Birkdale and Carnoustie named to host 2017 and 2018 Opens
Royal Birkdale, venue for the just-finished British Women’s Open, is to host its tenth Open Championship in 2017, the R&A has announced. The 2018 Open will return to Carnoustie.
Ireland’s Padraig Harrington is the most recent Open winner at each course; his victory at Carnoustie in 2007 was his first Major title, and he retained the crown at Birkdale the following year. Previous winners at Birkdale include Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino. Carnoustie’s most famous champion is Ben Hogan, who won the 1953 Open there, the only time he played the event.
Pat Sawers, chairman of Carnoustie Golf Links, said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming the Open back for an eighth time. We believe the fact the R&A has invited us to stage the 2018 Championship will provide a big boost to golf in the local area and will have a beneficial effect on our on-going efforts to attract more local youngsters into the game.”
As GCA reported recently, the 2019 Open has been earmarked for Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, but club members need to vote on proposals to alter the golf course in preparation for the event before any formal commitment can be made. 2020, the 150th anniversary of the first Open, is expected to see the championship return to St Andrews.