Who Has Won The Most British Opens In Golf?

Harry Vardon holds the record for the most British Open wins in golf history. Vardon has won the Open a total of six times: 1896, 1898, 1899, 1903, 1911, and 1914.
1896 British Open
Vardon won his first British Open in 1896. While he did not lead after any of the rounds, he shot an impressive 77 in the final round and five on the final hole to tie J.H. Taylor for the lead with a score of 316. Vardon and Taylor played one another two days later to settle the tie. Vardon came out on top with a score of 157, while Taylor finished with 161.
1898 British Open
Only two years later, Vardon captured his second British Open title. Similar to the Open in 1896, he did not lead the competition after any of the first three rounds and trailed Willie Park Jr. by two strokes going into the final round. The fourth round proved to be a close competition, with Park Jr. shooting a 79 while Vardon shot a 76 to propel him to a one-stroke victory.
1899 British Open
The 1899 British Open proved to be another success for Vardon. Unlike his previous victories at the tournament, he led the competition at the end of each of the first three rounds (he shared the lead after the first round). Vardon entered the final round with a score of 233 and shot a 77 to finish with a score of 310 to earn his third British Open win.
1903 British Open
Four years passed before Vardon won his fourth British Open title in 1903. Similar to the tournament in 1899, he shared the lead after the first round of play and led the contest after the second and third rounds. This was a special win for Vardon, as he defeated his brother Tom by six strokes, finishing with a final score of 300.
1911 British Open
Vardon’s fifth British Open victory came in 1911. He led the competition by three strokes and a score of 223 entering the final round of play. Arnaud Massy, who trailed Vardon by four strokes going into the fourth round, shot an impressive 76 while Vardon shot an 80 to tie the score at 303 and force a playoff between the two. Vardon captured a commanding lead of 10 strokes by the 34th hole of the playoff round, and Massy decided to concede on the following hole, awarding Vardon another Open win.
1914 British Open
Vardon achieved his sixth and final British Open title in 1914. He and J.H. Taylor competed fiercely throughout the tournament, with Vardon leading after the first two rounds and Taylor leading after the third. Vardon shot a 78 in the fourth round while Taylor shot an 83, propelling him to a three-stroke victory over his rival.
FAQ
Have any players won the British Open five times?
Several players have won the British Open five times, including Peter Thomson, Tom Watson, J.H. Taylor, and James Braid. Thomson won the Open in 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, and 1965. Watson won in 1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, and 1983. Taylor was victorious in 1894, 1895, 1900, 1909, and 1913. Braid took home the trophy in 1901, 1905, 1906, 1908, and 1910. A few players also have four British Open titles, including Tom Morris Sr., Tom Morris Jr., Willie Park Sr., and Walter Hagen.
Where did Harry Vardon win his British Open Titles?
Vardon’s first Open title in 1896 was won at Muirfield in Scotland. His next titles were won back to back in 1898 and 1899. The 1898 Open took place at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland, and the 1899 Open took place at The Royal St. George’s Golf Club in England. Similar to his previous two victories, Vardon’s fourth British Open win in 1903 also occurred at Prestwick Golf Club, and his fifth win in 1911 took place at The Royal St. George’s. He capped off his final Open title in 1914 at Prestwick once more.
Did Harry Vardon’s brother ever win the British Open?
While he was close to defeating his brother in the 1903 British Open, Tom Vardon never won the British Open. He still had many impressive performances at the Open and finished in the top 10 spots 10 different times. Tom made his mark in golf course architecture, helping to design over 40 courses throughout his life in England and the Upper Midwest in the United States. A few courses he contributed to include Southview Country Club, St. Cloud Country Club, and Stillwater Country Club.