The Open Championship is normally played in July.
It is traditionally scheduled for the weekend containing the third Friday of July, making it the fourth and final men’s major championship of the season. The tournament’s summer date is closely associated with its coastal links venues, where wind, firm turf and changing weather are central parts of the challenge.
There have been exceptions. The inaugural Open was held at Prestwick on 17 October 1860, while wartime cancellations and the 2020 cancellation also interrupted the usual annual pattern. These unusual dates do not change July’s status as the normal month.
A common mix-up is to confuse The Open with other majors: the Masters is generally played in April, the PGA Championship in May, and the U.S. Open in June. The Open’s mid-July position also means it is usually the last of the four majors each year.