Champion Golfers

Ninety men have now enjoyed the thrill of being crowned the Champion Golfer of the Year at The Open.

Following Xander Schauffele's majestic victory at Royal Troon in 2024, here is a list showing every player who has triumphed in golf’s original Championship. Numbers in brackets signify multiple wins.

1860 – The 1st Open, Prestwick - Willie Park Snr - Winning score 174

1861 – The 2nd Open, Prestwick - Old Tom Morris - 163

1862 – The 3rd Open, Prestwick - Old Tom Morris (2) - 163

1863 – The 4th Open, Prestwick - Willie Park Snr (2) - 168

1864 – The 5th Open, Prestwick - Old Tom Morris (3) - 167

1865 – The 6th Open, Prestwick - Andrew Strath - 162

1866 – The 7th Open, Prestwick - Willie Park Snr (3) - 169

1867 – The 8th Open, Prestwick - Old Tom Morris (4) - 170

1868 – The 9th Open, Prestwick - Young Tom Morris - 154

1869 – The 10th Open, Prestwick - Young Tom Morris (2) - 157

1870 – The 11th Open, Prestwick - Young Tom Morris (3) – 149

1871 – No Championship

1872 – The 12th Open, Prestwick - Young Tom Morris (4) - 166

1873 – The 13th Open, St Andrews - Tom Kidd - 179

1874 – The 14th Open, Musselburgh - Mungo Park - 159

1875 – The 15th Open, Prestwick - Willie Park Snr (4) - 166

1876 – The 16th Open, St Andrews - Bob Martin - 176

1877 – The 17th Open, Musselburgh - Jamie Anderson - 160

1878 – The 18th Open, Prestwick - Jamie Anderson (2) - 157

1879 – The 19th Open, St Andrews - Jamie Anderson (3) - 169

1880 – The 20th Open, Musselburgh - Bob Ferguson - 162

1881 – The 21st Open, Prestwick- Bob Ferguson (2) - 170

1882 – The 22nd Open, St Andrews - Bob Ferguson (3) - 171

1883 – The 23rd Open, Musselburgh - Willie Fernie - 158

1884 – The 24th Open, Prestwick - Jack Simpson - 160

1885 – The 25th Open, St Andrews - Bob Martin (2) - 171

1886 – The 26th Open, Musselburgh - David Brown - 157

1887 – The 27th Open, Prestwick - Willie Park Jnr - 161

1888 – The 28th Open, St Andrews - Jack Burns - 171

1889 – The 29th Open, Musselburgh - Willie Park Jnr (2) - 155

1890 – The 30th Open, Prestwick - John Ball Jnr - 164

1891 – The 31st Open, St Andrews - Hugh Kirkaldy – 166

1892 – The 32nd Open, Muirfield - Harold Hilton - 305

1893 – The 33rd Open, Prestwick - Willie Auchterlonie - 322

1894 – The 34th Open, Royal St George’s - J.H. Taylor - 326

1895 – The 35th Open, St Andrews - J.H. Taylor (2) - 322

1896 – The 36th Open, Muirfield - Harry Vardon - 316

1897 – The 37th Open, Royal Liverpool - Harold Hilton (2) - 314

1898 – The 38th Open, Prestwick - Harry Vardon (2) - 307

1899 – The 39th Open, Royal St George’s - Harry Vardon (3) - 310

1900 – The 40th Open, St Andrews - J.H. Taylor (3) - 309

1901 – The 41st Open, Muirfield - James Braid - 309

1902 – The 42nd Open, Royal Liverpool - Sandy Herd - 307

1903 – The 43rd Open, Prestwick - Harry Vardon (4) - 300

1904 – The 44th Open, Royal St George’s - Jack White - 296

1905 – The 45th Open, St Andrews - James Braid (2) - 318

1906 – The 46th Open, Muirfield - James Braid (3) - 300

1907 – The 47th Open, Royal Liverpool - Arnaud Massy - 312

1908 – The 48th Open, Prestwick - James Braid (4) - 291

