Share

British Open: Facts and figures

Troon - We look at some interesting facts and figures for golf's oldest championship, the British Open.

Site: Royal Troon Golf Club

Length: 7,190 yards

Par: 36 (Front 9), 35 (Back 9), 71  (over 18 holes)

Field: 156 players (154 professionals, 2 amateurs).

Prize money: £6.5 million

Winner's share: £1,175,000

Defending champion: Zach Johnson

Last year: Zach Johnson made a 30-foot birdie putt in regulation for a 66 and won the four-hole aggregate playoff over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Jordan Spieth, going for the third leg of the Grand Slam, missed the playoff by one shot.

Last time at Royal Troon: Todd Hamilton got up-and-down from 40 yards away using a hybrid for his fourth straight par to defeat Ernie Els in a four-hole playoff in 2004.

Open champions at Royal Troon: Arthur Havers (1923), Bobby Locke (1950), Arnold Palmer (1962), Tom Weiskopf (1973), Tom Watson (1982), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Justin Leonard (1997), Todd Hamilton (2004).

Key statistic: Americans have won the claret jug the last six times at Royal Troon.

Noteworthy: Lee Westwood played in the final round with both major champions this year, Danny Willett at the Masters and Dustin Johnson at the U.S. Open.

Quote worthy: "I crave to have that trophy in my possession at some point, and to reach a third leg of the Grand Slam this week would be a fantastic achievement." — Jordan Spieth

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1473 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE