The last golf major of the year is just a few weeks away, the British Open is one of the most fun to watch tournaments of the year.

Why?

The links-style golf?

It’s the last chance of the year for Brooks Koepka to get first or second at another major?

The obligatory Tiger running out of chances to catch Jack conversation with your idiot friends at the club?

No.

The Open coverage starts at 3 am EDT which means the Stick and Hack crew can watch golf 9 hours (after canceling all calls and meetings) and then go play and be home by 6 pm for dinner. It really is the only way tournaments should be played moving forward in our opinion. Please write your congressman and help us get this done.

Read below to get the key facts and history of The Open.

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The Open, sometimes referred to as The British Open or The Open Championship, is the oldest of all four major championships in professional golf – The Masters, The US Open, The Open, and The PGA Championship.  The Open was first played on October 17, 1860, at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.  While the other three majors are played in the United States, The Open is played outside the U.S. as it is administered by the R&A – the governing body of golf outside the U.S. and Mexico.

The tournament is held every year on one of nine links courses amidst Scotland and England. While it was played once at Northern Ireland’s Royal Portrush in 1951, The Open has not returned since. However, in June 2014, the R&A announced that Royal Portrush Golf Club has been added back to The Open rota. The 148th Open in July 2019 is the first time in 68 years that The Open has been played in Northern Ireland. The R&A appoints the host of the championship typically three years in advance.

The Open is always played on the weekend of the third Friday in July.  It is a 72-hole stroke play tournament with a cut at the end of the first two rounds, limiting the field to the top 70 players and ties.  In the event of a tie after 72 holes, The Open features a four-hole playoff and continues to sudden-death if a winner has still not emerged.

Over the years of The Open, several awards have been given out for various achievements.  Some of these include the Challenge Belt, The Gold Medal, The Silver Medal, and the Bronze Medal.  Today perhaps the most prized award is The Claret Jug.  Also known as the Golf Champion Trophy, it replaced the Challenge Belt and has been awarded to the winner each year since 1873.

*Originally posted on Perry Golf 

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