Carnoustie Golf Links is back in the spotlight. The course will be hosting the 2024 Senior Open presented by Rolex for the first time in eight years. The 38th edition of the Senior Open Championship will return to the Angus venue for the third time since its inception in 1987. 

From July 25–28, the world’s top senior golfers will put their skills to the test on this historic course. Did you know the Carnoustie Golf Links are also known as the ‘Golf’s Greatest Test’? Yes, that’s correct! And that’s not all.

Golf has been a part of Carnoustie’s history for an amazing 400 years! The game has been enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels since 1560. How incredible is that? Over time, the course has undergone many changes. For instance, famous designer Alan Robertson designed a 10-hole course in 1842; after that, Old Tom Morris contributed his skills in 1857 and added 8 more holes. That’s not all. In 1926, James Braid used his expertise to extend the layout of the challenging course we know and love today. 

Carnoustie Championship Course is considered one of the toughest golf courses in the world, and for good reason. The course demands exceptional skills, strategy, and focus from the golfers. The UK Golf Guy wrote a review about this golf course in 2023 and described it as “absolutely brutal at times.” He wrote, “Some of the bunkers are fiendishly difficult to escape from, and the fairways aren’t exactly generous.” Hence, it’s safe to say that these link courses are not playing around when it comes to a tough challenge. 

Speaking of challenges, the eight-time Open venue has been set up for some truly unforgettable moments in golf history. From dramatic victories to heartbreaking defeats, Carnoustie has seen it all and continues to throw the same challenge at the greatest players to this day. 

Some epic moments that Carnoustie has witnessed 

When talking about the unforgettable moments at Carnoustie, one cannot miss out on Bernhard Langer’s first senior major victory in 2010. What a gift it was! It was also the first time Bernhard Langer, then 52, secured his first Senior Open title at Carnoustie by leading the tournament from start to finish. He began the final round with a three-shot advantage, but Corey Pavin brought it down to one.

However, Bernhard maintained a two-shot lead at the 18th hole, then sank an 18-inch putt to seal his victory. This victory indeed went down in history, as Edward Kitson, Championship Director of The Senior Open, recently said, “We have witnessed some historic moments during our past visits to Carnoustie, none more so than Bernhard Langer’s first Senior Major triumph in 2010.”.

Another incredible moment on Carnoustie is not about the victory but more about learning. During the last round of the 2007 Open Championship, Sergio Garcia was ahead by three strokes going into the last round of the tournament. He was six strokes ahead of Padraig Harrington, but did that last for long? No.

After playing stunningly in the first three rounds, Garcia was close to winning his first major title. The course of the game took a wild turn when Garcia bogeyed five holes and missed the putt on the last one. This resulted in Harrington winning the 2007 The Open, while Garcia could only learn from his mistakes.

With another Senior Open ready to take place at Carnoustie, the venue is ready to witness some fresh epic moments. Who do you think will win this 2024 title? Let us know in the comment section below!