The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open (and originally known as the Senior British Open), is a professional golf tournament for players aged 50 and over. It is jointly owned and run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship, and the PGA European Tour. Prize money won in the event is official money on both PGA Tour Champions (formerly the Senior PGA Tour and Champions Tour) and the European Senior Tour. The purse, which is fixed in United States dollars, had increased to $2.75 million for 2023.

History

The tournament was first held in 1987 and became part of the European Seniors Tour schedule in 1992. It is younger than the PGA Seniors Championship, which started in 1957, as well as the U.S. Senior Open and the Senior PGA Championship. In late 2002 it was designated as the fifth major championship on the Champions Tour schedule. Winners before 2003 were not retroactively designated as Champions Tour major winners until late 2018. Winners gain entry into the following season's Open Championship. The event is usually held the week following The Open Championship, although in 1991 it was held the week before the Open and in 1998 it was held in August, three weeks after the Open.

The 2018 Senior Open was held at St Andrews for the first time, a decision which was heavily influenced by five-time Open champion Tom Watson. In 2020, the championship was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Currently, the following players are exempt from qualifying for The Senior Open, provided they are 50 years old as of the opening day of the tournament. Amateur categories require that the player is still an amateur on the opening day of the tournament.

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| 2019 || Bernhard Langer (4) || align=center|274 || align=center|−6 || 2 strokes || Paul Broadhurst || Royal Lytham & St. Annes

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| 2018 || Miguel Ángel Jiménez || align=center|276 || align=center|−12 || 1 stroke || Bernhard Langer || St Andrews

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| 2017 || Bernhard Langer (3) || align=center|280 || align=center|−4 || 3 strokes || Corey Pavin || Royal Porthcawl

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| 2016 || Paul Broadhurst || align=center|277 || align=center|−11 || 2 strokes || Scott McCarron || Carnoustie

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| 2015 || Marco Dawson || align=center|264 || align=center|−16 || 1 stroke || Bernhard Langer || Sunningdale

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| 2014 || Bernhard Langer (2) || align=center|266 || align=center|−18 || 13 strokes || Colin Montgomerie || Royal Porthcawl

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| 2013 || Mark Wiebe || align=center|271 || align=center|−9 || Playoff || Bernhard Langer || Royal Birkdale

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| 2012 || Fred Couples ||align=center|271 || align=center|−9 || 2 strokes || Gary Hallberg || Turnberry

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| 2011 || Russ Cochran || align=center|276 || align=center|−12 || 2 strokes || Mark Calcavecchia || Walton Heath

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| 2010 || Bernhard Langer || align=center|279 || align=center|−5 || 1 stroke || Corey Pavin || Carnoustie

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| 2009 || Loren Roberts (2) || align=center|268 || align=center|−12 || Playoff || Fred Funk<br> Mark McNulty || Sunningdale

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| 2008 || Bruce Vaughan || align=center|278 || align=center|−6 || Playoff || John Cook || Royal Troon

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| 2007 || Tom Watson (3) || align=center|284 || align=center|E || 1 stroke || Stewart Ginn<br> Mark O'Meara || Muirfield

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! colspan=8|The Senior British Open Championship

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| 2006 || Loren Roberts || align=center|274 || align=center|−6 || Playoff || Eduardo Romero || Turnberry

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| 2005 || Tom Watson (2) || align=center|280 || align=center|−4 || Playoff || Des Smyth || Royal Aberdeen

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| 2004 || Pete Oakley || align=center|284 || align=center|−4 || 1 stroke || Tom Kite<br> Eduardo Romero || Royal Portrush

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! colspan=8|Senior British Open

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| 2003 || Tom Watson || align=center|263 || align=center|−17 || Playoff || Carl Mason || Turnberry

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| 2002 || Noboru Sugai || align=center|281 || align=center|−3 || 2 strokes || John Irwin || rowspan=3|Royal County Down

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| 2001 || Ian Stanley || align=center|278 || align=center|−6 || Playoff || Bob Charles

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| 2000 || Christy O'Connor Jnr (2) || align=center|275 || align=center|−9 || 2 strokes || John Bland

