The 148th Open Championship takes place from July 18 at Royal Portrush.
Here, PA tee up the tournament with a ’round’ of 18 facts and figures.
1 – Portrush is the only venue outside of Scotland and England to have hosted the Open.
2 – this is the second time the tournament has been hosted at Portrush, following Max Faulkner’s win in 1951.
3 – the shortest hole at Royal Portrush, a 177-yard par three.
4 – the most consecutive Open wins, by Young Tom Morris from 1868 to 1872 – the championship was not held in 1871.
5 – Tom Watson and the late Peter Thomson each won the Open five times.
6 – Harry Vardon holds the record for the most Open Championship wins, which has stood since 1914.
7 – “Curran Point”, Portrush’s longest hole at 592 yards, is one of two new holes added on the Championship Course in time for the Open. Along with the eighth, named “Dunluce”, they have replaced the traditional 17th and 18th with the holes in between shifting back on the card.
8 – entrants to the first-ever Open Championship in 1860 at Prestwick.
9 – the best round in relation to par in Open history is nine under, by Paul Broadhurst in 1990 and Rory McIlroy in 2010 – both at St Andrews.
10 – host courses on the current rotation – St Andrews, Carnoustie, Muirfield, Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham and St Anne’s, Royal Portrush, Royal St George’s, Royal Troon and Turnberry.
11 – the last 11 years of the Open Championship have seen 11 different winners.
12 – a dozen players earned their places through the four final qualifying tournaments.
13 – the record winning margin in the Open, by Old Tom Morris in 1872.
14 – Open venues throughout the tournament’s history, with Prestwick, Musselburgh, Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s Golf Club no longer on the rotation.
15 – nearby Dunluce Castle, which provides a spectacular view from parts of the course, dates from the 15th century. It was a filming location for the television drama Game of Thrones.
16 – one of Portrush’s signature holes, the 16th – named Calamity Corner – is likely to provide some late drama in the race for the Claret Jug.
17 – Young Tom Morris remains the youngest Open champion, aged 17 years and 156 days in 1868 – a year after his father, Old Tom, had become the oldest ever champion at Prestwick.
18 – Faulkner’s win at Portrush in 1951 was the last by a British player for 18 years, until Tony Jacklin at Royal Lytham in 1969.
