Things You Might Not Know About The Open Championship

By: Derek Clements | Mon 17 Jul 2023

Golf's original championship, The Open is unsurpassed when it comes to history and the records and statistics associated with it. Golfshake's Derek Clements has picked out a series of facts, some of which you will know, but others may be less familiar, providing knowledge that will impress your golf friends this week!

Did You Know

Up until 2016, the purse was always stated, and paid, in pounds sterling but was changed in 2017 to US dollars in recognition of the fact that it is the most widely adopted currency for prize money in golf.
The winner keeps the trophy until the next Open, at which point it must be returned, and a replica is provided as a replacement.
The winner receives a gold medal
The winner gets entry to the next five editions of The Players Championship, Genesis Invitational, Fort Worth Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational, RBC Heritage and The Memorial.
The winners receives automatic entry to the five senior majors when they turn 50.
The runners up each receive a silver salver.
The leading amateur, who completes 72 holes, receives a silver medal.
From 1860 until 1870, Prestwick was the sole host course.
Royal Cinque Ports was scheduled to host The Open in 1938 and 1949 but was unable to do so because of flooding.

The Open Flag

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

The Open by Numbers

0 - Number of bunkers found by Tiger Woods when he won at St Andrews in 2000
1 - Number of times Tiger Woods hit a driver on his way to victory at Royal Liverpool in 2006
4 - Most consecutive victories, by Tom Morris Jr
6 - Record number of victories by Harry Vardon (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
7 - Record number of runner-up finishes by Jack Nicklaus (1964, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979)
8 - Tiger Woods’ winning margin in 2000
13 - Record winning margin, by Old Tom Morris in 1862
14 - Courses have hosted The Open
13 - Times Royal Liverpool has hosted The Open
17 - Age of the youngest winner, Tom Morris Jr, in 1868
30 - Number of times St Andrews has hosted The Open
46 - Age of the oldest winner, Tom Morris, in 1867
62 - Lowest 18-hole score, by Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in 2017
130 - Record 36-hole total, achieved by Nick Faldo in 1992 and Brandt Snedeker in 2012
151 - This is the 151st Open
196 - Record 54-hole total, achieved by Shane Lowry in 2019
264 - Record low winning total, achieved by Henrik Stenson in 2016
271 - Rory McIlroy’s winning total at Royal Liverpool in 2014
1860 - Year the first Open was held
1907 - The year qualifying was first introduced