Open Championship Winners: List of British Open champions by year

It’s golf’s original major, first played in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club. The Open Championship (often called the British Open) combines links‐style tradition with legendary performances from the game’s greatest: Harry Vardon, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have all lifted the Claret Jug.

Check out the complete list of The Open Championship winners including country, total par and total score:

British Open Champions

• 2025: Scottie Scheffler (United States) -17
• 2024: Xander Schauffele (United States) −9
• 2023: Brian Harman (United States) −13
• 2022: Cameron Smith (Australia) −20
• 2021: Collin Morikawa (United States) −15
• 2020: Not held
• 2019: Shane Lowry (Ireland) −15
• 2018: Francesco Molinari (Italy) −8
• 2017: Jordan Spieth (United States) −12
• 2016: Henrik Stenson (Sweden) −20
• 2015: Zach Johnson (United States) −15
• 2014: Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) −17
• 2013: Phil Mickelson (United States) −3
• 2012: Ernie Els (South Africa) −7
• 2011: Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland) −5
• 2010: Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) −16
• 2009: Stewart Cink (United States) −2
• 2008: Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) +3
• 2007: Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) −7
• 2006: Tiger Woods (United States) −18
• 2005: Tiger Woods (United States) −14
• 2004: Todd Hamilton (United States) −10
• 2003: Ben Curtis (United States) −1
• 2002: Ernie Els (South Africa) −6
• 2001: David Duval (United States) −10
• 2000: Tiger Woods (United States) −19

• 1999: Paul Lawrie (Scotland) +6
• 1998: Mark O’Meara (United States) E
• 1997: Justin Leonard (United States) −12
• 1996: Tom Lehman (United States) −13
• 1995: John Daly (United States) −6
• 1994: Nick Price (Zimbabwe) −12
• 1993: Greg Norman (Australia) −13
• 1992: Nick Faldo (England) −12
• 1991: Ian Baker-Finch (Australia) −8
• 1990: Nick Faldo (England) −18
• 1989: Mark Calcavecchia (United States) −13
• 1988: Seve Ballesteros (Spain) −11
• 1987: Nick Faldo (England) −5
• 1986: Greg Norman (Australia) E
• 1985: Sandy Lyle (Scotland) +2
• 1984: Seve Ballesteros (Spain) −12
• 1983: Tom Watson (United States) −9
• 1982: Tom Watson (United States) −4
• 1981: Bill Rogers (United States) −4
• 1980: Tom Watson (United States) −13
• 1979: Seve Ballesteros (Spain) −1
• 1978: Jack Nicklaus (United States) −7
• 1977: Tom Watson (United States) −12
• 1976: Johnny Miller (United States) −9
• 1975: Tom Watson (United States) −9
• 1974: Gary Player (South Africa) −2
• 1973: Tom Weiskopf (United States) −12
• 1972: Lee Trevino (United States) −6
• 1971: Lee Trevino (United States) −14
• 1970: Jack Nicklaus (United States) −5
• 1969: Tony Jacklin (England) −4
• 1968: Gary Player (South Africa) +1
• 1967: Roberto De Vicenzo (Argentina) −10
• 1966: Jack Nicklaus (United States) −2
• 1965: Peter Thomson (Australia) −7
• 1964: Tony Lema (United States) −9
• 1963: Bob Charles (New Zealand) −7
• 1962: Arnold Palmer (United States) −8
• 1961: Arnold Palmer (United States) −4
• 1960: Kel Nagle (Australia) −10
• 1959: Gary Player (South Africa) E
• 1958: Peter Thomson (Australia) −10
• 1957: Bobby Locke (South Africa) −9
• 1956: Jack Burke Jr. (United States) +1
• 1955: Peter Thomson (Australia) −7
• 1954: Peter Thomson (Australia) −3
• 1953: Ben Hogan (United States) −6
• 1952: Bobby Locke (South Africa) −1
• 1951: Max Faulkner (England) −3
• 1950: Bobby Locke (South Africa) −9
• 1949: Bobby Locke (South Africa) −6
• 1948: Henry Cotton (England) E
• 1947: Fred Daly (Northern Ireland) +5
• 1946: Sam Snead (United States) +2
• 1945: Not held
• 1944: Not held
• 1943: Not held
• 1942: Not held
• 1941: Not held
• 1940: Not held
• 1939: Dick Burton (England) −2
• 1938: Reg Whitcombe (England) +15
• 1937: Henry Cotton (England) +6
• 1936: Alf Padgham (England) −3
• 1935: Alf Perry (England) −6
• 1934: Henry Cotton (England) +3
• 1933: Denny Shute (United States) +4
• 1932: Gene Sarazen (United States) −5
• 1931: Tommy Armour (United States) +12
• 1930: Bobby Jones (United States) +3
• 1929: Walter Hagen (United States) +8
• 1928: Walter Hagen (United States) +12
• 1927: Bobby Jones (United States) −3
• 1926: Bobby Jones (United States) +7
• 1925: Jim Barnes (England) +16
• 1924: Walter Hagen (United States) +13
• 1923: Arthur Havers (England) +7
• 1922: Walter Hagen (United States) +20
• 1921: Jock Hutchison (United States) +8
• 1920: George Duncan (Scotland) +15
• 1919: Not held
• 1918: Not held
• 1917: Not held
• 1916: Not held
• 1915: Not held
• 1914: Harry Vardon (Jersey)
• 1913: John Henry Taylor (England)
• 1912: Ted Ray (Jersey)
• 1911: Harry Vardon (Jersey)
• 1910: James Braid (Scotland)
• 1909: John Henry Taylor (England)
• 1908: James Braid (Scotland)
• 1907: Arnaud Massy (France)
• 1906: James Braid (Scotland)
• 1905: James Braid (Scotland)
• 1904: Jack White (Scotland)
• 1903: Harry Vardon (Jersey)
• 1902: Sandy Herd (Scotland)
• 1901: James Braid (Scotland)
• 1900: John Henry Taylor (England)
• 1899: Harry Vardon (Jersey)
• 1898: Harry Vardon (Jersey)
• 1897: Harold Hilton (England)
• 1896: Harry Vardon (Jersey)
• 1895: John Henry Taylor (England)
• 1894: John Henry Taylor (England)
• 1893: William Auchterlonie (Scotland)
• 1892: Harold Hilton (England)
• 1891: Hugh Kirkaldy (Scotland)
• 1890: John Ball (England)
• 1889: Willie Park Jr. (Scotland)
• 1888: Jack Burns (Scotland)
• 1887: Willie Park Jr. (Scotland)
• 1886: David Brown (Scotland)
• 1885: Bob Martin (Scotland)
• 1884: Jack Simpson (Scotland)
• 1883: Willie Fernie (Scotland)
• 1882: Bob Ferguson (Scotland)
• 1881: Bob Ferguson (Scotland)
• 1880: Bob Ferguson (Scotland)
• 1879: Jamie Anderson (Scotland)
• 1878: Jamie Anderson (Scotland)
• 1877: Jamie Anderson (Scotland)
• 1876: Bob Martin (Scotland)
• 1875: Willie Park Sr. (Scotland)
• 1874: Mungo Park (Scotland)
• 1873: Tom Kidd (Scotland)
• 1872: Tom Morris Jr. (Scotland)
• 1871: Not held
• 1870: Tom Morris Jr. (Scotland)
• 1869: Tom Morris Jr. (Scotland)
• 1868: Tom Morris Jr. (Scotland)
• 1867: Tom Morris Sr. (Scotland)
• 1866: Willie Park Sr. (Scotland)
• 1865: Andrew Strath (Scotland)
• 1864: Tom Morris Sr. (Scotland)
• 1863: Willie Park Sr. (Scotland)
• 1862: Tom Morris Sr. (Scotland)
• 1861: Tom Morris Sr. (Scotland)
• 1860: Willie Park Sr. (Scotland)

