The last senior major of the year will be the Senior Open Championship, and it will be held in Britain as always, but at which links venue?
The event has a lengthy history, dating back to the 1980s when the tournament was held at Turnberry for its first few editions. The Senior Open, as it has for the last few years now, will be the final senior major of the year.
The Regions Tradition, Senior PGA Championship, US Senior Open and the Kaulig Companies Championship have all come and gone so far in 2024, with three different winners.
Doug Barron became a senior major champion for the first time with his win at the Regions, before England’s Richard Bland won on his first two appearances in senior majors. He was the winner at the Senior PGA and the US Senior Open, with South African Ernie Els taking the title at the Kaulig Companies.
Players who feature on both the PGA Champions Tour and the European Legends Tour will be in action this week at the Senior Open Championship.
The last five winners of the tournament have all been different at the Senior Open, with Miguel Angel Jimenez, Bernhard Langer, Stephen Dodd and Darren Clarke victorious. German Alex Cejka is the defending champion, after winning at Royal Porthcawl last year.
This year’s venue is a familiar to British golf fans. The tournament will be held on the Championship Course at Carnoustie Golf Links, and it will be the third time that the venue plays host to the Senior Open.
Carnoustie has also been a host venue of the Open Championship on several occasions, as well as being part of the three-course swing at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour.
Senior Open Championship: The Details
- Dates: July 25-28, 2024
- Course: Championship Course at Carnoustie Golf Links, Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland
- Par: 72
- Length: 6,945 yards
- Prize purse: TBA
- Defending champion: Alex Cejka (+5)
Everything you need to know about the 2024 Senior Open Championship
Check out our coverage of the 2024 Senior Open Championship – from frequently asked questions, to the competition’s unique heritage, and how the course is shaping up – by reading and clicking on some of the links below.
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Frequently Asked Questions about the Senior Open Championship
When and where will the Senior Open Championship take place?
The venue for the Senior Open Championship changes each year, but for the 2024 edition, the tournament returns to a familiar home. Carnoustie’s Championship Course will be the venue for the event, returning to the links for the first time since 2024.
The event will take place in the week following the Open Championship, with the Senior Open being played from July 25-28.
Who won last year’s tournament?
Germany’s Alex Cejka was the victor last year, as he claimed his third senior major victory. He came out on top in a playoff against Padraig Harrington, after the pair had finished 72 holes on 5-over-par (the second worst winning score ever).
Cejka had previously won both the Regions Tradition and the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, with both of those wins coming in his first year of eligibility, 2021.
What is the history around the Senior Open Championship?
The Senior Open Championship dates back to 1987, with the first four editions of the competition being held at Turnberry.
Since its inception, there have been 14 different venues that have played host to the tournament, with several of those having also hosted the Open Championship.
Turnberry has hosted seven editions in total, more than any other venue on the Senior Open rota. Royal Portrush (6) and Royal Lytham & St Anne’s (5) are next, with Royal County Down, Sunningdale and Royal Porthcawl all having played host three times. The 2024 edition will be the third time that the event has called Carnoustie home.
Lytham (1991-1994), Portrush (1995-1999) and County Down (2000-2002) all had runs of hosting the event. Since the 2003 edition at Turnberry, the tournament has moved around the British Isles.
Germany’s Bernhard Langer is the only man to have won the Senior Open Championship on four occasions, with those wins all coming between 2010 and 2019. Gary Player and Tom Watson have both lifted the trophy three times, with Bob Charles, Brian Barnes, Christy O’Connor Jnr and Loren Roberts all two-time winners. O’Connor was the last man to defend his title, with wins in 1999 and 2000.
Have any golfers won both the Open and Senior Open?
This has happened, and on multiple occasions. Four men have been victorious at both the Open Championship and the Senior Open Championship in their careers.
They are:
- Gary Player
- Bob Charles
- Tom Watson
- Darren Clarke
Northern Ireland’s Clarke was the last man to do so after his Senior Open success in 2022. That came 11 years after he had lifted the Claret Jug.
Who is in the field for the final senior major of the year at Carnoustie?
Unsurprisingly, some of the biggest names in senior golf will be teeing it up on the east coast of Scotland.
Defending champion Alex Cejka will be coming off a solid four days at the Open Championship, while the likes of Steve Stricker, Darren Clarke, Peter Baker and home favourite Colin Montgomerie will all be aiming to win the trophy.
What are the odds for the 2024 Senior Open Championship?
Betting for the 2024 tournament is live via bet365.
Our betting preview for the week’s action, which also includes the 3M Open and LIV Golf United Kingdom, will go live soon.
How can I watch the Senior Open Championship?
The event will be broadcast around the world by various broadcast partners. For those in the United Kingdom, the action will be shown live on Sky Sports throughout the week.
- Thursday 25th: Sky Sports Golf from 12:30pm
- Friday 26th: Sky Sports Golf from 12:30pm
- Saturday 27th: Sky Sports Golf from 12:30pm
- Sunday 28th: Sky Sports Golf from 12:30pm
Comprehensive coverage, including live scoring, and much more will be available on the European Legends Tour website.
How much will the winner take home from Carnoustie?
The prize fund has not yet been announced for the 2024 Senior Open Championship.
Last year’s winner, Alex Cejka, took home $450,000 from the $2.75 million prize purse.
Are you looking forward to the Senior Open Championship? Who do you think will take the title? Let us know with a post on X, formerly Twitter!
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