Since Royal Troon Golf Club hosted its first Open Championship in 1923, the course has welcomed some of the greatest names in the history of the game on to the links.

The eight champions since then have been a mix of the great and the unheralded, with American players dominating.


1923 - Arthur Havers
Arthur Havers, who finished fourth the previous year at St. Andrews, was to prove himself in this Championship, winning by a shot from Walter Hagen, the defending Champion. Gene Sarazen, who held the national title of his own country, failed to qualify by one stroke.


1950 - Bobby Locke
The Open returned to Troon after a break of 27 years, and Bobby Locke won the Championship with a score of 279, becoming the first player to score less than 280 in an Open Championship.

The weather was warm, the Course dry and playing short, which suited the eventual winner. Good as his game was through the greens, it was on them that Bobby Locke won the title, winning by a single shot from Roberto de Vicenzo of Argentina.


1962 - Arnold Palmer
The 1961 Open was won by Arnold Palmer, retaining the title he won at Royal Birkdale in 1961.

A winning total of 276 was some six shots better than the runner up Kel Nagle who triumphed at St Andrews two years earlier, and thirteen clear of the rest of the field.


1973 - Tom Weiskopf
Tom Weiskopf came to Troon having recently won the Colonial National, The Kemper Open, and the Philadelphia Classic.

His form was high,and so it continued for the duration of the Championship, winning by three shots from fellow American Johnny Miller and England's Neil Coles.

During the first two rounds Gene Sarazen played the Postage Stamp in three shots. He holed his Tee shot on the first day and his second shot from sand on day 2. This was a sentimental return, having played in the 1923 Championship at Troon.


1982 - Tom Watson
Tom Watson started the Championship as strong favourite, having just won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and duly went on to win the fourth of his five Open titles in dramatic style.

After two rounds he was seven shots behind Bobby Clampett who looked to be in charge of the Championship, The third round changed the whole complexion with Clampett taking 78 shots but nd Watson taking much closer order. On the last day a steady round of 70 was good enough for Watson to edge out Nick Price, who had led by three shots with six holes to play, and Peter Oosterhuis by a single shot.


1989 - Mark Calcavecchia
Mark Calcavecchia won a thrilling play-off against Wayne Grady and Greg Norman to gain his first major Championship.

To secure his place in the play-off Greg Norman birdied the first six holes in his final round and scored a magnificent 64, a new Course Record, which still stands. This was the first four hole play-off in the Championship.

Norman led the play-off by a shot standing on the final tee, but his drive found a bunker, leaving the way clear for Calcavecchia to clinch his first major.


1997 - Justin Leonard
After three rounds Jesper Parnevik had a two shot lead over Darren Clarke with Americans Fred Couples and Justin Leonard a further three shots adrift.

Parnevik started his final round with an early birdie at the third but a bogey at the long 6th where he took four to get down from a greenside bunker halted his momentum. Leonard had a wonderful streak of six birdies over the front nine and his closing round of 65 won the title by three shots.


2004 - Todd Hamilton
Going into the final round Todd Hamilton was the surprise leader, one stroke ahead of Ernie Els and two ahead of Phil Mickelson, Thomas Levet and Retief Goosen.

The weather had been wonderful all week and the fairways were running hard and fast but there was plenty of danger if straying into the rough or a bunker causing grief to many including Tiger Woods.

The final round was very close with Phil Mickelson leading at one point but as the final pairing reached the 72nd hole Ernie Els had a 12 foot birdie putt to win the Championship but he missed and then went into a four hole play-off with Todd Hamilton.

Todd Hamilton won the four hole play-off with straight pars beating Ernie Els and a galaxy of world golf stars who had fought over the "breezy links of Troon" for the famous claret jug.

It has not yet been confirmed when Royal Troon will next host the Open Championship, but 2013 seems a likely date, with the event set to be held at Turnberry in 2009, St Andrews in 2010, Royal St George's in 2011 and Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2012.