1909 – The 49th Open, Royal Cinque Ports - J.H. Taylor (4) - 295

1910 – The 50th Open, St Andrews - James Braid (5) - 299

1911 – The 51st Open, Royal St George’s - Harry Vardon (5) - 303

1912 – The 52nd Open, Muirfield - Ted Ray - 295

1913 – The 53rd Open, Royal Liverpool - J.H. Taylor (5) - 304

1914 – The 54th Open, Prestwick - Harry Vardon (6) – 306

1915-1919 – No Championship

1920 – The 55th Open, Royal Cinque Ports - George Duncan - 303

1921 – The 56th Open, St Andrews - Jock Hutchison - 296

1922 – The 57th Open, Royal St George’s - Walter Hagen - 300

1923 – The 58th Open, Troon - Arthur Havers - 295

1924 – The 59th Open, Royal Liverpool - Walter Hagen (2) - 301

1925 – The 60th Open, Prestwick - Jim Barnes - 300

1926 – The 61st Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Bobby Jones - 291

1927 – The 62nd Open, St Andrews - Bobby Jones (2) - 285

1928 – The 63rd Open, Royal St George’s - Walter Hagen (3) - 292

1929 – The 64th Open, Muirfield - Walter Hagen (4) - 292

1930 – The 65th Open, Royal Liverpool - Bobby Jones (3) - 291

1931 – The 66th Open, Carnoustie - Tommy Armour - 296

1932 – The 67th Open, Prince’s - Gene Sarazen - 283

1933 – The 68th Open, St Andrews - Denny Shute - 292

1934 – The 69th Open, Royal St George’s - Henry Cotton - 283

1935 – The 70th Open, Muirfield - Alf Perry - 283

1936 – The 71st Open, Royal Liverpool - Alf Padgham - 287

1937 – The 72nd Open, Carnoustie - Henry Cotton (2) - 290

1938 – The 73rd Open, Royal St George’s - Reg Whitcombe - 295

1939 – The 74th Open, St Andrews - Dick Burton – 290

1940-1945 – No Championship

1946 – The 75th Open, St Andrews - Sam Snead - 290

1947 – The 76th Open, Royal Liverpool - Fred Daly - 293

1948 – The 77th Open, Muirfield - Henry Cotton (3) - 284

1949 – The 78th Open, Royal St George’s - Bobby Locke - 283

1950 – The 79th Open, Troon - Bobby Locke (2) - 279

1951 – The 80th Open, Royal Portrush - Max Faulkner - 285

1952 – The 81st Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Bobby Locke (3) - 287

1953 – The 82nd Open, Carnoustie - Ben Hogan - 282

1954 – The 83rd Open, Royal Birkdale - Peter Thomson - 283

1955 – The 84th Open, St Andrews - Peter Thomson (2) - 281

1956 – The 85th Open, Royal Liverpool - Peter Thomson (3) - 286

1957 – The 86th Open, St Andrews - Bobby Locke (4) - 279

1958 – The 87th Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Peter Thomson (4) - 278

1959 – The 88th Open, Muirfield - Gary Player - 284

1960 – The 89th Open, St Andrews - Kel Nagle - 278

1961 – The 90th Open, Royal Birkdale - Arnold Palmer - 284

1962 – The 91st Open, Troon - Arnold Palmer (2) - 276

1963 – The 92nd Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Bob Charles - 277

1964 – The 93rd Open, St Andrews - Tony Lema - 279

1965 – The 94th Open, Royal Birkdale - Peter Thomson (5) - 285

1966 – The 95th Open, Muirfield - Jack Nicklaus - 282

1967 – The 96th Open, Royal Liverpool - Roberto de Vicenzo - 278

1968 – The 97th Open, Carnoustie - Gary Player (2) - 289

1969 – The 98th Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Tony Jacklin - 280

