The Open Golf Championship

When the Championship first began at Prestwick in 1860, the winner was presented with the Challenge Belt, purchased by the members of Prestwick Golf Club and made of morocco leather, embellished with a silver buckle and emblems. It was deemed at the time that the belt would become the property of the winner if it was won three times in succession.”

In 1870, Tom Morris Junior won the Open Golf Championship for the third consecutive time and became the owner of the belt.

Agreement regarding a new trophy was reached in 1872 between three clubs that were to host The Open Golf Championship. Prestwick, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club decreed that the winner would receive a medal and that each of the clubs would contribute £10 towards the cost of a new trophy, a silver claret jug. The name chosen for the prize was The Golf Champion Trophy. These decisions were taken too late for the trophy to be presented to the 1872 Open Champion,Tom Morris Junior. Instead, he was awarded with a medal inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy'. The first Open Golf Championship winner to receive the new trophy was the 1873 winner, Tom Kidd, but Tom Morris Junior’s name was also engraved on it as the 1872 winner.

In 1920, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club took over resposibility of th Open Championship. After the 1927 Open,won by Bobby Jones, the club’s Championship Committee took the decision to retain the Claret Jug in future years and the winner was to be presented with a replica. .

The original Golf Champion Trophy can be seen in The Royal and Ancient Golf Clubhouse. Alongside it is the original Challenge Belt, donated to the club in 1908 by the family of Tom Morris Senior.

The field for the Open Championship numbers 156, and around two thirds of this number is made up of leading professionals, and some amateurs, who are given exemptions

Full details of the 29 exemption categories can be found at Open Championship Exemption Categories. Other professional golfers and amateurs who play off scratch handicap, or better, can enter the competition via the qualifying competitions.

Sixteen 18-hole Regional Qualifying competitions are held around Britain and Ireland up to two weeks before the event, with successful competitors moving on to the four 36-hole Local Final Qualifying competititions. Twelve places are available through Local Qualifying.

International Qualifying comprises five 36 hole qualifying events, one each in Africa, Australasia, Asia, America and Europe. Here, only players who have an Official World Golf Ranking may enter. Thirty six places are available from International Qualifying. Eligible players may choose whether to enter local qualifying or international qualifying, but cannot enter both.


Entries in to Regional Qualifying can also be accepted from any female golfer who falls into one of the following categories: