Cotton's 65 ends American domination

1938

Whitcombe weathers the storm

1949

Bobby Locke celebrates with a beer as he wins his first Open Championship, 1949

Bobby Locke celebrates with a beer as he wins his first Open Championship, 1949

Locke beats Bradshaw by 12 strokes in 36-hole play-off

1981

Route 66 helps Rogers claim only major title

1985

Sandy Lyle Claret Jug 1985

Sandy Lyle Claret Jug 1985

Lyle wins The Open despite final green drama

1993

Greg Norman wins his second Claret Jug claiming victory at Royal St George

Greg Norman wins his second Claret Jug claiming victory at Royal St George

Record final round for Greg Norman

2003

Curtis claims the Claret Jug on major debut

2011

While some had written off Clarke’s chances of ever ending his major drought, he always felt he could contend for The Open - and everything fell into place at Royal St George’s. Before Clarke had even struck his first shot, he started the week in the Champion Golfer’s locker area after unknowingly being given Greg Norman’s locker when the two-time winner pulled out with injury. “I walked into the locker room to my locker and there was a little note in there from Tom Watson’s caddy and it said, ‘Your locker is in the right place’,” he explained. “It was a bit inspiring that.” Clarke opened up with a two-under 68 on day one before repeating the feat on the Friday to take joint lead alongside American Lucas Glover on four under going into the weekend. He moved into the lead on his own on Saturday with a one-under 69 and showed no signs of wilting under the pressure as he set out to prove those who had dismissed his chances wrong. “I came off the golf course on Saturday and I go and see the media and I’m sitting in there and one of the guys put his hand up, ‘Do you think you can win this?’ and I said ‘yes’. “I said ‘Of course I think I can win this, this is what I practise for, this is what I play for’. And I think some of them were actually quite taken aback that a 42-year-old guy was leading The Open thinking that he could win it because a lot of them didn’t expect me to win.”

While some had written off Clarke’s chances of ever ending his major drought, he always felt he could contend for The Open - and everything fell into place at Royal St George’s. Before Clarke had even struck his first shot, he started the week in the Champion Golfer’s locker area after unknowingly being given Greg Norman’s locker when the two-time winner pulled out with injury. “I walked into the locker room to my locker and there was a little note in there from Tom Watson’s caddy and it said, ‘Your locker is in the right place’,” he explained. “It was a bit inspiring that.” Clarke opened up with a two-under 68 on day one before repeating the feat on the Friday to take joint lead alongside American Lucas Glover on four under going into the weekend. He moved into the lead on his own on Saturday with a one-under 69 and showed no signs of wilting under the pressure as he set out to prove those who had dismissed his chances wrong. “I came off the golf course on Saturday and I go and see the media and I’m sitting in there and one of the guys put his hand up, ‘Do you think you can win this?’ and I said ‘yes’. “I said ‘Of course I think I can win this, this is what I practise for, this is what I play for’. And I think some of them were actually quite taken aback that a 42-year-old guy was leading The Open thinking that he could win it because a lot of them didn’t expect me to win.”

Darren Clarke wins The Open on 20th attempt

2021

Collin Morikawa kisses the Claret Jug after winning The 149th Open

Collin Morikawa kisses the Claret Jug after winning The 149th Open

Debutant Morikawa claims masterful triumph

Champion Golfers at Royal St George's

1896
1898
1899
1903
1911
1914