Everything you need to know about the Open Championship 2024 - facts, prize money, tee times and how to watch.

It's time for the Open Championship 2024, the final men's Major of the year, the one that we look forward to most as it takes place on home soil.

The oldest championship in golf is celebrating its 152nd edition. We move from the Wirral and Royal Liverpool to the Ayrshire and Royal Troon, which will be hosting The Open Championship for the 10th time. Last year, Royal Liverpool witnessed a dominating performance from American Brian Harman, who battled his way through continuous rain to claim his first Major Championship by six shots.

Looking at the weather forecast, waterproofs will definitely need to be packed again for the players and spectators, with damp and windy conditions on the horizon. Will we see another 20-under-par like we did from Henrik Stenson when he shot a final round 63, the last time The Open visited Royal Troon? We doubt it, but you can never rule it out!

Here's all you need to know about the 2024 Open Championship at Royal Troon

When is The Open Championship 2024?

The 152nd Open Championship tees off from Thursday 18 July and will conclude in what promises to be a spectacular show-down on Sunday 21 July. 

Where is The Open Championship 2024?

This year, The Open returns to the Old Course at Royal Troon in Scotland. It will be the 10th time the Ayrshire course has hosted The Open, with its first championship taking place over a century ago in 1923.

Best known for its signature par-three eighth hole – the Postage Stamp – Royal Troon is an outstanding test of golf. Literally anything can happen here.

The Open Championship 2024: Fast Facts

  • Host: Royal Troon, in Troon, South Ayrshire. This will be the 10th time that The Open Championship has been played at Royal Troon. The first took place in 1923, which was won by Arthur Havers, his only Major title. It was then 27 years before it returned in 1950. With further playings in 1962, 1973, 1982, 1989, 1997. More recently, Todd Hamilton won his only Major in 2004 and Henrik Stenson his only one too in 2016. Also, Royal Troon played host to the AIG Women's Open in 2020 which was won by Sophia Popov.
  • Set-up: The course will be set to 7,385 yards and will play to a par of 35-36 = 71. The course is measuring 195 yards longer than when The Open was last contested there in 2016. The longest hole is the Par 5 4th at 599 yards.
  • Field: 158 golfers, from 28 countries, will be cut after 36 holes to the low 70 players (and ties). View the full field and read our predictions for who might lift the Claret Jug on Sunday.
  • Purse: The 2024 prize fund is $17 million, an increase of £500,000 from 2023. With the winner receiving $3.1 million. On the prize increase Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A said: "We remain concerned about the impact substantial increases in men’s professional prize money are having on the perception of the sport and its long-term financial sustainability. We are determined to act with the interests of the global game in mind as we pursue our goal of ensuring golf continues to thrive in 50 years’ time."
  • Champion: The winner is crowned Champion Golfer of the Year, they receive the Claret Jug which was first presented in 1873 to Tom Kidd and a gold medal.  An exemption into future Open championships until you are 60 years old. A five-year membership of the PGA and DP World Tours. Entry into the next five Masters, PGA Championships and U.S. Opens. Plus other entries including The Players Championship.
  • Current champion: When you go into the final round with a five-shot lead, it really is your Championship to lose. It was not impossible that Brian Harman might buckle under the pressure or that Jon Rahm might produce another 63. But in the end neither happened. Whilst the rain lashed down for most of the day it was Harman that stood out as the player of the day. He had already done what he needed to do. The five shot cushion was his chance to keep steady and aim for a level par round. Similar to his round on Saturday, a couple of early bogeys made it seem that the door may be creaking open but he shut it firmly by coming back with two birdies to make the turn in level par for the day. The 36-year-old's demeanour was ice cool all day, a player in the zone and not looking to deviate from his game plan. Winning his first Major by six shots!
HOYLAKE, ENGLAND - JULY 23: Brian Harman of the United States poses with the Claret Jug on the 18th Green following victory on dDay Four of The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool Golf Club on July 23, 2023 in Hoylake, England. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Brian Harman - image credit Richard Heathcote/R&A

How many times has The Open been played at Royal Troon?

This will be the 10th playing of The Open at Royal Troon. Here are the previous winners:

  • 1923 Arthur Havers
  • 1950 Bobby Locke
  • 1962 Arnold Palmer
  • 1973 Tom Weiskopf
  • 1982 Tom Watson
  • 1989 Mark Calcavecchia
  • 1997 Justin Leonard
  • 2004 Todd Hamilton
  • 2016 Henrik Stenson

Of the nine winners at Royal Troon, six players won their only major at Troon (Havers, Weiskopf, Calcavecchia, Leonard, Hamilton and Stenson). The other three players all won at Troon as part of back-to-back triumphs in The Open (Locke 1949 and 1950, Palmer 1961 and 1962, Watson 1982 and 1983).

What is the signature hole at Royal Troon?

The Major is played out over the Old Course, with each hole having its own name. The most recognisable to most golfers will be the par-three 8th hole - Postage Stamp. Here's what The Open course guide has to say:

"There are so many stories over the years of success and failure. Gene Sarazen aced the hole in his penultimate appearance in The Open in 1973, but in qualifying for The Open in 1950 the German amateur, Hermann Tissies, racked up a record score of 15. The reality of the hole is that if the field hits the middle of the green it’s a straightforward par. But if players miss the green long, left, short or right, then they’ll do well to come off with a bogey.

"Part of the challenge is that given the first seven holes are generally downwind or side wind, players are then suddenly faced with a shot of 123 yards into a 15-20 mph wind. It’s also an intimidating tee shot sitting about 22 feet above the height of the green. The depth of the bunkers and the slope of the green from left to right are clearly visible too, especially the aptly named “Coffin” bunker on the left side. The size of the hitting area is small, so walk off happy with your par."

Although on the front nine, this hole could prove to be divisive this week.

The 152nd Open tee times

The tee sheet for The Open is a who's who in the world of men's professional golf. But what makes the draw so interesting isn't who is paired with who, it's more about whether you're in the "good" or "bad" half of the drawer.

With tee times from 6.35am right through to 4.27pm, there's plenty of time for mother nature to throw in a few curve balls during the first two rounds.

Check out The Open's round one draw

Where can I watch The Open?

With a large number of fans attending the 152nd Open, you may be better placed to watch all the drama unfold from the comfort of your sofa.

There are over 50 hours of live coverage - quite literally from the first tee shot to the last putt. That doesn't include all the pre-round and post-round TV coverage.

UK - Sky Sports Golf (Main Event and Mixed) LIVE golf times below:

Thursday 18 July - 6:30am to 8:30pm
Friday 19 July - 6:30am to 8:30pm
Saturday 20 July - 8:30am to 8:00pm
Sunday 21 July - 8:00am to 7:00pm

USA - NBC, USA Network and Peacock LIVE golf times below:

DatePeacockUSA NetworkNBC/Peacock
Thursday 18 July*1:30-4am / 3-4:15pm4am - 3pm 
Friday 19 July*1:30-4am / 3-4:15pm4am - 3pm 
Saturday 20 July 5-7am7am - 3pm
Sunday 21 July 4-7am7am - 2pm
*coverage will begin shortly before the first scheduled tee time at 1:30 a.m. ET 

There is also plenty of live coverage of The 152nd Open to watch via The Open website and via The Open app.