British Open 2022: Trends, leaders and stats entering 150th edition at St. Andrews

As we enter the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, it’s important to understand the numbers and trends.

From the first-round positions of recent Open champs, to how world No. 1’s have fared in recent Opens, to the players with the most Open rounds in the 60s in the past 10 years, to the oldest – and youngest – players to win a claret jug, to the easiest and toughest holes on the Open rota, here’s a look at several trends, leaders and statistics that are relevant heading into next week’s Open Championship:

(Information provided by Golf Channel Research Team.)

WINNING SCORE IN RELATION TO PAR, LAST SIX OPENS
2015: -15
2016: -20
2017: -12
2018: -8
2019: -15
2021: -15

FIRST-ROUND POSITION, LAST SIX OPEN CHAMPS
2015: Zach Johnson, T-4, three shots back
2016: Henrik Stenson, second, one shot back
2017: Jordan Spieth, leader
2018: Francesco Molinari, T-29, six shots back
2019: Shane Lowry, co-leader
2021: Collin Morikawa, second, two shots back

MOST TOP-5 OPEN FINISHES, SINCE 2009
5 – Rory McIlroy
4 – Lee Westwood
3 – Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen, Henrik Stenson

LOWEST OPEN SCORING AVERAGE, SINCE 2014
(Minimum 10 rounds played)
69.43 – Jordan Spieth
69.45 – Rory McIlroy
69.85 – Tony Finau
70 – Xander Schauffele
70.04 – Henrik Stenson
70.13 – Brooks Koepka

MOST OPEN ROUNDS IN 60s, LAST 10 YEARS
18 – Jordan Spieth
14 – Sergio Garcia
13 – Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott

FIRST-TIME MAJOR CHAMPS AT OPEN, SINCE 2009
2009: Stewart Cink
2010: Louis Oosthuizen
2011: Darren Clarke
2016: Henrik Stenson
2018: Francesco Molinari
2019: Shane Lowry

WORLD NO. 1s AT OPEN, SINCE 2013
2013: Tiger Woods, T-6
2014: Adam Scott, T-5
2015: Rory McIlroy, DNP
2016: Jason Day, T-22
2017: Dustin Johnson, T-54
2018: Dustin Johnson, MC
2019: Brooks Koepka, T-4
2021: Dustin Johnson, T-8

WINNING A MAJOR AS WORLD NO. 1
11 – Tiger Woods
1 – Five players, including two since 2014 (Dustin Johnson, 2020 Masters; Scottie Scheffler, 2022 Masters)

WORLD RANK OF OPEN CHAMP, SINCE 2013
2013: Phil Mickelson, 5
2014: Rory McIlroy, 8
2015: Zach Johnson, 25
2016: Henrik Stenson, 6
2017: Jordan Spieth, 3
2018: Francesco Molinari, 15
2019: Shane Lowry, 33
2021: Collin Morikawa, 4

LOWEST RANKED PLAYERS TO WIN OPEN
396 – Ben Curtis, 2003
159 – Paul Lawrie, 1999
111 – Darren Clarke, 2011
109 – John Daly, 1995

MOST MAJOR TOP-10s, SINCE 2010
24 – Rory McIlroy
20 – Dustin Johnson
16 – Jason Day, Brooks Koepka
15 – Adam Scott

BIRDIES OR BETTER IN MAJORS, SINCE 2015
453 – Jordan Spieth
423 – Brooks Koepka
415 – Justin Rose
397 – Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama

OLDEST OPEN CHAMPS
46-3-10 – Tom Morris Sr., 1867
44-3-1 – Roberto de Vicenzo, 1967
44-1-10 – Harry Vardon, 1914
43-3-0 – Tom Morris Sr., 1864
43-1-5 – Phil Mickelson, 2013
42-11-3 – Darren Clarke, 2011

YOUNGEST OPEN CHAMPS
17-5-3 – Tom Morris Jr., 1868
18-4-27 – Tom Morris Jr., 1869
19-4-26 – Tom Morris Jr., 1870
21-0-25 – Willie Auchterlonie, 1893
21-4-24 – Tom Morris Jr., 1872
22-3-12 – Seve Ballesteros, 1979

WON IN OPEN DEBUT
1860: Willie Park Sr.
1873: Tom Kidd*
1874: Mungo Park
1921: Jock Hutchison*
1933: Denny Shute*
1953: Ben Hogan
1964: Tony Lema*
1975: Tom Watson
2003: Ben Curtis
2021: Collin Morikawa
*at St. Andrews

BY Golf Channel Digital

 — July 4, 2022 at 10:00 AM

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LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY AT OPEN, LAST 150 YEARS
8 – 1900 (St. Andrews), 1908 (Prestwick), 1913 (Royal Liverpool), 2000 (St. Andrews)
7 – 2010 (St. Andrews)

TOUGHEST OPEN HOLES, SINCE 1995
+0.65 – No. 17 at St. Andrews (Old Course), Par 4
+0.6 – No. 6 at Royal Birkdale, Par 4
+0.54 – No. 11 at Royal Troon, Par 4
+0.46 – No. 12 at Carnoustie, Par 4

EASIEST NON-PAR-5 OPEN HOLES, SINCE 1995
-0.29 – No. 18 at St. Andrews (Old Course)
-0.21 – No. 9 at St. Andrews (Old Course)
-0.12 – No. 3 at St. Andrews (Old Course)