The Open Championship Winners

Page last updated: July 2025

The Open Championship 2025

Who will join this list? The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, July 13-20, 2025

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Here is a list of all the winners of the British golf open since the first tournament held in 1860. The player with the most victories is Harry Vardon, with six wins (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914).

Championship Records

Most Wins: Harry Vardon - 6 (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
Most Runner-up Finishes: Jack Nicklaus - 7
Youngest Winner: Tom Morris Jr. - 17 years old (1868)
Oldest Winner: Tom Morris Sr. - 46 years old (1867)
Lowest 72-hole Score: Henrik Stenson - 264 (−20) at Royal Troon (2016)
Largest Winning Margin: Tom Morris Sr. - 13 strokes (1862)
Most Consecutive Wins: Tom Morris Jr. - 4 (1868-1870, 1872)

Complete Winners List (1860-2024)

The 2024 Open Championship was won by Xander Schauffele at Royal Troon with a score of 275 (−9). It was his second major championship of 2024.

Year	Champion	Country	Winning Score
2024	Xander Schauffele	USA	275 (−9)
2023	Brian Harman	USA	271 (−13)
2022	Cameron Smith	Australia	268 (−20)
2021	Collin Morikawa	USA	265 (−15)
2020	Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2019	Shane Lowry	Ireland	269 (−15)
2018	Francesco Molinari	Italy	276 (−8)
2017	Jordan Spieth	USA	268 (−12)
2016	Henrik Stenson	Sweden	264 (−20)
2015	Zach Johnson	USA	273 (−15) playoff
2014	Rory McIlroy	UK / Northern Ireland	271 (–17)
2013	Phil Mickelson	USA	281 (−3)
2012	Ernie Els	South Africa	273 (−7)
2011	Darren Clarke	UK / Northern Ireland	275 (−5)
2010	Louis Oosthuizen	South Africa	272 (−16)
2009	Stewart Cink	USA	278 (−2) playoff
2008	Pádraig Harrington	Ireland	283 (+3)
2007	Pádraig Harrington	Ireland	277 (−7) playoff
2006	Tiger Woods	USA	270 (−18)
2005	Tiger Woods	USA	274 (−14)
2004	Todd Hamilton	USA	274 (−10) playoff
2003	Ben Curtis	USA	283 (−1)
2002	Ernie Els	South Africa	278 (−6) playoff
2001	David Duval	USA	274 (−10)
2000	Tiger Woods	USA	269 (−19)
1999	Paul Lawrie	Scotland	290 (+6) playoff
1998	Mark O'Meara	USA	280 (E) playoff
1997	Justin Leonard	USA	272 (−12)
1996	Tom Lehman	USA	271 (−13)
1995	John Daly	USA	282 (−6) playoff
1994	Nick Price	Zimbabwe	268 (−12)
1993	Greg Norman	Australia	267 (−13)
1992	Nick Faldo	England	272 (−12)
1991	Ian Baker-Finch	Australia	272 (−8)
1990	Nick Faldo	England	270 (−18)
1989	Mark Calcavecchia	USA	275 (−13) playoff
1988	Seve Ballesteros	Spain	273 (−11)
1987	Nick Faldo	England	279 (−5)
1986	Greg Norman	Australia	280 (E)
1985	Sandy Lyle	Scotland	282 (+2)
1984	Seve Ballesteros	Spain	276 (−12)
1983	Tom Watson	USA	275 (−9)
1982	Tom Watson	USA	284 (−4)
1981	Bill Rogers	USA	276 (−4)
1980	Tom Watson	USA	271 (−13)
1979	Seve Ballesteros	Spain	283 (−1)
1978	Jack Nicklaus	USA	281 (−7)
1977	Tom Watson	USA	268 (−12)
1976	Johnny Miller	USA	279 (−9)
1975	Tom Watson	USA	279 (−5) playoff
1974	Gary Player	South Africa	282 (−2)
1973	Tom Weiskopf	USA	276 (−12)
1972	Lee Trevino	USA	278 (−6)
1971	Lee Trevino	USA	278 (−10)
1970	Jack Nicklaus	USA	283 (−5) playoff
1969	Tony Jacklin	England	280 (−4)
1968	Gary Player	South Africa	289 (+1)
1967	Roberto DeVicenzo	Argentina	278 (−10)
1966	Jack Nicklaus	USA	282 (+2)
1965	Peter Thomson	Australia	285 (−3)
1964	Tony Lema	USA	279 (−9)
1963	Bob Charles	New Zealand	277 (−7) playoff
1962	Arnold Palmer	USA	276 (−12)
1961	Arnold Palmer	USA	284 (−4)
1960	Kel Nagle	Australia	278 (−10)
1959	Gary Player	South Africa	284 (E)
1958	Peter Thomson	Australia	274 (−10) playoff
1957	Bobby Locke	South Africa	279 (−9)
1956	Peter Thomson	Australia	286 (−2)
1955	Peter Thomson	Australia	281 (−7)
1954	Peter Thomson	Australia	283 (−5)
1953	Ben Hogan	USA	282 (−6)
1952	Bobby Locke	South Africa	287 (−1)
1951	Max Faulkner	England	285 (−3)