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| 1999 || Christy O'Connor Jnr || align=center|282 || align=center|−6 || 3 strokes || John Bland || rowspan=5|Royal Portrush

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| 1998 || Brian Huggett || align=center|283 || align=center|−5 || Playoff || Eddie Polland

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| 1997 || Gary Player (3) || align=center|278 || align=center|−10 || Playoff || John Bland

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| 1996 || Brian Barnes (2) || align=center|277 || align=center|−11 || 3 strokes || Bob Charles<br> David Oakley

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| 1995 || Brian Barnes || align=center|281 || align=center|−7 || Playoff || Bob Murphy

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| 1994 || Tom Wargo || align=center|280 || align=center|−8 || 2 strokes || Bob Charles<br> Doug Dalziel || rowspan=3|Royal Lytham & St. Annes

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| 1993 || Bob Charles (2) || align=center|291 || align=center|+7 || 1 stroke || Tommy Horton<br> Gary Player

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| 1992 || John Fourie || align=center|282 || align=center|−2 || 3 strokes || Bob Charles<br> Neil Coles

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! colspan=8|Seniors' British Open

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| 1991 || Bobby Verwey || align=center|285 || align=center|+1 || 1 stroke || Bob Charles<br> Tommy Horton || Royal Lytham & St. Annes

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! colspan=8|Volvo Seniors' British Open

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| 1990 || Gary Player (2) || align=center|280 || align=center|E || 1 stroke || Deane Beman<br> Brian Waites || rowspan=3|Turnberry

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| 1989 || Bob Charles || align=center|269 || align=center|−11 || 7 strokes || Billy Casper

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| 1988 || Gary Player || align=center|272 || align=center|−8 || 1 stroke || Billy Casper

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! colspan=8|Seniors' British Open

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| 1987 || Neil Coles ||align=center|279 || align=center|−1 || 1 stroke || Bob Charles || Turnberry

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Multiple winners

Seven players have multiple victories in the Senior Open Championship<!-- through 2017 -->:

  • 4 wins: Bernhard Langer (2010, 2014, 2017, 2019)
  • 3 wins: Gary Player (1988, 1990, 1997), Tom Watson (2003, 2005, 2007)
  • 2 wins: Bob Charles (1989, 1993), Brian Barnes (1995, 1996), Christy O'Connor Jnr (1999, 2000), Loren Roberts (2006, 2009)

Winners of both The Open and The Senior Open

Five players have won both The Open Championship and The Senior Open Championship, (two of the professional majors run by the R&A).

{| class="wikitable"

! Player !! The Open Championship !! The Senior Open Championship

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| Gary Player || align=center|1959, 1968, 1974 || align=center|1988, 1990, 1997

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| Bob Charles || align=center|1963 || align=center|1989, 1993

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| Tom Watson || align=center|1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983 || align=center|2003, 2005, 2007

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| Darren Clarke || align=center|2011 || align=center|2022

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| Pádraig Harrington || align=center|2007, 2008 || align=center|2025

|}

Host courses

The Senior Open Championship has been played at the following courses, listed in order of number of times hosted (as of 2024):

  • 7 Turnberry Golf Club (Ailsa Course)
  • 6 Royal Portrush Golf Club (Dunluce Course)
  • 5 Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club
  • 4 Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course)
  • 3 Royal County Down Golf Club (Championship Course), Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Carnoustie Golf Links (Championship Course)
  • 2 Royal Troon Golf Club (Old Course)
  • 1 Gleneagles (Kings Course), St Andrews Links (Old Course), Muirfield, Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Walton Heath Golf Club, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club (Balgownie Course)

Future venues

{| class="wikitable"

!Year!!Course!!Town!!County!!Country!!Dates

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|2026

|Gleneagles (Kings Course)

|Auchterarder

|Perth and Kinross

|Scotland

|| 23–26 July

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|2027

|Royal Porthcawl

|Porthcawl

|Bridgend County Borough

|Wales

|22–25 July

|}

Notes

References

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  • Coverage on the European Senior Tour's official site
  • Coverage on the PGA Tour Champions' official site