Where is the British Open being played in 2022?

The fourth Major of the golf season in 2022, the Open Championship, is taking place between July 14th and 17th, with all of the sport’s stars vying for a win that will feel even more special for whoever conquers it this year. Known as the British Open for Americans, the 150th edition of the tournament is happening at the Old Course St. Andrews, a course full of history and beautiful sights for both golfers and spectators.

Follow the final day of the 150th Open Championship live from St Andrews

30th Open at St. Andrews

Back in 1873, Scottish Tom Kidd won the first Open ever played at Old Course St. Andrews, with scores of 91 and 88 in the first time the major was played at an 18-holes course, which netted him the grand sum of £11 or $13 at today’s exchange rate (£835 in today’s money, according to the Bank of England, or $998). This year, the Scottish course will host the British Open for the 30th time, 150 years after the first edition, and having been conquered by some of the greatest golfers to ever live. St. Andrews has seen Jack Nicklaus win three times, as well as two victories for Tiger Woods, in 2000 and 2005. The American superstar will be playing in Scotland this week with hopes of winning his fourth British Open, which would put him just two majors behind Jack Nicklaus, on 18, for the most ever.

Recent editions of the British Open at the Old Course St. Andrews saw South African Louis Oosthuizen win in 2010, when Rory McIlroy also scored a 63 in the first round, and American Zach Johnson win his second major in 2015 after a three man playoff.

An open field at the links course

Both the amount of talent that will take part in this year’s British Open and the characteristics of the Old Course in St. Andrews itself should amount to a wide open tournament this week. As is tradition in the British Open when in Scotland, St. Andrews is a links golf course, the oldest kind, which means it is adapted to the shape of the terrain rather than built. The majority, although not all, are on coastal dunes. This means the sandy areas in which these courses are located create two main factors for golfers to consider: firstly, the uneven terrain and fairways that they encounter and secondly, the wind, which they may have to face constantly due to the lack of trees or structures surrounding the holes. This is often particularly acute in St. Andrews, which looks out over the over wild North Sea. With over 112 bunkers on the course, each hole has made a legend of, or led to disaster, for the many golfers who have roamed its fairways, and will continue to do so in 2022.

Last year’s champion, Collin Morikawa, will try and use his technical game to gain an advantage against some of the other favorites, such as 2014 winner Rory McIlroy or recently crowned Scottish Open champion Xander Schauffele.