Who has won the most Open Championships?

Harry Vardon has won the British Open the most items, with six wins. Below is a list of all the players who have won more than one Open Championship:

• Harry Vardon - 6 (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
• James Braid - 5 (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910)
• John Henry Taylor - 5 (1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913)
• Peter Thomson - 5 (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965)
• Tom Watson - 5 (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
• Tom Morris Sr. - 4 (1861, 1862, 1864, 1867)
• Tom Morris Jr. - 4 (1868, 1869, 1870, 1872)
• Willie Park Sr. - 4 (1860, 1863, 1866, 1875)
• Walter Hagen - 4 (1922, 1924, 1928, 1929)
• Bobby Locke - 4 (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957)
• Jamie Anderson - 3 (1877, 1878, 1879)
• Bob Ferguson - 3 (1880, 1881, 1882)
• Bobby Jones - 3 (1926, 1927, 1930)
• Henry Cotton - 3 (1934, 1937, 1948)
• Gary Player - 3 (1959, 1968, 1974)
• Jack Nicklaus - 3 (1966, 1970, 1978)
• Seve Ballesteros - 3 (1979, 1984, 1988)
• Nick Faldo - 3 (1987, 1990, 1992)
• Tiger Woods - 3 (2000, 2005, 2006)
• Bob Martin - 2 (1876, 1885)
• Willie Park Jr. - 2 (1887, 1889)
• Harold Hilton - 2 (1892, 1897)
• Arnold Palmer - 2 (1961, 1962)
• Lee Trevino - 2 (1971, 1972)
• Greg Norman - 2 (1986, 1993)
• Pádraig Harrington - 2 (2007, 2008)
• Ernie Els - 2 (2002, 2012)