Few trophies in sports carry the weight of the Claret Jug. Every July, golf fans across the world stop what they're doing to watch history add one more name to the list of The Open winners, and 2026 delivered a finish nobody will forget. Ryan Fox stared down a packed leaderboard at Royal Birkdale, made a clutch birdie on the final hole, and walked away with his first career major.
That single moment is just the newest chapter in a story that stretches back more than 165 years. This guide breaks down everything worth knowing: this year's champion, the full year-by-year list, the untouchable records, and how much money actually changes hands at golf's oldest major. Whether you're settling a bet with a friend or just love golf trivia, you'll find it all below.
Quick Facts
Who Won The Open Championship in 2026?
Ryan Fox was the latest winner to add to The Open list of winners and had a dramatic weekend at Royal Birkdale. He gave back-to-back shots in the 60s, despite being overtaken by a fast-charging Cameron Young at the end of the year. Young had also lost in second place five straight years in the event and, in the process, was in the grip of an infuriating streak of near success in this race. This was his first major championship and got New Zealand its second major golfer in its history, Fox.
It was the last part of a 165-year-old championship. Each year, a new level of history has been added to the previous one, and 2026 was one of those years.
The Open Winners: Full Year-by-Year List (1860–2026)
It is the complete list of Open Championship winners, beginning with the first event and continuing up to this year. This table contains all champions and the course on which they triumphed.
Recent Open Winners You Should Know
Recent trends can be more easily identified when their last decade is looked at only. A few of the champions on this short list would later have major winning careers, and some would win their one and only major in this event.
Scottie Scheffler's 2025 win at Royal Portrush stands out because it completed the third leg of his career Grand Slam bid. That result added extra weight heading into this year's championship, since fans wondered whether he could defend his title. Instead, Fox took over the storyline entirely.
Records That Define The Open Winners List
Some records in this sport simply don't get broken. The table below sums up the marks nobody has come close to touching.
Harry Vardon still sits alone atop the list, all six wins captured between 1896 and 1914. Four other legends, James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Peter Thomson, and Tom Watson, share second place with five wins apiece.
Age records tell an equally interesting story. Young Tom Morris won in 1868 at just 17 years and 5 months old, a mark nobody has threatened since. On the opposite end, his father, Old Tom Morris, claimed the title in 1867 at 46 years and 102 days old.
How Much Do The Open Winners Earn?
Prize money has grown enormously since the early decades of this event. This year's purse reached $17.75 million total, with payouts scaling down through the entire field.
The emblem of the structure is creating a hint to the degree to which this championship has been commodified, yet the trophy has stayed the same throughout the past 100 years. All the players are not equally benefited, though. Prize money can only be enjoyed by professional golfers. In case amateurs win, whatever it might be, no check is won. Even one who misses the cut makes the smallest sum of money of $9,100, which is indicative of the size that the purse has become.
The example of Rory McIlroy allows for using the mid-pack performance. He was tied for 40th place and earned a small amount of $69,750 as compared to the previous years when he won the trophy himself at Royal Liverpool in 2014.
Notable Storylines Beyond the Winner's Circle
A name it is every year, the story tells. The other painful lineage related to this incident was when, in 2026, Cameron Young was again a loser. Elsewhere in the golf business, Tommy Fleetwood has similarly been a fast example in which he is the original and unchallenged PGA Tour professional to earn over 30 million in career earnings without winning any PGA Tour tournament.
Such stories not only provide the tournament with some content, but they help the fans remember that only heroes write history.
Conclusion
The list of The Open winners stretches back to 1860, yet it keeps growing every single year. Ryan Fox's 2026 victory at Royal Birkdale adds fresh energy to a championship built on legends like Vardon, Watson, and Woods. Whether you're tracking records, prize money, or this year's dramatic finish, this list captures golf's longest-running major in full. As new champions emerge each July, The Open winners list will keep expanding, and each new name adds another layer to a story more than 165 years in the making.
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FAQs
Q: Who won The Open Championship this year?
Ryan Fox of New Zealand won the 154th edition at Royal Birkdale, securing his first career major title.
Q: How much does the winner of The Open get?
The champion receives $3,200,000 from a total purse of $17.75 million.
Q: Who are the last 10 winners of the British Open?
Excluding the cancelled 2020 event, they are Ryan Fox (2026), Scottie Scheffler (2025), Xander Schauffele (2024), Brian Harman (2023), Cameron Smith (2022), Collin Morikawa (2021), Shane Lowry (2019), Francesco Molinari (2018), Jordan Spieth (2017), and Henrik Stenson (2016).
Q: Who has the most wins at The Open?
Harry Vardon holds the record with six victories, won between 1896 and 1914.
Q: Did Rory McIlroy win The Open in 2026?
No. He finished tied for 40th and earned $69,750. His only Open win came in 2014 at Royal Liverpool.
Q: How many times has Tiger Woods won The Open?
Tiger Woods has three Open titles, from 2000, 2005, and 2006.
Q: Who won the British Open five times?
James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Peter Thomson, and Tom Watson each won five times.
Q: Who is the oldest man to win the British Open?
Old Tom Morris, who won in 1867 at 46 years and 102 days old.
Q: Who is the youngest champion in Open history?
Young Tom Morris, who won in 1868 at just 17 years and 5 months old.
Q: Do all players in The Open get paid?
No. Only professionals earn prize money. Amateurs receive no payout regardless of their finish.