One of the oldest sporting events, the Open Championship, boasts a rich and unique history unlike any other. Often touted as golf’s original major, it was held for the first time ever in 1860 at Scotland’s Prestwick Golf Club, the field for which boasted just eight players! Since then, the coveted event has been staged at many iconic courses and has been won by the likes of Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and more!

A unique aspect of the Open Championship that sets it apart from other majors is that it always takes place on a coastal links golf course. Among the many links set-ups that have hosted the tournament, the Royal Liverpool Club in England is undoubtedly one of the most iconic! As the landmark venue gets ready to host the 151st edition of the Open, let’s dive in to learn more about what the sea-hugging gem has to offer!

The incredible history of the Royal Liverpool Club

The Royal Liverpool Club, often referred to as Hoylake, was founded in 1869 and is one of the oldest English seaside clubs. The original course, which Robert Chambers and George Morris laid down, featured just nine holes. A few years later, in 1871, the course grew to boast 18 holes and came to be known as the Royal Liverpool.

Until 1876, it was used both as a place for golfing events and as a horse racing track. In fact, the 1st and the 18th holes are called the Course and the Stand, respectively! The Royal Hotel, next to the 17th, used to be the clubhouse back in the day.

The club not only has an illustrious history of staging Open Championships but has also been a landmark venue for the amateur game. In 1895, the Royal Liverpool hosted the first recognized Amateur Championship, a tournament that golfer A.F. Mackie won. Down the road, Hoylake went on to have its very own amateur superstar, Johnny Ball, the eldest son of the owner of the Royal Hotel. His first of eight Amateur titles had come in 1889. The following year, he won the Open Championship at Prestwick, becoming the first amateur to do so.

Royal Liverpool hosted its first Open Championship in 1897

After having claimed the Open at Muirfield in 1892, the first time the tournament was played over 72 holes, Harold Hilton did it once again in 1897. This time around, Hilton’s victory came at Royal Liverpool, a club that was just a mile away from his birthplace in West Kirby. In doing so, he became the only amateur other than John Ball and Bobby Jones to win the major.

Between 1897 and 2014, Hoylake hosted the Open a total of 12 times. Five years after Hilton’s win, Scot Sandy Herd won the second Hoylake Open. Later, in 1907, French player Arnaud Massy became the first non-Briton to nab the Open. After the incredible feat, he went on to name his daughter Margot Hoylake Massy after the beautiful golf course in Wirral, Merseyside, England.

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Several of the greatest in the game, including Bobby Jones, Tiger Woods, and Rory McIlroy, have all lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool.

Most memorable Open Championship wins at Royal Liverpool

In 1930, Bobby Jones accomplished an unbelievable Grand Slam feat that consisted of wins at the US Open, US Amateur, the Open Championship, and British Amateur. That year, his Open win, the second leg of his grand slam, had come at Hoylake. The golfer was just 28 years of age!

After Roberto De Vincenzo’s win in 1967, the Royal Liverpool Club’s infrastructure was deemed unfit for a major. Nearly 4 decades later, it served as the host to its 11th Open Championship, a tournament that was won by none other than Tiger Woods! It was the golfer’s third and final Open Championship win.

In 2014, Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy clinched a thrilling two-shot victory over Sergio Garcia and Rickie Fowler for his third major title. In doing so, he joined Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won three of golf’s four majors by the young age of 25.

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Now, nearly a decade later, the Open Championship will once again return to the prestigious venue. Whichever golfer emerges winner at the 151st Open will not only nab the much-elusive major win but will also secure his place in the beautiful history of the Royal Liverpool!