Honestly, the list of British Open champions is basically a history book of golf disguised as a spreadsheet. If you look at it long enough, you start to see the patterns of heartbreak and pure, unadulterated dominance. It’s not just names and scores; it’s a century and a half of guys battling sideways rain and literal beer bottles.
Take Scottie Scheffler. Just last summer in 2025 at Royal Portrush, the guy basically turned the tournament into his own personal Sunday stroll. He finished at $17$-under-par, which is just absurd when you consider how many people have been chewed up and spit out by the Northern Irish coast. He didn't just win; he sort of systematically dismantled the hopes of everyone else on that leaderboard, including Harris English and Rory McIlroy.
The Open—or the British Open, if you're not a purist—is different. It’s the oldest major. It’s the one where an amateur can still ruin a pro's week.
The Men Who Made the Claret Jug Famous
When you scan the list of British Open champions, some names just keep popping up like they own the place. Harry Vardon is still the king. Six titles. Think about that. He won his first in 1896 and his last in 1914. Most of us can't keep a New Year's resolution for two weeks, and this guy was winning majors across three different decades.
Then you have the "Big Five" of the modern era. Peter Thomson, James Braid, J.H. Taylor, and Tom Watson all have five. Tom Watson is particularly special because he almost made it six in 2009 at the age of 59. Imagine being a few inches away from beating the best players in the world when you're nearly eligible for a senior discount at the movies. He lost in a playoff to Stewart Cink, but we all know who the real hero was that day.
The Recent Run of Dominance (2020-2025)
The last few years have been a wild ride. We had the 2020 cancellation—the first time since World War II that the tournament didn't happen. Since then, it’s been a revolving door of elite talent.
- 2025: Scottie Scheffler. Won by four shots at Royal Portrush. Total score: 267.
- 2024: Xander Schauffele. Took it home at Royal Troon with a 275.
- 2023: Brian Harman. The "Hoylake Assassin" who absolutely gutted the field at Royal Liverpool.
- 2022: Cameron Smith. His final-round 64 at St Andrews was pure magic.
- 2021: Collin Morikawa. Became the first player to win two different majors in his debut attempt.
Why the British Open List is So Weird
The thing about the list of British Open champions is that it includes people you’ve never heard of alongside the legends. For every Tiger Woods (who has three, by the way), there’s a Ben Curtis. In 2003, Curtis was ranked 396th in the world. He showed up to Royal St. George’s, and somehow, the golf gods decided it was his week. He became the first golfer since 1913 to win his major debut.
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Then there’s the Jean van de Velde incident in 1999. He’s technically not on the list of winners, but he’s the reason Paul Lawrie is. Van de Velde famously fell apart on the 72nd hole, ending up in a burn (that’s a stream for those not in Scotland) and eventually losing the playoff. Lawrie started the day 10 shots back. Ten! That's still a record for the biggest final-round comeback in major history.
The All-Time Legends
| Name | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Vardon | 6 | 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914 |
| James Braid | 5 | 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910 |
| Tom Watson | 5 | 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983 |
| Peter Thomson | 5 | 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965 |
| Tiger Woods | 3 | 2000, 2005, 2006 |
| Jack Nicklaus | 3 | 1966, 1970, 1978 |
It’s kind of crazy that Jack Nicklaus "only" won three. He was the runner-up seven times. If two or three putts had dropped differently, the list of British Open champions would basically just be his biography.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Winners
People think you have to be a power hitter to win The Open. Wrong. Look at Brian Harman in 2023. He’s not a big guy. He doesn’t hit it 350 yards. He just putted the lights out. The Open is about "links" golf. It's about hitting the ball low so the wind doesn't grab it and throw it into a gorse bush.
It’s also about luck. Harry Bradshaw in 1949 literally hit his ball into a broken beer bottle. He decided to play it as it lay, glass shattered everywhere, and he ended up losing in a playoff to Bobby Locke. If he’d taken a drop, he might be on the list.
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The Amateur Era and the Birth of the Belt
Before they gave out the Claret Jug, the winner got a red morocco leather belt with silver buckles. Seriously. Young Tom Morris won three in a row from 1868 to 1870, so they let him keep the belt. They didn't even have a trophy for the 1871 tournament, so they just... didn't play it.
When they finally brought it back in 1872, Young Tom won again. That's four in a row. No one has ever done that since. He was 21 years old. Sadly, he died at 24. It’s one of those tragic "what if" stories that haunts the history of the game.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Stats Nerds
If you’re trying to use the list of British Open champions to predict future winners or just win a bar bet, keep these things in mind:
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- Age Matters (Usually): Most winners are in their late 20s or early 30s, but the links courses allow older players like Darren Clarke (2011) or Ernie Els (2012) to stay competitive way longer than they do at the Masters.
- The "Debut" Myth: While Ben Curtis and Collin Morikawa won on their first try, most champions spend years learning how to play in the wind before they actually lift the jug.
- Venue Bias: Some guys just "get" certain courses. Tiger Woods at St Andrews in 2000 was the most dominant performance I've ever seen. He didn't hit a single bunker for 72 holes. At St Andrews! That’s like driving through New York City and never hitting a red light.
To really understand the list of British Open champions, you have to look at the scores. In the 1860s, guys were winning with scores like 163... but they only played 36 holes back then. The first 72-hole winner was Harold Hilton in 1892. He was an amateur.
Basically, the list tells us that golf is hard, the weather in Scotland is worse, and every once in a while, a guy like Scottie Scheffler comes along and makes it look like a video game.
Next Steps for the Golf Obsessed
- Check the 2026 Venue: The Open heads to Royal Birkdale next. Look at past winners there (like Jordan Spieth in 2017) to see what kind of game travels well to that specific stretch of coastline.
- Watch the 1999 Highlights: If you want to see how quickly a name can disappear from the potential winners list, watch the final hole at Carnoustie. It's a masterclass in what not to do.
- Track the World Rankings: Look at the current top 10. Historically, about 70% of winners in the last two decades were ranked in the top 20 going into the week.