The Open Championship: Everything you need to know

The Open Championship. It’s the final major of the year, the oldest of them all, and, for many, the most eagerly anticipated too.

There is a magic about the Open Championship and golf’s must-watch event is now so popular you have to win a ticket lottery to get a prized ticket.

Following Brian Harman‘s runaway victory at Royal Liverpool last year, the Open Championship circus moves north again, with Royal Troon playing host to the 152nd edition of the tournament.

This will be the 10th time that Troon has staged the event. Arthur Havers won the first edition of the Open to be played at the Scottish venue – back in 1923. The most recent came in 2016, when Henrik Stenson outlasted Phil Mickelson in an incredible duel. The Swede broke both the aggregate and to par scoring records with his win.

In between, some of golf’s biggest names been victorious at Royal Troon. Bobby Locke, Arnold Palmer, and Tom Watson have all been victorious in the Open at this incredible venue. Watson claimed the fourth of his five Claret Jugs at Troon in 1982.

The historical venue has also seen surprise winners. Todd Hamilton won the 2004 Open Championship in what is known as one of the biggest shocks in the tournament’s history. The American had only won once on the PGA Tour prior to the event, and he defeated Ernie Els in a four-hole aggregate playoff. It would be his last professional tournament win.

Everything you need to know about the 152nd Open Championship

Check out our comprehensive coverage of the 152nd Open – 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

When and where will the 152nd Open Championship take place?

The 152nd Open Championship will be played at the Royal Troon Golf Club in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland. The event will take place from July 18-21.

Who won the last Open Championship?

The 151st Open Championship was won by American Brian Harman. It was the left-hander’s first major title, and he would go on to play in the Ryder Cup for the first time in September of 2023 following his win.

What is the history around the event?

The Open Championship is, without doubt, the longest-running golf tournament in the world. It has been played every year since 1860 (apart from 2020 when the event was cancelled due to COVID-19).

1860 saw the inaugural Open Championship held at Prestwick, and the tournament would remain at the venue for the next decade.

Check out how the tournament began with our piece on the first ever Open Championship here.

In its 152-edition history, the tournament has been played across 13 venues in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Neither Wales nor Ireland have hosted the Open Championship.

The Old Course at St Andrews has played host to the tournament on the most occasions, with 30 runnings of the Open being played at the ‘Home of Golf’.

The 2024 edition will be the tenth at Royal Troon, moving it into double figures alongside Muirfield, Royal St George’s, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes and Royal Birkdale.

Which golfers have been the most successful at the Open Championship?

There have been 27 players who have won the tournament on multiple occasions, but only one of those has won the event six times.

Harry Vardon first won the Open in 1896, and he would go on to win the title five more times. Two of those came before the turn of the 20th Century, in 1898 and 1899, with further wins in 1903, 1911, and 1914.

James Braid, J.H. Taylor, Peter Thompson and Tom Watson are all five-time winners of the tournament, with the latter managing to win the Open five times in nine events.

Both Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris are among the four-time winners, while amateur Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods have all lifted the Claret Jug on three occasions.

Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and Padraig Harrington are part of the two-time winning group, with the Irishman being the last to defend his Open Championship crown.

How can I get tickets for the 152nd Open Championship?

Digital tickets for the event will be available for download 4-6 weeks prior to the event. A Resale Platform is also available for ticket holders to resell their tickets to other fans securely and at face-value prices until July 2024.

Who are the members of the LIV Golf League participating in the 152nd Open?

17 members of the 2024 LIV Golf League, including 2022 Open Champion Cameron Smith, have confirmed their entry into The 152nd Open.

To learn more about the full lineup, as well as which golfers are eligible for the other three majors, click here.

How can I watch the 152nd Open Championship?

The 152nd Open will be broadcasted live around the world by various broadcast partners. Comprehensive coverage, including live scoring, shot-by-shot data, and player highlights, will be available on The Open’s website. The One Club members will have access to additional live streams. An app, available for both Apple and Android devices, will also provide extensive coverage.

In the United Kingdom, the action will be shown live on Sky Sports. The details are as follows:

Thursday 18th – Round 1 – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Golf from 6:30am
Friday 19th – Round 2 – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Golf from 6:30am
Saturday 20th – Round 3 – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Golf from 8am
Sunday 21st – Round 4 – Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Golf from 8am

For our full piece on how to watch the action live this week, take a look here.

What are the odds for the 152nd Open Championship?

Scottie Scheffler is the favourite to take home the Claret Jug and win his second major championship of the year. He is currently 9/2, with Rory McIlroy as the second favourite at 8/1.

Check out who we think is going to do well at Royal Troon – our picks are live here.

Yes, The Open Podcasts will return for the 152nd Open from Wednesday, July 17 to Sunday, July 21 that you can listen to here.

How does the qualifying process for the 152nd Open Championship work?

Regional Qualifying took place at 15 courses in Great Britain and Ireland on 26 June. The leading finishers at each event earned places at Final Qualifying on 2 July. A minimum of 16 players from Final Qualifying will then participate in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

Where did Final Qualifying for the 152nd Open Championship take place?

Final Qualifying for the 152nd Open Championship will take place on Tuesday, July 2 at four venues around the country. Burnham & Berrow, Dundonald Links, Royal Cinque Ports, and West Lancashire all played host.

You can check out which players made it through Final Qualifying to make the field for the Open Championship here.

How much will the winner take home from Troon this week?

The prize money breakdown for the 2024 edition of the Open Championship will be the same as last years, with a total prize purse of $16.5 million.

Last year’s winner, Brian Harman, took home $3 million for the victory, along with the Claret Jug.

When the breakdown of the prize purse is announced, we will bring it to you here.

Leaderboard

Championship week

We will update this throughout the week as the Open Championship takes over Royal Troon.

Open Rules of Golf

Will there be any internal out of bounds or rules dramas? We will bring those to you throughout the week!

What are your thoughts about this year’s Open Championship? Why not let us know with a tweet?

A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.

Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.

A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.

Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.

Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.

What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; Caley 01T irons 4-PW; TaylorMade Hi-Toe wedges, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.

The Open: Everything you need to know about the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon