Who Has Won the Most Open Championships?

The Open Championship — golf's oldest major — has been dominated by a small group of elite players. Harry Vardon's 6 wins remain unmatched more than a century later.

Most Open Championship Wins (All-Time)

1. Harry Vardon — 6 wins (1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, 1914)
   "The Vardon Grip" — which he popularized — is still the most common grip used by golfers today.
2. James Braid — 5 wins (1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, 1910)
3. J.H. Taylor — 5 wins (1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, 1913)
   Together with Vardon and Braid, they formed "The Great Triumvirate" that dominated golf's early era.
4. Peter Thomson — 5 wins (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965)
   Won 3 consecutive Opens from 1954-56 — the only player to do so in the modern era.
5. Tom Watson — 5 wins (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983)
   The best Open Championship record in the modern era. Nearly won a 6th at age 59 in 2009 at Turnberry.
6. Bobby Locke — 4 wins (1949, 1950, 1952, 1957)
7. Walter Hagen — 4 wins (1922, 1924, 1928, 1929)
8. Tiger Woods — 3 wins (2000, 2005, 2006)
9. Nick Faldo — 3 wins (1987, 1990, 1992)
10. Seve Ballesteros — 3 wins (1979, 1984, 1988)

The Great Triumvirate

Harry Vardon, James Braid, and J.H. Taylor collectively won 16 Open Championships between 1894 and 1914 — a period of dominance that has never been replicated. Their rivalry elevated golf's profile in Britain and helped establish The Open as the world's premier championship.

Tom Watson's 2009 Near-Miss

At age 59, Tom Watson came within one putt of winning his 6th Open Championship at Turnberry. Leading on the 72nd hole, he made bogey after missing a short putt, then lost a playoff to Stewart Cink. It remains one of the most heartbreaking moments in Open history.

Modern Era Leaders

Among players active in the 21st century, Tiger Woods' 3 Open Championship wins lead the way, followed by Phil Mickelson (1), Rory McIlroy (1), and recent winners Collin Morikawa, Cameron Smith, and Brian Harman.