Visit Scotland | Alba
Article published 23/01/2025

The R&A has announced that The 155th Open will be played at St Andrews from 11-18 July 2027.

The championship will return to the home of golf for the first time since a record-breaking 290,000 fans attended The 150th Open in 2022. This historic occasion saw Cameron Smith produce a remarkable final round 64 over the world-renowned Old Course to lift the famous Claret Jug.

It will mark 100 years since legendary amateur Bobby Jones triumphed in The Open at St Andrews in 1927, when his six-shot margin of victory saw him successfully defend the title he won the previous year at Royal Lytham & St Annes.

The Old Course at St Andrews first hosted The Open in 1873, when the 13th Championship was played over an 18-hole course for the first time and was won by Tom Kidd. Since then, it has held the championship on 30 occasions, the most recent being in 2022.

Swilcan burn at the Old Course in St AndrewsSwilcan burn at the Old Course . Credit: VisitScotland / Paul Tomkins

Many of the greatest names in the history of golf have lifted the famous Claret Jug and been crowned Champion Golfer of the Year at St Andrews, including:

  • Bobby Jones
  • Bobby Locke
  • Jack Nicklaus
  • James Braid
  • JH Taylor
  • Sir Nick Faldo
  • Peter Thomson
  • Seve Ballesteros
  • Tiger Woods

The 150th Open at St Andrews generated over £300 million in economic benefit for Fife and Scotland through:

  • driving tourism and providing income for local businesses and communities
  • showcasing the country to a global television audience of over 80 million

Today’s announcement was the first by the new Chief Executive of The R&A, Mark Darbon, who took up the post last month.

I’m hugely excited to be making this my first announcement at The R&A. I’m looking forward to The Open’s return to St Andrews every bit as much as the fans and the players.

There is something incredibly special about The Open being played on the Old Course and so many of the great champions have walked these fairways since the first staging here in 1873.

St Andrews is the home of golf and it generates a unique atmosphere for the fans and the players as well as providing an amazing spectacle on television and digitally for millions of viewers around the world.

It promises to be another milestone occasion at one of sport’s greatest and most historic venues and we will be doing everything we can to make it a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Mark Darbon, Chief Executive, The R&A

The Open is more than a sporting event. It showcases Scotland’s people, places, and culture while contributing to sustainability, health, and community development.

We look forward to working with The R&A, Scottish Government, and St Andrew’s Links Trust to welcome golf fans back to Scotland in 2027 and reinforcing Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events.

Rob Dickson, Director of Industry and Events, VisitScotland

This is great news for the home of golf. St Andrews is draped in golfing history and prestige, enjoying a global reputation for its prevalence in the game.

The staging of the Championship here in 2027 will have a significant and positive economic impact on the region.

We know from independent research that the last ten Opens held in Scotland contributed a total of £1.36 billion to the economy.

Of course, it was just last year that the Scottish Government and VisitScotland agreed a long-term partnership with The R&A to secure The Open’s ties to Scotland for 11 years.

I am pleased that this agreement is already paying dividends, showcasing Scotland on the global stage while boosting local economies.

Richard Lochhead, Business Minister

We’re delighted to be working with The R&A, Scottish Government, and VisitScotland to see The Open return to St Andrews in 2027.

The 155th Open will be the 31st occasion The Old Course has hosted this great Championship. The St Andrews Links Trust golf courses are open to all and are an intrinsic part of this historic town.

We look forward to The 155th Open inspiring the journeys of many more golfers who wish to create unforgettable memories at the home of golf.

Neil Coulson, Chief Executive, St Andrews Links Trust

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