The Senior Open Championship, or simply The Senior Open (and originally known as the Senior British Open) is a professional golf tournament for players aged 50 and over. It is run by The R&A, the same body that organises The Open Championship. Prize money won in the event is official money on both PGA Tour Champions (formerly the Senior PGA Tour and Champions Tour) and the European Senior Tour. The purse, which is fixed in United States dollars, was $2 million in 2011, with a winner's share of $315,600. For sponsorship reasons, it is currently known as The Senior Open Championship presented by Rolex.
The tournament was first held 30 years ago in 1987 and became part of the European Seniors Tour schedule in 1992. In late 2002 it was designated as the fifth major championship on the Champions Tour schedule. All winners before 2003 were not retroactively designated as Champions Tour major winners. Winners gain entry into the following season's Open Championship. The event is usually held the week following The Open Championship, although in 1991 it was held the week before the Open and in 1998 it was held in August, three weeks after the Open.
The 2018 Senior Open will be held at St Andrews for the first time, a decision which was heavily influenced by five-time Open champion Tom Watson.
The field
The standard field size is 144 players and an 18-hole qualifying round is held at the championship course on the Monday before the tournament, with a minimum of 24 places available. If fewer than 120 exempt players enter, the field is filled to 144 with more high finishers from qualifying. If more than 120 exempt players enter, the top 24 finishers earn entry even if it causes the field to expand beyond 144.
Winners
Playoffs
- 2013: Wiebe beat Langer with a par at the fifth extra hole. Play was suspended because of darkness after two holes of the playoff and the pair returned on Monday morning to complete it.
- 2009: Roberts beat McNulty with a par at the third extra hole. Funk was eliminated at the first extra hole where Roberts and McNulty had birdies.
- 2008: Vaughan beat Cook with a birdie at the first extra hole.
- 2006: Roberts beat Romero with a par at the first extra hole.
- 2005: Watson beat Smyth with a par at the third extra hole.
- 2003: Watson beat Mason with a par at the second extra hole.
- 2001: Stanley beat Charles with a par at the first extra hole.
- 1998: Huggett beat Polland with a par at the first extra hole.
- 1997: Player beat Bland with a birdie at the second extra hole.
- 1995: Barnes beat Murphy with an eagle at the third extra hole.
Multiple winners
Seven players have multiple victories in the Senior Open Championship:
- 3 wins: Gary Player (1988, 1990, 1997), Tom Watson (2003, 2005, 2007), Bernhard Langer (2010, 2014, 2017)
- 2 wins: Bob Charles (1989, 1993), Brian Barnes (1995, 1996), Christy O'Connor Jnr (1999, 2000),
            Loren Roberts (2006, 2009)
Winners of both the Open and Senior Open
Three have won both The Open Championship and the Senior Open, the professional majors run by the R&A. Note, however, that the Senior Open was not a major until 2003.
Future venues
Source:
References
External links
- Official website
- Coverage on the European Senior Tour's official site
- Coverage on the PGA Tour Champions' official site