The Open Championship: Dates, Course, Prize Money & Streaming

Charlie Zschau Updated: Mar 13 2026 17:38

Often referred to as the British Open, the Open Championship is the oldest golf tournament in the world.

The Open Championship is typically the last golf major of the season, held annually in the summer since 1980.

Scottie Scheffler won the 153rd edition of the Open Championship (-17) by four strokes, his first victory at the historic tournament.

Jordan Spieth won the Open Championship in 2017, the last time the tournament was held at Royal Birkdale.

Read all you need to know ahead the the 154th edition of The Open Championship.

Jump ahead here:

2026 Dates
Golf Course
Tournament Prize Money
Where to Watch
History

When is The Open Championship?

The tournament is held annually in the summer months, typically in mid-July.

The Open Championship will begin on July 16th, 2026, and conclude on Sunday, July 19th.

Where is the Open Championship played?

The Open Championship will be played at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, Merseyside, on the Northwest coast of England.

2026 will be the 11th time that the Open will be at Royal Birkdale. The tournament typically operates on a five-year rotation of historic courses across the United Kingdom, including St. Andrews, Royal Troon, Royal Liverpool, and Royal Birkdale to name a few.

St. Andrews Old Course has hosted the most Open Championships at 30. It scheduled to host it's 31st tournament in 2027.

The 2025 Open Championship was held at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

What is the prize money for the Open Championship?

Official 2026 Prize Money has not yet been declared, and will be released the week of the event.

The 2025 Open Championship purse was $17 million, and the winner, Scottie Scheffler took home $3.1 million.

The top-three finishers each won over $1 million.

The winner of the Open Championship is also gifted the Claret Jug trophy, which has been awarded to the winner of the tournament since 1872. The Claret Jug is arguably the most prestigious prize in golf.

Where to watch the Open Championship

The 2026 Open Championship will be broadcast on NBC and The Golf Channel for viewers in the U.S.

The Golf Channel will broadcast the first two rounds, then NBC will takeover for rounds three and four on Saturday and Sunday.

Streaming will be available for certain rounds on Peacock and ESPN+.

History of the Players Championship

The British Open, formally know as the Open Championship, and simply known as The Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, founded in 1860.

The Open was founded after the death of Allan Robertson in 1959, who was considered to be the best golfer while he was alive. The Winner would be named "Champion Golfer of the Year," a title still bestowed on the victor of The Open Championship to this day.

The first edition of the tournament was played at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Willie Park Sr. won the inaugural Open Championship, and would go on the win three more times in his career.

Harry Vandron has won the most Open Championships since its inception. He won six times between 1896 and 1914.

The Tournament has only been played outside of Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) on three occasions, 1951, 2019, and most recently 2025. All three of the tournaments held off the island of Great Britain have been held in Northern Ireland, a part of the United Kingdom.

Regarded as the most historic event in golf, the tournament is the only one of the four majors not played in the United States.