The Open Championship | Royal Birkdale | July 16-19
FROM Peter Thomson, twice successful at the Southport Links course, to Ian Baker Finch in 1991, Australians have enjoyed a measure of success at Royal Birkdale, venue for this year’s 154th Open Championship.
So too the Americans, who have won the Claret Jug in six of the 10 previous occasions Birkdale has hosted the world’s oldest major championship.
It’s a course rich in history, and one likely to crown another worthy ‘Champion Golfer’ in 2026.
A first for Thommo
The first Open Championship held at Royal Birkdale was in 1954, won by Australian Peter Thomson.
Thomson’s winning total of nine-under par was one ahead of four-time winner Bobby Locke, Dai Rees and Syd Scott. Then aged 24 and considered a rising star of the game, Thomson would go on to win the next two Opens, five in total, in carving out a legacy as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game.
His maiden victory came following an incredible bunker shot on the 16th hole, from around 25 yards from the flag, and on a steep slope. “That won it for me, no doubt,” he said of the famous shot.
An obvious liking for the course
Some nine years later and Thomson would deliver a links golf masterclass to claim his fifth Claret Jug, and his second at Royal Birkdale.
The Victorian’s skill and experience shone through in a composed performance, Thomson finishing two clear of Brian Huggett and Christy O’Connor Snr.
Many of the greatest players of the day, including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Roberto De Vicenzo, were among those to finish in the top 20, but none could match Thomson’s final score of 285, seven-under par.
Ian Baker-Finch, now Chairman of the PGA of Australia, beat Mike Harwood to win the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 1991.
Birkdale hosts the 100th Open
Lee Trevino, fresh from winning at the US Open just weeks earlier, battled to victory at The 100th Open at Royal Birkdale in earning a back-to-back major championship triumph.
While Trevino is the man with his name on the Claret Jug, Taiwanese professional Mr Lu played a huge part in this landmark Championship, with only one shot separating the pair at the end of the week.
Brilliant Baker-Finch wins his Open at Birkdale
After a steady start to his Open Championship in 1991, Ian Baker-Finch equalled the course record at Royal Birkdale with a third-round 64, before continuing the momentum the following day.
The Queenslander carded five birdies on the opening seven holes on Sunday to go out in 29, putting himself in pole position, with his final-round 66, for an eight-under-par total of 272, enough to finish two clear of fellow Aussie Mike Harwood.
The triumph came after Baker-Finch had failed to win from Sunday’s final group at St Andrews in both 1984 and 1990, with the Australian saying afterwards: “Today erases all those memories. Just to play in The Open is fantastic, to win it is a dream.”
Royal Birkdale will host the Open Championship for an 11th time in 2026.
Americans six from 10 at Birkdale
Americans have been successful in six of the 10 Open Championships contested at Birkdale, making for an impressive 60 percent win rate.
Arnold Palmer in 1961, Lee Trevino 10 years later, then Johnny Miller in 1976 and Tom Watson in 1983, made it four from five, the streak only interrupted by Peter Thomson in 1965.
After Baker-Finch’s victory in 1991, Mark O’Meara would beat American Brian Watts in a playoff in 1998, the pair finishing one shot ahead of Tiger Woods.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington would win at Birkdale in 2008, before Jordan Speith made it six from 10 for the Americans in 2017.
Open Championship’s played at Royal Birkdale
1954 Peter Thomson (Australia) 283 (−9)
1961 Arnold Palmer (United States) 284 (−4)
1965 Peter Thomson (Australia) 285 (−7)
1971 Lee Trevino (United States) 278 (−14)
1976 Johnny Miller (United States) 279 (−9)
1983 Tom Watson (United States) 275 (−9)
1991 Ian Baker-Finch (Australia) 272 (−8)
1998 Mark O’Meara (United States) 280 (E) Play off
2008 Pádraig Harrington (Ireland) 283 (+3)
2017 Jordan Spieth (United States) 268 (−12)
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