Winners Winners
| Year | Winner | Score | Course | Country | |
| 1860 | Willie, Sr. | Park | 174 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1861 | Tom, Sr. (Old Tom) | Morris | 163 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1862 | Tom, Sr. (Old Tom) | Morris | 163 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1863 | Willie, Sr. | Park | 168 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1864 | Tom, Sr. (Old Tom) | Morris | 167 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1865 | Andrew | Strath | 162 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1866 | Willie, Sr. | Park | 169 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1867 | Tom, Sr. (Old Tom) | Morris | 170 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1868 | Tom, Jr. (Young Tom) | Morris | 157 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1869 | Tom, Jr. (Young Tom) | Morris | 154 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1870 | Tom, Jr. (Young Tom) | Morris | 149 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1871 | No Championship Held (No Belt) | See Note | |||
| 1872 | Tom, Jr. (Young Tom) | Morris | 166 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1873 | Tom | Kidd | 179 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1874 | Mungo | Park | 159 | Musselburgh | Scotland |
| 1875 | Willie, Sr. | Park | 166 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1876 | Robert | Martin | 176 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1877 | Jamie | Anderson | 160 | Musselburgh | Scotland |
| 1878 | Jamie | Anderson | 157 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1879 | Jamie | Anderson | 169 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1880 | Robert | Ferguson | 162 | Musselburgh | Scotland |
| 1881 | Robert | Ferguson | 170 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1882 | Robert | Ferguson | 171 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1883 | Willie | Fernie | 159 | Musselburgh | Scotland |
| 1884 | Jack | Simpson | 160 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1885 | Robert | Martin | 171 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1886 | David | Brown | 157 | Musselburgh | Scotland |
| 1887 | Willie, Jr. | Park | 161 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1888 | Jack | Burns | 171 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1889 | Willie, Jr. | Park | 155 | Musselburgh | Scotland |
| 1890 | John | Ball | 164 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1891 | Hugh | Kirkaldy | 166 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1892 | Harold H. | Hilton | 305 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1893 | William | Auchterlonie | 322 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1894 | John | Taylor | 326 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1895 | John | Taylor | 322 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1896 | Harry | Vardon | 316 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1897 | Harold H. | Hilton | 314 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1898 | Harry | Vardon | 307 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1899 | Harry | Vardon | 310 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1900 | John | Taylor | 309 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1901 | James | Braid | 309 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1902 | Alexander | Herd | 307 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1903 | Harry | Vardon | 300 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1904 | Jack | White | 296 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1905 | James | Braid | 318 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1906 | James | Braid | 300 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1907 | Arnaud | Massy | 312 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1908 | James | Braid | 291 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1909 | John | Taylor | 295 | Deal | England |
| 1910 | James | Braid | 299 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1911 | Harry | Vardon | 303 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1912 | Ted | Ray | 295 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1913 | John | Taylor | 304 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1914 | Harry | Vardon | 306 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1915 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1916 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1917 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1918 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1919 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1920 | George | Duncan | 303 | Deal | England |
| 1921 | Jock | Hutchison | 296 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1922 | Walter | Hagen | 300 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1923 | Arthur | Havers | 295 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1924 | Walter | Hagen | 301 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1925 | James | Barnes | 300 | Prestwick | Scotland |
| 1926 | Robert T. (Bobby) Jr. | Jones | 291 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1927 | Robert T. (Bobby) Jr. | Jones | 285 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1928 | Walter | Hagen | 292 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1929 | Walter | Hagen | 292 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1930 | Robert T. (Bobby) Jr. | Jones | 291 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1931 | Tommy | Armour | 296 | Carnoustie | Scotland |
| 1932 | Gene | Sarazen | 283 | Prince's | England |
| 1933 | Denny | Shute | 292 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1934 | Henry | Cotton | 283 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1935 | Alfred | Perry | 283 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1936 | Alfred | Padgham | 287 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1937 | Henry | Cotton | 290 | Carnoustie | Scotland |
| 1938 | R.A. | Whitcombe | 295 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1939 | Richard | Burton | 290 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1940 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1941 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1942 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1943 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1944 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1945 | No Championship Held (War) | ||||
| 1946 | Sam | Snead | 290 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1947 | Fred | Daly | 293 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1948 | Henry | Cotton | 284 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1949 | Bobby | Locke | 283 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1950 | Bobby | Locke | 279 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1951 | Max | Faulkner | 285 | Royal Portrush | Ireland |
| 1952 | Bobby | Locke | 287 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1953 | Ben | Hogan | 282 | Carnoustie | Scotland |
| 1954 | Peter | Thomson | 283 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1955 | Peter | Thomson | 281 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1956 | Peter | Thomson | 286 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1957 | Bobby | Locke | 279 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1958 | Peter | Thomson | 278 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1959 | Gary | Player | 284 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1960 | Kel | Nagle | 278 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1961 | Arnold | Palmer | 284 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1962 | Arnold | Palmer | 276 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1963 | Bob | Charles | 277 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1964 | Tony | Lema | 279 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1965 | Peter | Thomson | 285 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1966 | Jack | Nicklaus | 282 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1967 | Roberto | Devicenzo | 278 | Royal Liverpool; Hoylake | England |
| 1968 | Gary | Player | 289 | Carnoustie | Scotland |
| 1969 | Tony | Jacklin | 280 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1970 | Jack | Nicklaus | 283 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1971 | Lee | Trevino | 278 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1972 | Lee | Trevino | 278 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1973 | Tom | Weiskopf | 276 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1974 | Gary | Player | 282 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1975 | Tom | Watson | 279 | Carnoustie | Scotland |
| 1976 | Johnny | Miller | 279 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1977 | Tom | Watson | 268 | Turnberry | Scotland |
| 1978 | Jack | Nicklaus | 281 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1979 | Seve | Ballesteros | 283 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1980 | Tom | Watson | 271 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1981 | Bill | Rogers | 276 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1982 | Tom | Watson | 284 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1983 | Tom | Watson | 275 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1984 | Seve | Ballesteros | 276 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1985 | Sandy | Lyle | 282 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1986 | Greg | Norman | 280 | Turnberry | Scotland |
| 1987 | Nick | Faldo | 279 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1988 | Seve | Ballesteros | 273 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1989 | Mark | Calcavecchia | 275 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1990 | Nick | Faldo | 270 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1991 | Ian | Baker-Finch | 272 | Royal Birkdale | England |
| 1992 | Nick | Faldo | 272 | Muirfield | Scotland |
| 1993 | Greg | Norman | 267 | Royal St. George's | England |
| 1994 | Nick | Price | 268 | Turnberry | Scotland |
| 1995 | John | Daly | 282 | St Andrews | Scotland |
| 1996 | Tom | Lehman | 271 | Royal Lytham & St Annes | England |
| 1997 | Justin | Leonard | 272 | Royal Troon | Scotland |
| 1998 | Mark | O'Meara | 280 | Royal Birkdale | England |
The Championship was contested at 36 holes prior to 1892, when it was changed to 72 holes.
Note: The original prize for the Open Championship was a red morrocan leather belt. It was to be awarded in perpetuity to anyone who should win the championship three times running. After Young Tom Morris did this in 1870, there was no championship held in 1871. In 1872 a union of three clubs (Prestwick, The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers [who played then at Musselburgh, and today have a course at Muirfield]) donated the silver claret jug which is still played for today.
