Why you should never call The Open Championship the British Open

[ASFN Admin]

The Open Championship, that's the name and it always has been.

So from where did anyone get "The British Open"?

Only Americans called golf's oldest major championship the "British Open." It is sometimes shortened to "The Open," the name reflecting the purpose and that's it is open to all, according to The Open's official website.

The tournament's official start dates back to 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, making it the oldest pro golf tournament and there was no competition for the Open Championship. The Royal & Ancient Golf Club continued to use the name for 35 years with no conflicts. But that changed when the United States Golf Association introduced the U.S. Open in 1895. The British Open name is strictly prohibited by R&A.


The tournament was made as a final decision for the Champion Golfer of the Year. It was open to both professionals and amateurs, regardless of background. Pretty much anyone good enough to compete could play. Other golf majors, like the Masters which is closed to professionals, or the U.S. Open which is invitation only. The Open is one of a kind.

The Open Championship winners​

The Open has been held consecutively since 1860, only skipping a few years due to World War II, the lost trophy year, and COVID-19. Here is a list of the winners from years past, according to Topend Sports:

• 2025: Scottie Scheffler
• 2024: Xander Schauffele
• 2023: Brian Harman
• 2022: Cameron Smith
• 2021: Collin Morikawa
• 2020: Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
• 2019: Shane Lowry
• 2018: Francesco Molinari
• 2017: Jordan Spieth
• 2016: Henrik Stenson
• 2015: Zach Johnson
• 2014: Rory McIlroy
• 2013: Phil Mickelson
• 2012: Ernie Els
• 2011: Darren Clarke
• 2010: Louis Oosthuizen
• 2009: Stewart Cink
• 2008: Pádraig Harrington
• 2007: Pádraig Harrington
• 2006: Tiger Woods
• 2005: Tiger Woods
• 2004: Todd Hamilton
• 2003: Ben Curtis
• 2002: Ernie Els
• 2001: David Duval
• 2000: Tiger Woods
• 1999: Paul Lawrie
• 1998: Mark O'Meara
• 1997: Justin Leonard
• 1996: Tom Lehman
• 1995: John Daly
• 1994: Nick Price
• 1993: Greg Norman
• 1992: Nick Faldo
• 1991: Ian Baker-Finch
• 1990: Nick Faldo
• 1989: Mark Calcavecchia
• 1988: Seve Ballesteros
• 1987: Nick Faldo
• 1986: Greg Norman
• 1985: Sandy Lyle
• 1984: Seve Ballesteros
• 1983: Tom Watson
• 1982: Tom Watson
• 1981: Bill Rogers
• 1980: Tom Watson
• 1979: Seve Ballesteros
• 1978: Jack Nicklaus
• 1977: Tom Watson
• 1976: Johnny Miller
• 1975: Tom Watson
• 1974: Gary Player
• 1973: Tom Weiskopf
• 1972: Lee Trevino
• 1971: Lee Trevino
• 1970: Jack Nicklaus
• 1969: Tony Jacklin
• 1968: Gary Player
• 1967: Roberto DeVicenzo
• 1966: Jack Nicklaus
• 1965: Peter Thomson
• 1964: Tony Lema
• 1963: Bob Charles
• 1962: Arnold Palmer
• 1961: Arnold Palmer
• 1960: Kel Nagle
• 1959: Gary Player
• 1958: Peter Thomson
• 1957: Bobby Locke
• 1956: Peter Thomson
• 1955: Peter Thomson
• 1954: Peter Thomson
• 1953: Ben Hogan
• 1952: Bobby Locke
• 1951: Max Faulkner
• 1950: Bobby Locke
• 1949: Bobby Locke
• 1948: Henry Cotton
• 1947: Fred Daly
• 1946: Sam Snead
• 1940–1945: No Championships due to World War II
• 1939: Richard Burton
• 1938: Reg Whitcombe
• 1937: Henry Cotton
• 1936: Alf Padgham
• 1935: Alf Perry
• 1934: Henry Cotton
• 1933: Denny Shute
• 1932: Gene Sarazen
• 1931: Tommy Armour
• 1930: Bobby Jones
• 1929: Walter Hagen
• 1928: Walter Hagen
• 1927: Bobby Jones
• 1926: Bobby Jones
• 1925: Jim Barnes
• 1924: Walter Hagen
• 1923: Arthur Havers
• 1922: Walter Hagen
• 1921: Jock Hutchison
• 1920: George Duncan
• 1915–1919: No Championships due to World War I
• 1914: Harry Vardon
• 1913: John Henry Taylor
• 1912: Ted Ray
• 1911: Harry Vardon
• 1910: James Braid
• 1909: John Henry Taylor
• 1908: James Braid
• 1907: Arnaud Massy
• 1906: James Braid
• 1905: James Braid
• 1904: Jack White
• 1903: Harry Vardon
• 1902: Sandy Herd
• 1901: James Braid
• 1900: John Henry Taylor
• 1899: Harry Vardon
• 1898: Harry Vardon
• 1897: Harold Hilton
• 1896: Harry Vardon
• 1895: John Henry Taylor
• 1894: John Henry Taylor
• 1893: William Auchterlonie
• 1892: Harold Hilton
• 1891: Hugh Kirkaldy
• 1890: John Ball
• 1889: Willie Park, Jnr
• 1888: Jack Burns
• 1887: Willie Park, Jnr
• 1886: David Brown
• 1885: Bob Martin
• 1884: Jack Simpson
• 1883: Willie Fernie
• 1882: Bob Ferguson
• 1881: Bob Ferguson
• 1880: Bob Ferguson
• 1879: Jamie Anderson
• 1878: Jamie Anderson
• 1877: Jamie Anderson
• 1876: Bob Martin
• 1875: Willie Park, Snr
• 1874: Mungo Park
• 1873: Tom Kidd
• 1872: Tom Morris, Jnr
• 1871: Not held
• 1870: Tom Morris, Jnr
• 1869: Tom Morris, Jnr
• 1868: Tom Morris, Jnr
• 1867: Tom Morris, Snr
• 1866: Willie Park, Snr
• 1865: Andrew Strath
• 1864: Tom Morris, Snr
• 1863: Willie Park, Snr
• 1862: Tom Morris, Snr
• 1861: Tom Morris, Snr
• 1860: Willie Park, Snr

