The British Open 2020, Royal St. George’s, Kent
When and where will the British Open 2020 take place?
The Open will take place from the 12th to the 19th of July 2020 at the Royal St George’s golf course in Sandwich, Kent. Players will battle for the legendary claret jug in the 149th revolution of the tournament. The links course is famous for its huge sand dunes and tight, rolling fairways.
Read below to find out everything you need to know about the British Open 2020. That includes information about the venue, qualifying, the trophy, and working at the tournament.
2020 British Open Venue
The course
This year, the Open takes place at Kent links for the 15th time in 149 revolutions of the competition. The last Open that took place here was in 2011, which was won by the Northern Irish pro, Darren Clarke. This was also his first major win.
The first Open to take place here was the 35th revolution of the tournament in 1894. It was won by JH Taylor, who became the first Englishman to win the competition.
The course has changed slightly since 2011. Restorations to bunkers on the 4th and 5th hole, as well as a bare sand area to the left of the 5th hole change the play of the course. Two bunkers are now swales on the 17th green. And, two bunkers on the 18th hole are slightly different. Practice facilities are now better as well.
Spectators
The Royal St. George’s offer a range of ticket and hospitality options so spectators can choose their level of comfort and accommodation. The tall dunes running through the course make great viewing points for spectators.
Qualifying
156 players make up a full field in the Open. To qualify for the Open, players must take place in The Open Qualifying Series (OQS). This consists of 16 events in 11 countries spanning 5 continents. A minimum of 46 qualifying spots in the Open field are available for players to win.
The details are listed below in order of: Location - Tournament - Date - Spots available to win
Australia - Emirates Australian Open - 8 Dec - 3 spots
Africa - South African Open - 12th Jan - 3 spots
Singapore - SMBC Singapore Open - 19th Jan - 4 spots
United States - Arnold Palmer Invitational - 8 Mar - 3 spots
Japan - Mizuno Open - 31st May - 4 Spots
Ireland - Dubai Duty Free Irish Open - 31st May - 4 spots
Morocco - Trophee Hassan II - 7 Jun - 1 Spot
Canada - RBC Canadian Open 14th Jun - 3 Spots
United Kingdom - Regional Qualifying - 22nd Jun - 0 Spots
Korea - Kolon Korea Open - 28 Jun - 2 Spots
United States - Travelers Championship - 28th Jun - 2 spots
Scotland - Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open - 12 Jul - 4 Spots
United States - John Deere Classic 12 Jul - 1 Spot
Final Qualifying - On the 1st of July, four final qualifying events take place over Scotland and England. Three spaces are available to win at each event, totalling 12 places in the Open. The events are taking place at Fairmont St Andrews, Notts (Hollinwell), Prince’s and St Annes Old Links.
Alternates - To make up the full field of 156, remaining places are allocated in ranking order from the Official World Golf Ranking.
The Claret Jug
First awarded to the winner of the British Open in 1873, the claret jug is one of the most prestigious trophies a champion golfer can win. The Scottish golfer Tom Kidd was the first Champion to be presented with the original claret jug. The original trophy is on display at St Andrews golf club and has been since 1928. It is designed in the style of a traditional french jug designed to serve claret. Claret is a dry red wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France.
Working at the British Open 2020
The British open needs workers to help bring it all together. If you really want to get involved, you can visit their website and apply for both paid and voluntary positions here.
Are you a golfer?
Take a look at our superb golf trophy section. They’re ideal for your next club competition. We even have replica claret jugs!