1970 – The 99th Open, St Andrews - Jack Nicklaus (2) - 283

1971 – The 100th Open, Royal Birkdale - Lee Trevino - 278

1972 – The 101st Open, Muirfield - Lee Trevino (2) - 278

1973 – The 102nd Open, Troon - Tom Weiskopf - 276

1974 – The 103rd Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Gary Player (3) - 282

1975 – The 104th Open, Carnoustie - Tom Watson - 279

1976 – The 105th Open, Royal Birkdale - Johnny Miller - 279

1977 – The 106th Open, Turnberry - Tom Watson (2) - 268

1978 – The 107th Open, St Andrews - Jack Nicklaus (3) - 281

1979 – The 108th Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Seve Ballesteros - 283

1980 – The 109th Open, Muirfield - Tom Watson (3) - 271

1981 – The 110th Open, Royal St George’s - Bill Rogers - 276

1982 – The 111st Open, Royal Troon - Tom Watson (4) - 284

1983 – The 112th Open, Royal Birkdale - Tom Watson (5) - 275

1984 – The 113th Open, St Andrews - Seve Ballesteros (2) - 276

1985 – The 114th Open, Royal St George’s - Sandy Lyle - 282

1986 – The 115th Open, Turnberry - Greg Norman - 280

1987 – The 116th Open, Muirfield - Nick Faldo - 279

1988 – The 117th Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Seve Ballesteros (3) - 273

1989 – The 118th Open, Royal Troon - Mark Calcavecchia - 275

1990 – The 119th Open, St Andrews - Nick Faldo (2) - 270

1991 – The 120th Open, Royal Birkdale - Ian Baker-Finch - 272

1992 – The 121st Open, Muirfield - Nick Faldo (3) - 272

1993 – The 122nd Open, Royal St George’s - Greg Norman (2) - 267

1994 – The 123rd Open, Turnberry - Nick Price - 268

1995 – The 124th Open, St Andrews - John Daly - 282

1996 – The 125th Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Tom Lehman - 271

1997 – The 126th Open, Royal Troon - Justin Leonard - 272

1998 – The 127th Open, Royal Birkdale - Mark O’Meara - 280

1999 – The 128th Open, Carnoustie - Paul Lawrie - 290

2000 – The 129th Open, St Andrews - Tiger Woods - 269

2001 – The 130th Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - David Duval - 274

2002 – The 131st Open, Muirfield - Ernie Els - 278

2003 – The 132nd Open, Royal St George’s - Ben Curtis - 283

2004 – The 133rd Open, Royal Troon - Todd Hamilton - 274

2005 – The 134th Open, St Andrews - Tiger Woods (2) - 274

2006 – The 135th Open, Royal Liverpool - Tiger Woods (3) - 270

2007 – The 136th Open, Carnoustie - Padraig Harrington - 277

2008 – The 137th Open, Royal Birkdale - Padraig Harrington (2) - 283

2009 – The 138th Open, Turnberry - Stewart Cink - 278

2010 – The 139th Open, St Andrews - Louis Oosthuizen - 272

2011 – The 140th Open, Royal St George’s - Darren Clarke - 275

2012 – The 141st Open, Royal Lytham & St Annes - Ernie Els (2) - 273

2013 – The 142nd Open, Muirfield - Phil Mickelson - 281

2014 – The 143rd Open, Royal Liverpool - Rory McIlroy - 271

2015 – The 144th Open, St Andrews - Zach Johnson - 273

2016 – The 145th Open, Royal Troon - Henrik Stenson - 264

2017 – The 146th Open, Royal Birkdale - Jordan Spieth - 268

2018 – The 147th Open, Carnoustie - Francesco Molinari - 276

2019 – The 148th Open, Royal Portrush - Shane Lowry - 269

2020 – No Championship

2021 – The 149th Open, Royal St George’s - Collin Morikawa - 265

2022 - The 150th Open, St Andrews - Cameron Smith - 268

2023 - The 151st Open, Royal Liverpool - Brian Harman - 271

2024 - The 152nd Open, Royal Troon - Xander Schauffele - 275