St Andrews to host 150th Open Championship

As expected, the Open Championship will head to St Andrews in 2021.

Royal St George’s was last year named as the venue for 2020, bucking the trend of St Andrews hosting on a five-year cycle which began in 1990.

The Home of Golf was expected to be given the nod for the 150th edition of golf’s oldest major, and that is now confirmed.

It will be the 30th time that the Open has been played over the Old Course, the latest of which saw Zach Johnson defeat Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen in a play-off in 2015.

“The Open holds a very special place in the hearts of golf and sports fans around the world,” Martin Slumbers, chief executive of the R&A, said. “St Andrews has produced a revered group of outstanding Champion Golfers since the Open was first played on the Old Course in 1873.

“Once again we look forward to seeing the greatest players take on the challenge of the world’s most iconic links course in their pursuit of the Claret Jug.”

Carnoustie will host the Open this year, with a return to Royal Portrush to follow in 2019. Then it’s down to the Kent coast in 2020 and the 150th edition will be played from July 11-18, 2021.