Solved with numbers... 'Everything About The Open'

152nd Scotland Royal Troon Clash This Year
1860 Park First Champion, 6 Pounds Prize Money
Morris Junior 4 Consecutive Wins, Nicklaus 7 Runner-ups
Total Prize Money 17 Million Dollars, Kim Juhyung 2nd Best

There are 8 players this year.

Kim Juhyung tied for 2nd place at last year's The Open, achieving the highest finish ever by a Korean player.

The final major tournament of the year, the 152nd Open Championship (total prize money of $17 million), opened on the 18th (local time) at the Royal Troon Golf Club (par 71, 7,385 yards) in South Ayrshire, Scotland. Korea is represented by a total of 8 players: Kim Joo-hyung, An Byeong-hun, Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo, Kim Min-kyu, Ko Gun-taek, Song Young-han, and Wang Jeong-hoon. Korean players have struggled on the links course. Kim Joo-hyung’s tied 2nd place finish at last year’s Open is the best result. Before that, the best was the tied 8th place by the ‘eldest brother’ Choi Kyung-ju in 2007. Korea has yet to lift the silver Claret Jug awarded to the winner. Let’s look at the Open Championship, where Korean players are fighting hard, through some numbers.

◆4 (consecutive wins) = Tom Morris Jr. (Scotland) achieved the feat of winning four consecutive titles from 1868 to 1872 (no tournament in 1871). His father, Tom Morris Sr., had already won 4 titles (1861-1862, 1864, 1867). Together, father and son combined for 8 wins. Morris Jr. also set the record for youngest winner in 1868 at 17 years and 156 days. It is unfortunate that he died young at age 24. Morris Sr. also holds the record for oldest winner in 1867 at 46 years and 102 days.

◆6 (pounds) = The first prize money. Early champions were awarded a championship belt made of premium goatskin with a silver buckle. In 1863, a prize of 10 pounds was offered, but the champion only received the belt, while 2nd to 4th place took the money. Morris Sr. was the first to receive 6 pounds as prize money in 1864.

◆7 (times) = Jack Nicklaus (USA) holds the record for most runner-up finishes. Nicklaus won 3 times (1966, 1970, 1978) but was runner-up 7 times (1964, 1967, 1968, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979). Harry Vardon (England) holds the record for most wins with 6 titles (1896, 1898-1899 consecutive wins, 1903, 1911, 1914).

◆36 (holes) = The format of the first tournament in 1860. Willie Park (Scotland) played 36 holes of stroke play in one day and won with a score of 174. The 12-hole Prestwick course in Scotland was the battleground.

◆37 (players) = The number of players making their debut at this year’s Open. Along with Ko Gun-taek, Ludwig Oberi (Sweden), Aksai Batia (USA), and others made their first appearance at the ‘oldest major’.

◆62 (strokes) = Brandon Grace’s (South Africa) lowest 18-hole score. During the 3rd round in 2017 at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England (par 70), he made 8 birdies.

◆98 (times) = The number of times the Open has been held at Scottish golf courses. St Andrews (30 times), Prestwick (24 times), and Muirfield (16 times) are the most frequent venues. Royal Troon is hosting for the 10th time this year. England has hosted 52 times, and Northern Ireland twice.

◆264 (strokes) = Henrik Stenson’s (Sweden) lowest 72-hole score. He set this record at Royal Troon in 2016. It broke Greg Norman’s (Australia) 1993 record of 267 by 3 strokes.

◆3.1 million (dollars) = This year’s winner’s prize. The total prize money increased by $500,000 to $17 million. The winner’s prize rose by $100,000 from last year’s $3 million.

◆1873 (year) = The year the ‘Claret Jug’ appeared. Claret is a Bordeaux wine from France, and the Claret Jug literally means ‘a jug for holding wine.’ It reflects the British people’s special love for wine. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) keeps the original and gives a replica to the winner each year.

◆2014 (year) = The year Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) won the Open. He showed strong performances with 3rd place in 2022 and tied 6th last year. On the other hand, world number one Scottie Scheffler (USA) has a best finish of tied 8th in 2021.