2020

Royal St George's

12 - 19 July 2020

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Sandwich, Kent, England

In 2020 The Open will return to Royal St George’s for the first time since 2011, when an emotional Darren Clarke fulfilled his boyhood dream of becoming Champion Golfer of the Year.

Located on the Kent coastline, The 149th Open will showcase the world's best players compete for the Claret Jug. The spectacular 6th hole ‘The Maiden’ is sure to be a popular viewing spot as spectators line the towering dunes which surround the green.

Future Venues

England's first Open venue

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

royal st george's in pictures

Crowds gather on the maiden, the iconic 6th hole at Royal St George's

Darren Clarke celebrates achieving his dream of winning The Open, 2011

Thomas Bjorn's challenge fades at the 16th hole as he takes 3 to get out of the bunker, 2003

Tom Lewis claims the Silver Medal, 2011

World number 396 Ben Curtis shocks the golfing world claiming the Claret Jug, 2003

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

Greg Norman wins his second Claret Jug claiming victory at Royal St George's, 1993

Henry Cotton tees off in front of large crowds, 1934

Best view in the house for the crowds at the 6th hole

The maiden has hardly changed over the history of Royal St George's

Tom Watson makes a hole in one at the iconic sixth hole, 2011

The Open at Royal St George's

1894

JH Taylor wins first Open held outside Scotland

1899

Vardon captures his third Open title

1904

White wins title at first three-day Open

1911

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

1922

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

1928

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

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

Champion Golfers at Royal St George's

1896
1898
1899
1903
1911
1914

1894
1895
1900
1909
1913