In an announcement that is sure to excite golf fans around the world, the R&A has revealed that the Open Championship will make its triumphant return to the iconic Old Course at St Andrews in 2027. This will mark the 31st time that golf’s oldest major championship graces the hallowed links of the “Home of Golf,” and the first time since Cameron Smith’s thrilling victory there in 2022.
St Andrews holds a revered place in the history and lore of the sport, having hosted the Open Championship more than any other venue since the tournament was first played over 18 holes there in 1873. Some of the game’s greatest champions have lifted the Claret Jug on the famous 18th green, including legends like Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros.
A Century of History
The 2027 edition will carry extra historical significance, as it will mark 100 years since the great amateur Bobby Jones captured the Open title at St Andrews in 1927. Jones put on a dominant display that year, winning by six strokes to successfully defend the crown he had won a year earlier at Royal Lytham & St Annes. That 1927 victory was one of three Open titles Jones would claim in his illustrious career.
“There is something incredibly special about The Open being played on the Old Course and so many of the great champions have walked these fairways since the first staging here in 1873,”
– R&A CEO Mark Darbon
A Timeless Challenge
The Old Course at St Andrews is renowned for its unique layout and the myriad challenges it presents to the world’s best golfers. With its expansive double greens, treacherous bunkers, and ever-changing winds off the North Sea, the ancient links have confounded and captivated players for centuries.
Notable features of the Old Course include:
- The Road Hole 17th – A notoriously difficult par 4 with the road and stone wall lurking behind the green
- The Valley of Sin – A deep depression short of the 18th green that has seen many potential birdies turn to bogey
- The Swilcan Bridge – An iconic stone bridge that all champions must cross on their way up the 18th fairway
As anticipation builds for the Open Championship’s return to St Andrews, attention will turn to who may join the illustrious list of “Champion Golfers of the Year” to conquer the Old Course. Will a former winner like Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy or Collin Morikawa add another Claret Jug to their collection? Or will a new superstar etch their name in the history books?
The Road to St Andrews
Golf fans will have two other Open Championships to enjoy before the big event at St Andrews in 2027. This year’s edition will be contested at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland on July 17-20, marking only the second time the Open has visited the spectacular Dunluce Links.
In 2026, the Open will head to another historic English venue in Royal Birkdale, which has previously hosted the championship on ten occasions, most recently in 2017 when Jordan Spieth claimed the title after an epic final round duel with Matt Kuchar.
But there is little doubt that the golfing world will be counting down the days until the Open makes its nostalgic return to St Andrews for a landmark staging in 2027. The venerable Old Course has an uncanny knack for producing memorable moments and historic performances. From the young Seve Ballesteros announcing his arrival with a thrilling win in 1984 to Tiger Woods completing the career Grand Slam there in 2000 to an emotional Jack Nicklaus bidding farewell to the Open in 2005, St Andrews never fails to deliver high drama befitting golf’s oldest and most prestigious championship.
Over the next two years, storylines and rivalries will develop that will shape the anticipation for St Andrews even further. Will a new crop of young stars emerge to challenge today’s elite? Can a veteran win one more major before their window closes? The table is set for an epic chapter to be written in the long and storied history of the Open Championship at the Home of Golf.
