Why Was the British Open Started?

The first Open championship was restricted to professional golfers only. These professionals also worked as greenskeepers, club makers and caddies to supplement their meager winnings from golf tournaments.

The first Open Championship was played on Oct. 17, 1860, at the Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Eight professional golfers played three rounds of golf in one single day on Prestwick's 12-hole golf course.

The prize for the tournament was the Challenge Belt, made of red leather and a huge silver buckle. No money was included in the prize. The winner of The Open was allowed to keep the belt for a year.

The first Open Championship was won by Willie Park, who beat out Tom Morris by two strokes with a score of 174. The following year, The Open allowed amateurs to compete for the coveted prize.

The Open grew in size by the turn of the 20th century, expanding to 72 holes and attracting players from Scotland and England.