Open Champions: 1860-2021

The 1860 Open Championship was contested by eight professional golfers at Prestwick. The victor, Scotland’s Willie Park Sr, received the Challenge Belt, bought from an Edinburgh silversmiths for £25


LEGENDS OF THE OPEN*
Jersey-born Harry Vardon (left) stands alone with six titles, followed by many of golf’s most famous names

*Selected players only

6 Harry Vardon 		JEY 1896, 98, 99, 1903, 11, 14
5 Peter Thomson 	AUS 1954, 55, 56, 58, 65
5 Tom Watson 		USA 1975, 77, 80, 82, 83
4 Tom Morris Sr. 	SCO 1861, 62, 64, 67
4 Walter Hagen 		USA 1922, 24, 28, 29
   

OPEN CHAMPIONS BY COUNTRY

United States 45
Scotland 41
England 22
South Africa 10
Australia 9
Jersey 7
Other countries 6
Spain, N. Ireland, Ireland 3 

Total 87 winners


3 Bobby Jones		USA 1926, 27, 30
3 Gary Player		RSA 1959, 68, 74
3 Jack Nicklaus		USA 1966, 70, 78
3 Seve Ballesteros 	ESP 1979, 84, 88
3 Nick Faldo 		ENG 1987, 90, 92
3 Tiger Woods		USA 2000, 05, 06
2 Arnold Palmer		USA 1961, 62
2 Greg Norman		AUS 1986, 93
2 Pádraig Harrington 	IRL 2007, 08
2 Ernie Els 		RSA 2002, 12
        

Source: R&A Championships Ltd
Pictures: Getty Images, Wikimedia Commons 
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