azapta.org

The British Open Championship, or the Open Championship as it is referred to in Britain, is the longest running major championship in professional golfing, and is played on a rotating basis at one of nine courses across the UK.

After the first championship was held in 1860 the championship has been played on a yearly basis, except from during the two World Wars and in 1871. The competition has been played at 14 courses, including St Andrews in Scotland, Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake & Royal St George’s in Kent, and five courses including Prestwick & Musselburgh Links are no longer on the rotation.

The field for the open is 156 and for those who want to compete, there are three ways to try and gain a place in the competition. One hundred and four of the participants are made up of leading players who are given exemptions in order to ensure that the top professionals can play.

The remaining amount are players who qualify via Local Qualifying which is made up of Regional Qualifying and International Qualifying. Regional Qualifying is made up of 16 18-hole competitions around Great Britain that take place just before the event with 12 places available and at International Qualifying 36-hole qualifiers are played, with one held in Africa, Australia, Asia, America & Europe.

International Qualifying has stricter entry rules than Regional Qualifying, as only players who have an Official World Golf Rankings rating are permitted to enter, but for those eligible there are 36 places available split across the 5 venues.

The most successful Open Championship champion is Harry Vardon, of England, who won six tournaments between 1896 and 1914, closely followed by renowned golfer and course designer James Braid who along with John Henry Taylor (ENG), Peter Thomson (AUS) & Tom Watson (USA) has won 5 titles.

The next competition will be the 140th and is set to be held in 2011, at Royal St George, in Sandwich in Kent.

Mere Country Club, a topCheshire golf club was a venue for the recent Reginal Qualifyers. It also makes a great course to take out a corporate golf membership at.