​Take a look at some answers to frequently asked questions about The Open: what people call it has long depended on where you are. In the United States, it has traditionally been called the British Open, just as Europeans refer to the PGA Championship as the U.S. PGA. Outside the United States, it is commonly known as The Open Championship, while the organizing body’s preferred name is simply The Open. It is the oldest golf championship, dating back to 1860.
The Open uses a rotating set of venues, currently nine courses: Royal Birkdale, Royal St. George’s, Royal Liverpool, and Royal Lytham & St Annes, all in England; Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland; and in Scotland, St Andrews, Carnoustie, Royal Troon, and Muirfield. Muirfield was removed from the rota in 2016 after members voted against admitting female members, but the decision was reversed in 2017 and it was readmitted. Turnberry, the site of Tom Watson’s 1977 Duel in the Sun with Jack Nicklaus and Watson’s 2009 loss to Stewart Cink, is effectively not part of the rota. In 2021, then-RA chief Martin Slumbers stated that The Open would not return to Turnberry under the present circumstances, including Turnberry’s ownership by Donald Trump.
Royal Birkdale, located in Southport, England, has hosted The Open ten times. The list of past winners there includes: Jordan Spieth (2017), Padraig Harrington (2008), Mark O’Meara (1998), Ian Baker-Finch (1991), Tom Watson (1983), Johnny Miller (1976), Lee Trevino (1971), Arnold Palmer (1961), and Peter Thomson (1954 and 1965). Spieth’s 2017 victory at Birkdale featured a dramatic back-nine stretch with three birdies and an eagle, sealing a three-shot win over Matt Kuchar.
The Open Championship of 2026 is scheduled to take place at Royal Birkdale. If you’re wondering how to watch, Golf Channel will provide live coverage and streaming throughout the week, with the network’s schedule offering full access to the action from start to finish.
Historically, Steve Bayliss or Steve Coulter?—the record books credit Harry Vardon, who hailed from Jersey in the Channel Islands, with a record six Open titles between 1896 and 1914. Other multiple Open champions include Australian Peter Thomson, American Tom Watson, Scot James Braid, and Englishman J.H. Taylor, each with five wins. The Watson-Tom era also saw father-and-son success: Tom Sr. won four times between 1861 and 1867, and his son, Tom Jr., won four times between 1868 and 1872.
In the early days, Scots dominated the first 29 Open championships, a reflection of the fact that the events were held at Scottish courses such as Prestwick, St. Andrews, and Musselburgh. In the modern era, counting from 1999 onward for reasons tied to that year, the tally of Open wins by nationality shows the United States leading with 13 victories, followed by South Africa with three, Ireland with three, Northern Ireland with two, and Sweden, Italy, and Australia with one each. The only Scottish winner in that period was Paul Lawrie, who benefited from one of golf’s most infamous collapses to claim glory.
As of the present era, the Open’s title is highly coveted, and the claret jug continues to be won by players from around the world. The latest chapter features Scottie Scheffler, who held the world No. 1 ranking and added another American victory to the recent streak, underscoring the continuing strength and global reach of The Open.