The Open Championship is the oldest golf tournament in the world and, as such, will always hold a special place in the fabric of the game. It is among the most prestigious events in any sport, too, with its Claret Jug one of the most striking trophies it is possible to lift.
Many of the sport’s greatest players have won The Open during their time while plenty have not – some even letting a golden opportunity to immortalize their name slip by in agonizing fashion.
Yet, no one has claimed more Open titles than Harry Vardon (six) and no course is more synonymous with the great championship than St Andrews’ Old having hosted 30 times to date, despite Prestwick being the birthplace and 24-time location.
Played on links courses throughout the British Isles on a rota decided upon by the R&A, the unique nature of the tournament adds a further degree of intrigue to the only men’s Major played outside of the United States.
But what else makes the final men’s Major of the season so special? Ahead of the 152nd running at Royal Troon this week, Golf Monthly asked several Callaway staffers for their opinion on the subject.
INCI MEHMET
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“The Open is such a special event because it just feels like the pinnacle. I might be a little bit biased here because I’m British, but – historically – it’s always given me goosebumps.
“The storylines are always incredible, the showdowns we’ve seen are amazing, and the atmosphere – you just cannot replicate that anywhere in the world. It’s got to be at The Open.”
MIN WOO LEE
Min Woo Lee wears a chef’s hat while addressing the crowd on the 17th green at the 2023 Australian PGA Championship
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“You can hear the bagpipes in the background. I mean, that’s pretty special in itself. But just the creativity of the shots you need around a links golf course – putting it from 10-20 yards off the green – something different that you don’t do on most courses. Your creativity here needs to be high.”
Nicolai Hojgaard and Rasmus Hojgaard
Nicolai and Rasmus Hojgaard
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Nicolai Hojgaard: “It’s just the history. It’s up there as the tournament we all want to win. It’s cool to look through the archives and see all the history. It would be fun to be maybe the first Dane to win it.”
Rasmus Hojgaard: “Tradition, and we don’t play links golf that often. So to get out on very old links courses is such a cool thing. And The Open has got a lot of history, it’s one of the tournaments you want to win. Everyone in the field is so excited to turn up at the Open ever year.”
ALEX NOREN
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“It’s special because it’s tradition, history, and it’s so natural. You just fall in love with it. It’s like, the turf is great – it’s firm, fast and running. And I also like it when there’s ‘opportunity golf’. You don’t have to hit every shot perfectly, you can get up and down from crazy spots – you can recover. It’s not like, sometimes at a US Open, it sets up like it dictates what you have to do whereas here it’s very, sort of, free.”
MATTHEW JORDAN
Royal Liverpool Golf Club member Matthew Jordan
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“I think it’s just the pinnacle of golf. When you’re a kid, that’s the one you dream about, certainly coming from Hoylake and seeing all the greats turn up aspiring to win that Open Championship. For me, that’s why you practice. You see them win it, you see how happy there are when they lift it. It’s a dream for every golfer, and that’s the feeling you get when you turn up.”
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