This week Royal St George's Golf Club will host The Open Championship for the 15th time.
All began in 1894 when Royal St George's Golf Club hosted the 34th Open Championship and became the first course outside Scotland to be home of the oldest major. The tournament was played in two days, two rounds per day, and it was won by John Henry Taylor. The Englishman didn't break 80 that week, but this was enough to win by one over Douglas Rolland. The Open returned at Royal St George's Golf Club in 1899 when the legendary Harry Vardon successfully defended his title and won The Open for the third time.
In 1904 Jack White won his only major at Royal St George's Golf Club, but this edition of The Open will be remembered with the fact that for the first time in tournament's history a player broke 70. This achievement belongs to James Braid who played the course with 69 strokes in the third round. In 1911 the champion at The Open was decided in a playoff. Harry Vardon won his fifth Open after he had to play a 36-hole playoff with Arnaud Massy.
In 1922 Walter Hagen won his first of his four Open Championships and became the first American-born winner of the Open Championship. When the tournament returned at Royal St George's Golf Clubsix years later in 1928 it was Hagen again who lifted the Claret Jug on Sunday. In 1934 Henry Cotton ended a decade of American domination at The Open and won the title after a record round of 65 in the third round. Reg Whitcombe won his only Open championship in 1938. The tournament will be remembered with the heavy storm which hit Royal St George's Golf Club during the weekend and as a result there were only 16 rounds under 80 during the final two rounds.
Bobby Locke © Getty Images
Bobby Locke needed 36 extra holes to win his first major when The Open returned to Royal St George's Golf Club after an 11-year break. With this win Locke became the first South African to win The Open. In 1981 The Open returned to Royal St George’s for the first time in 32 years. Bill Rogers, who almost missed his tee time on the first day, won by four over Bernhard Langer.
Sandy Lyle at the 1985 Open Championship © Getty Images
Sandy Lyle won his first major at the 1985 Open Championship by one over Payne Stewart and cemented his status as one of the “Big Five”. Eight years after Lyle's triumph The Open returned to Royal St George's Golf Club. That week the world number one Greg Norman was on fire and posted four rounds in the 60s. This was enough to win by two over local favorite Nick Faldo.
Ben Curtis and Thomas Bjorn (R) at the 2003 Open © Getty Images
In 2003 Ben Curtis shocked the world after winning The Open in his majors debut. This edition of The Open will be remembered with Thomas Bjørn's meltdown who had two-shot lead with three holes to play, but needed three attempts to get his ball out of a greenside bunker on the 16th hole.
Darren Clarke © Getty Images
One of the most emotional moments in modern golf was in 2011 when Darren Clarke won the Claret Jug aged 42. Clarke won the title 20 years after his debut in the tournament.
We need to wait till Sunday to see what the 149th Open has to offer, but no doubt Royal St George's Golf Club is ready to became arena of some more history making.
