Who was declared the first Champion Golfer of the Year in 1860?

Willie Park Sr. was declared the first Champion Golfer of the Year in 1860.

He won the inaugural Open Championship at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland, on 17 October 1860. Park represented Musselburgh and finished the three-round contest in 174 strokes, defeating Old Tom Morris by two strokes. The field contained only eight professional golfers, reflecting the small but highly competitive golfing world of the era.

The event was organised after the death of Allan Robertson in 1859. Robertson had been regarded as the leading golfer of his generation, so Prestwick’s new competition was intended to determine who would succeed him as the leading “Champion Golfer.” Park’s victory gave him both the championship and the original Challenge Belt.

Allan Robertson was therefore an important influence on the tournament, but he was not its first winner. Young Tom Morris had not yet won the Open, and Old Tom Morris finished runner-up in 1860. Park later won three more Opens, in 1863, 1866 and 1875.