The Open Championship was established in 1860. Its first edition was played on 17 October at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland, making it the oldest of golf’s four men’s major championships.
James Ogilvie Fairlie of Prestwick helped create the contest to determine a successor to Allan Robertson, the celebrated professional golfer who had died in 1859. Eight professional golfers took part, playing three rounds of Prestwick’s twelve-hole links course.
Willie Park Sr. won the inaugural event by two strokes over Old Tom Morris and received the Challenge Belt. The tournament remained at Prestwick in its early years, later rotating among famous links courses such as St Andrews, Musselburgh and Muirfield.
The championship was not held in 1871 because the previous winner, Young Tom Morris, had earned the right to keep the belt after three consecutive victories, leaving organizers without a trophy. The Claret Jug replaced it from 1872. “Established” refers to the founding year, not the later creation of the modern four-major system.