1950	Bobby Locke	South Africa	279 (−9)
1949	Bobby Locke	South Africa	283 (−5)
1948	Henry Cotton	England	288 (E)
1947	Fred Daly	Northern Ireland	293 (+5)
1946	Sam Snead	USA	290 (+2)
1940-1945: No Championships due to World War II
1939	Richard Burton	England	290
1938	Reg Whitcombe	England	295
1937	Henry Cotton	England	290
1936	Alf Padgham	England	287
1935	Alf Perry	England	283
1934	Henry Cotton	England	283
1933	Denny Shute	USA	292 playoff
1932	Gene Sarazen	USA	283
1931	Tommy Armour	United States (nat)	296
1930	Bobby Jones (Amateur)	USA	291
1929	Walter Hagen	USA	292
1928	Walter Hagen	USA	292
1927	Bobby Jones (Am)	USA	285
1926	Bobby Jones (Am)	USA	291
1925	Jim Barnes	United States (nat)	300
1924	Walter Hagen	USA	301
1923	Arthur Havers	England	295
1922	Walter Hagen	USA	300
1921	Jock Hutchison	United States (nat)	296 playoff
1920	George Duncan	Scotland	303
1915-1919: No Championships due to World War I
1914	Harry Vardon	Jersey	306
1913	John Henry Taylor	England	304
1912	Ted Ray	Jersey	295
1911	Harry Vardon	Jersey	303 playoff
1910	James Braid	Scotland	299
1909	John Henry Taylor	England	291
1908	James Braid	Scotland	291
1907	Arnaud Massy	France	312
1906	James Braid	Scotland	300
1905	James Braid	Scotland	318
1904	Jack White	Scotland	296
1903	Harry Vardon	Jersey	300
1902	Sandy Herd	Scotland	307
1901	James Braid	Scotland	309
1900	John Henry Taylor	England	309
1899	Harry Vardon	Jersey	310
1898	Harry Vardon	Jersey	307
1897	Harold Hilton (Am)	England	314
1896	Harry Vardon	Jersey	316 playoff
1895	John Henry Taylor	England	332
1894	John Henry Taylor	England	326
1893	William Auchterlonie	Scotland	322
1892	Harold Hilton	England	305
1891	Hugh Kirkaldy	Scotland	166
1890	John Ball (Am)	England	164
1889	Willie Park, Jnr	Scotland	155 playoff
1888	Jack Burns	Scotland	171
1887	Willie Park, Jnr	Scotland	161
1886	David Brown	Scotland	157
1885	Bob Martin	Scotland	171
1884	Jack Simpson	Scotland	160
1883	Willie Fernie	Scotland	159 playoff
1882	Bob Ferguson	Scotland	171
1881	Bob Ferguson	Scotland	170
1880	Bob Ferguson	Scotland	162
1879	Jamie Anderson	Scotland	169
1878	Jamie Anderson	Scotland	157
1877	Jamie Anderson	Scotland	160
1876	Bob Martin	Scotland	176
1875	Willie Park, Snr	Scotland	166
1874	Mungo Park	Scotland	159
1873	Tom Kidd	Scotland	179
1872	Tom Morris, Jnr	Scotland	166
1871	Not held
1870	Tom Morris, Jnr	Scotland	149
1869	Tom Morris, Jnr	Scotland	154
1868	Tom Morris, Jnr	Scotland	157
1867	Tom Morris, Snr	Scotland	170
1866	Willie Park, Snr	Scotland	169
1865	Andrew Strath	Scotland	162
1864	Tom Morris, Snr	Scotland	167
1863	Willie Park, Snr	Scotland	168
1862	Tom Morris, Snr	Scotland	163
1861	Tom Morris, Snr	Scotland	163
1860	Willie Park, Snr	Scotland	174

Winners by Country

Scotland: 41 wins
USA: 46 wins
England: 22 wins
Australia: 10 wins
South Africa: 10 wins
Jersey: 6 wins (Harry Vardon, Ted Ray)
Northern Ireland: 4 wins
Ireland: 3 wins
Spain: 3 wins

Frequently Asked Questions

Who has won The Open Championship the most times?

Harry Vardon holds the record with 6 Open Championship victories (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914). He's followed by James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Peter Thomson, and Tom Watson with 5 wins each.

What is the lowest winning score in Open Championship history?

Henrik Stenson set the record with 264 (−20) at Royal Troon in 2016, in an epic duel with Phil Mickelson. This is the lowest 72-hole score in any major championship.

Who is the youngest Open Champion?

Tom Morris Jr. (Young Tom Morris) was just 17 years old when he won the 1868 Open Championship. He went on to win four times, including three consecutive victories from 1868-1870.

Has anyone won The Open on their debut?

Yes, Ben Curtis in 2003 and Tom Watson in 1975 both won The Open on their first appearance. Curtis remains the only player since 1913 to win a major on debut.