The Open Championship has been played since 1860, making it the oldest of all the PGA Tour majors. This fourth and final major of the year is being played at Royal Portrush for the first time since 2019. The golf course in Northern Ireland also hosted The Open Championship in 1951, the first time the tournament wasn’t played on the island of Great Britain.
In the 2019 event, Irishman Shane Lowry’s margin of victory was six shots over Tommy Fleetwood. That was Lowry’s first career major win, sealed by his eight-under round of 63 (the course record) during the third round. Royal Portrush plays 7,337 yards long as a par 71. The tournament scoring record for The Open was set by Henrik Stenson (2016) and Cameron Smith (2022) at 20-under-par.
History and Playing Conditions of The Open Championship
The Open Championship was first played in 1860 with just eight golfers, who played three rounds of 12 holes. It was called The Open because it was open to both professional and amateur competitors. In 1872, the Claret Jug was awarded for the first time and is still in use today.
The Open is played on coastal links golf courses typical of Great Britain. This style of course features open terrain with few trees and hazards that are part of the natural landscape. Weather can be a key factor in determining who hoists the Claret Jug at the end of the week, with wind and rain dramatically impacting each round. To combat the wind, players will use much lower ball flights and must employ even more distance control than usual. On the greens, the players will have to adjust to much slower speeds than they’re used to thanks to the high winds.
Famous Winners at The Open Championship
Last year’s champion Xander Schauffele won his second major of the year with a 9-under- par round, defeating Billy Horschel and Justin Rose by two strokes. Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Collin Morikawa and Ernie Els are just a handful of past champions who will be in the field again this week.
Who to Watch at the 2025 Open Championship
Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are the favorites heading into the final major of the year, but look out for Tyrell Hatton, who is coming off of two strong finishes in majors this year with a T14 at the Masters and a T4 at the U.S. Open.
How to Watch the 2025 Open Championship
You can watch coverage of The Open Championship on USA Network and NBC during certain windows. All times below are ET. Tee times begin at 2:00am ET.
Thursday: 1:30am-4am ET on Peacock; 4am-3:30pm ET on USA Network
Friday: 1:30am-4am ET on Peacock; 4am-3:30pm ET on USA Network
Saturday: 5am-7am ET on USA Network; 7am-3pm ET on NBC
Sunday: 4am-7am ET on USA Network; 7am-2pm ET on NBC
