The Open Championship is basically a term that refers to the British Open. It’s basically a prestigious golf tournament that’s played in the United Kingdom and is watched by millions on tv all over the world. According to the history of the open championship, the tournament was started way back in 1860 on October 17 at Prestwick Golf Club that’s located in Scotland. During the event, there were eight golfers that competed in the three round tournament. Since there were no trophies in those days, the winner of the event, Willie Park Sr. was awarded with a belt that had a silver buckle known as the Challenge Belt.
Introduction of the Trophy
The challenge belt was passed from Willie Park SR to other players that won the open championship. The winner was required to retain the belt until it was won by another golfer and this has become a major form of alternative entertainment for fans who utilized Sportsbet sites and enjoy both conventional and unconventional gambling. A trophy known as the Claret Jug was first presented in 1872. The trophy is still in use to this day but its original is usually kept in St Andrews clubhouse. This means that nowadays winners of the tournament are crowned with an imitation of the original jug. The jug usually bears the name of the golfer that has won the tournament.
Tournament Played once in a Year
The British open is usually played once in a year. The tournament is ranked fourth after the US Open, PGA championship and the Masters tournament. The event takes place for four consecutive days, starting from the third Friday of July. The other notable fact is that the tournament comes after the other three major and final tournaments have taken place. The tournament is also played during summer because that’s when the weather is favorable for outdoor events. The organizers therefore refer to the weather patterns when scheduling it.
Rotation of Golf Courses
After the tournament was introduced in Scotland in 1860, golfers could only compete at one golf course; Prestwick golf club. In the years that followed, the organizers recommended that the event should be held in different golf courses. But this didn’t mean that every golf course could host the event. It’s only the golf courses that are along the beaches that are allowed to host the tournament. This is because the cool breeze from the ocean is believed to favor the players as they compete for the top prize.
Selection of Golfers
One would expect the golfers that participate in this event to be carefully handpicked. But that’s rarely the case. Any golfer is allowed to participate in the British open. And that’s why it’s called an open tournament. A golfer can play in the tournament after receiving an invitation from the federation that regulates the sport in the UK. Such a player doesn’t have to be a seasoned golfer. Besides that, renowned golfers are also allowed to compete in other major events in different parts of the world.
Benefits reserved for the Winner
There are a number of benefits that are reserved to any golfer that wins the British open. For a start, the winner gets a lump sum prize money in US dollars. In addition to that, the winner gets automatic invitation to forthcoming major global events such as PGA championship, US Open and Masters Tournament. The invitations last until the winner turns 60 years old.