You must be registered for see images attach

The Open Championship Course by Year​

Since 1860, The Open Championship had been set in different golf courses throughout the UK. Here is a list of the courses per year, according to Topend Sports.

• 1860–1872: Prestwick Golf Club, Prestwick, Scotland
• 1873: St Andrews (Old Course), St Andrews, Scotland
• 1874: Musselburgh Links, Musselburgh, Scotland
• 1875: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1876: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1877: Musselburgh Links; Prestwick Golf Club
• 1878: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1879: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1880: Musselburgh Links
• 1881: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1882: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1883: Musselburgh Links
• 1884: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1885: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1886: Musselburgh Links
• 1887: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1888: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1889: Musselburgh Links
• 1890: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1891: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1892: Prestwick Golf Club; Muirfield
• 1893: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1894: Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich, England
• 1895: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1896: Muirfield
• 1897: Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, England
• 1898: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1899: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1900: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1901: Muirfield
• 1902: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1903: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1904: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1905: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1906: Muirfield
• 1907: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1908: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1909: Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club, Deal, England
• 1910: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1911: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1912: Muirfield
• 1913: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1914: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1920: Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club
• 1921: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1922: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1923: Royal Troon Golf Club, Troon, Scotland
• 1924: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1925: Prestwick Golf Club
• 1926: Royal Troon Golf Club
• 1927: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1928: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1929: Muirfield
• 1930: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1931: Royal Troon Golf Club
• 1933: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1934: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1935: Muirfield
• 1936: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1938: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1939: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1940: Royal Birkdale Golf Club (cancelled due to WWII)
• 1946: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1947: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1948: Muirfield
• 1949: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1951: Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland
• 1954: Royal Birkdale Golf Club
• 1955: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1956: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1957: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1959: Muirfield
• 1960: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1964: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1966: Muirfield
• 1967: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 1970: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1972: Muirfield
• 1977: Turnberry Golf Club, Turnberry, Scotland
• 1978: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1980: Muirfield
• 1981: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1984: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1985: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1987: Muirfield
• 1990: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 1992: Muirfield
• 1993: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 1995: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 2000: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 2002: Muirfield
• 2003: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 2004–2025: Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list)
• 2005: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 2006: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 2007–2025: Carnoustie Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list)
• 2010: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 2011: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 2013: Muirfield; Carnoustie Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Birkdale Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list)
• 2014: Royal Liverpool Golf Club; Carnoustie Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Birkdale Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list)
• 2015: St Andrews (Old Course); Carnoustie Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Birkdale Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list)
• 2019: Royal Portrush Golf Club; Carnoustie Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list); Royal Birkdale Golf Club (Open Golf Accommodation list)
• 2020: Carnoustie Golf Club (cancelled); Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club (cancelled); Royal Birkdale Golf Club (cancelled)
• 2021: Royal St George's Golf Club
• 2022: St Andrews (Old Course)
• 2023: Royal Liverpool Golf Club
• 2025: Royal Portrush Golf Club

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Why you should never call The Open Championship the British Open

Continue reading...