Bad weather, epic comebacks, legendary performances. We’re taking a look back at some of the top champion golfers and all-time records (all data from the Open’s official website).
It’s the oldest of the four major championships, dating all the way back to 1860.
The Open Championship, also known as the British Open, started with just eight players having tee times in a three-round, one-day event in Scotland. Now, it’s a sometimes grueling, four-day tournament with 144 of the world’s best players competing in front of millions.
Unpredictable weather on the golf courses remains part of the tournament’s alluring tradition. Finding a way to limit disaster in the harsh elements is often a key to victory.
Along the way, there have been some legendary performances and dramatic victories. Which players have had their names etched in the Open’s record book?
Let’s take a look at some of the top champion golfers and all-time records (all data from the Open’s official website):
Most Appearances: 46 – Gary Player, 1956-2001
Player not only has made the most appearances in the Open, but he’s also been one of the best ever to compete in the tourney. In 1959, he won the Claret Jug for the first time at 23 years old – at that time the youngest ever to win it – and added two more wins in 1968 and 1974. Overall, the South African racked up 12 top-10 finishes.
- 43 – Sandy Lyle, 1974-2018
- 38 – Jack Nicklaus, 1962-2005
- 38 – Sandy Herd, 1885-1933
- 38 – Tom Watson, 1975-2015
- 37 – Nick Faldo, 1976-2015
- 35 – Ben Sayers, 1878-1914
- 34 -Bob Charles, 1958-2001
- 34 – Old Tom Morris, 1860-96
- 32 – Tom Williamson, 1897-1936
- 32 – Ernie Els, 1989-2023
Most Victories: 6 – Harry Vardon, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914
Tiger Woods? Arnold Palmer? Sam Snead? Nope. It’s Vardon, who was something of a golf prodigy when he turned pro at 20 years old. He’s credited for developing many techniques of the modern golf swing and for popularizing the overlapping grip. His historic victories helped him emerge as golf’s first superstar and the PGA annually awards the Vardon Trophy to the professional with the best scoring average.
- 5 – James Braid, 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910
- 5 – J.H. Taylor, 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913
- 5 – Peter Thomson, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965
- 5 – Tom Watson, 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983
Largest Margin Of Victory: 13 Strokes – Old Tom Morris, 1862
The event was still in its infancy when Old Tom Morris (not to be confused with his son Young Tom Morris) cruised to the largest victory in Open history. At the age of 20, Thomas Mitchell Morris had earned an St. Andrews apprenticeship with the links keeper at the old course in 1841. Just 20 years later, he won the Open at Prestwick Golf Club his first of back-to-back titles (and three in four years), earning the nickname “The Grand Old Man of Golf.” Tommy, his son, won his first Open championship in 1868 before capturing three more – two in dominant fashion (below).
- 12 – Young Tom Morris, 1870
- 11 – Young Tom Morris, 1869
- 8 – J.H. Taylor, 1900, 1913
- 8 – James Braid, 1908
- 8 – Tiger Woods, 2000
Champions In Three Separate Decades
- Harry Vardon – 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914
- J.H. Taylor – 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913
- Gary Player – 1959, 1968, 1974
Vardon was one of the Open’s all-time great players, and Taylor was his rival throughout his career. But only one golfer has won the Open in three separate decades since the end of World War I – the incomparable Gary Player. He was 38 years old when he won his final Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England, by four strokes over Peter Oosterhuis in 1974. Player had also won the Masters earlier that year.
Greatest Comeback By A Champion
- After 54 holes: 10 Strokes Back – Paul Lawrie, 1999
Unfortunately for Lawrie, this tournament is remembered more for Jean Van de Velde’s collapse on a difficult Carnoustie course than his comeback. Vande de Velde had reached the 18th tee with a three-stroke lead, but he ended up with triple bogey that left him in a playoff. Lawrie won it become the first Scottish golfer to claim the Claret Jug in 68 years.
