Willie Park Sr. Wins the First Open Championship at Prestwick, Scotland

On October 17, 1860, eight professional golfers gathered at Prestwick Golf Club on Scotland’s Ayrshire coast for the first Open Championship. By the end of the day, Willie Park Sr. of Musselburgh had defeated the favourite, Tom Morris, and become the tournament’s first champion.

The modest competition marked the beginning of a championship that would become one of golf’s most celebrated sporting traditions.

The Search for a Champion Golfer

The idea emerged after the death of Allan Robertson in 1859. Widely regarded as the finest golfer of his time, Robertson left behind an obvious question: who should now be recognised as the leading player?

Members of Prestwick Golf Club, including Colonel James Fairlie, helped turn that question into a competition. Invitations were sent to clubs and golfing societies in Scotland and England, asking them to nominate their best professional players.

Thirty-Six Holes in a Single Day

Prestwick’s course then consisted of twelve holes. Each competitor played it three times, completing all thirty-six holes on the same day.

Tom Morris, later known as Old Tom Morris, was Prestwick’s greenkeeper and the local favourite. Park nevertheless took an early lead with an opening round of 55. He followed it with rounds of 59 and 60, finishing with 174 strokes against Morris’s 176.

A Championship Belt as the Prize

The reward was a distinctive Challenge Belt, made from red Moroccan leather and decorated with silver. No prize money was offered at the inaugural event.

The belt belonged to the championship’s earliest chapter. The famous Claret Jug, now closely associated with The Open, became part of its history later.

The Beginning of an Enduring Competition

The first tournament was restricted to professionals. In 1861, amateurs were also admitted, and the field grew to eighteen players. Morris won that second championship, continuing a rivalry that helped shape the competition’s early years.

The Open’s beginnings were small enough for every competitor to know his rivals. Yet the central ambition was already clear: bring outstanding golfers together and let their performance on the course decide the champion.