Gary Player 1961 Open Championship Royal Birkdale

Lore & Background

The tournament was originally played each May over the West Course at the Wentworth Club in Surrey, England, but switched to September in 2019 as part of a revamp of the golfing calendar. It is often regarded as the flagship event on the European Tour and is the tour's designated 'Premier event' for Official World Golf Rankings, with a minimum of 64 ranking points available to the winner.

Reader's Guide

The winner receives an exemption into that season's U.S. Open and the next three Open Championships. In 2000, Colin Montgomerie became the only player to win three years in a row. In 2021, Billy Horschel became only the second American to win the event, the first since Arnold Palmer in 1975.

Did You Know?

• The BMW PGA Championship previously had the highest prize money of any event the European Tour organises, but this changed in 2009 with the introduction of the Race to Dubai.
• In 2024, the event attracted 114,000 spectators.
• Currently in the United Kingdom, all four rounds are shown live by Sky Sports with highlights on the BBC.