- After 36 holes: 13 Strokes Back – George Duncan, 1920
- After 18 holes: 11 Strokes Back – Harry Vardon, 1896
Oldest Open Champions: 46 Years, 102 Days – Old Tom Morris, 1867
- 44 Years, 92 Days – Roberto de Vicenzo, 1967
- 44 Years, 41 Days – Harry Vardon, 1914
- 43 Years, 92 Days – Old Tom Morris, 1864
- 43 Years, 35 Days – Phil Mickelson, 2013
- 42 Years, 337 Days – Darren Clarke, 2011
- 42 Years, 279 Days – Ernie Els, 2012
- 42 Years, 97 Days – J.H. Taylor, 1913
- 42 Years, 72 Days – Willie Park Sr., 1875
- 41 Years, 187 Days – Mark O’Meara, 1998
Youngest Open Champions: 17 Years, 156 Days – Young Tom Morris, 1868
- 18 Years, 149 Days – Young Tom Morris, 1869
- 19 Years, 148 Days – Young Tom Morris, 1870
- 21 Years, 22 Days – Willie Auchterlonie, 1893
- 21 Years, 146 Days – Young Tom Morris, 1872
- 22 Years, 103 Days – Seve Ballesteros, 1979
Amateur Champions: 3 – Bobby Jones, 1926, 1927, 1930
Lowest Individual Round: 62 – Branden Grace, Third Round, 2017
Grace didn’t win the 2017 Open. In fact, he ended up in a tie for sixth. But for one day, he was better than anyone in majors history. Grace shot an 8-under 62 in the third round of the 2017 Open, becoming the first player in major championship history to shoot lower than 63. The 29-year-old South African also broke the course record at Royal Birkdale, set by Jodie Mudd (63) in the final round of the 1991 Open.
- 63 – Mark Hayes, Second Round, Turnberry, 1977
- 63 – Isao Aoki, Third Round, Muirfield, 1980
- 63 – Greg Norman, Second Round, Turnberry, 1986
- 63 – Paul Broadhurst, Third Round, St. Andrews, 1990
- 63 – Jodie Mudd, Fourth Round, Royal Birkdale, 1991
- 63 – Nick Faldo, Second Round, Royal St George’s, 1993
- 63 – Payne Stewart, Fourth Round, Royal St George’s, 1993
- 63 – Rory McIlroy, First Round, St. Andrews, 2010
- 63 – Phil Mickelson, First Round, Royal Troon, 2016
- 63 – Henrik Stenson, Fourth Round, Royal Troon, 2016
- 63 – Haotong Li, Fourth Round, Royal Birkdale, 2017
- 63 – Shane Lowry, Third Round, Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, 2019
- 63 – Jon Rahm, Third Round, Royal Liverpool, 2023
Lowest Total Score By A Champion: 264 – Henrik Stenson, Royal Troon, 2016
Stenson finally won his first major in 2016, and he did it in style at Royal Troon. After he previously had three runner-up finishes and six thirds in majors, the 40-year-old Swede managed to hold off 2013 champion Phil Mickelson in the final round to cap the best four-round performance in Open history. He also became the first from his country to lift the Claret Jug with his 20-under-par 264 (68, 65, 68, 63).
Lowest Total By An Amateur: 277 – Jordan Niebrugge, St. Andrews, 2015
Most Strokes Under Par (Since 1963): 20 – Henrik Stenson, Royal Troon, 2016/Cameron Smith, St. Andrews, 2022
We relived Stenson’s historic effort in 2016 earlier, and six years later, Smith matched his 20-under-par record at St. Andrews. In an unforgettable run, Smith started the day four shots behind leaders Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland before carding five consecutive birdies on the back nine in the final round of the 150th edition of the Open. He was the first golfer to put up two rounds of 64 en route to the victory.
- 19 – Tiger Woods, St. Andrews, 2000
- 18 – Nick Faldo, St. Andrews, 1990
- 18 – Tiger Woods, Royal Liverpool, 2006
- 17 – Rory McIlroy, Royal Liverpool, 2014
- 16 – Louis Oosthuizen, St. Andrews, 2010
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