Who are the biggest long shots to have won the British Open?
The British Open has historically been the most wide-open major golf championship, with six long shots of 125-1 or higher winning since 2003.
Here are the biggest long shots to win the British Open, dating back to 1979:
Brian Harman 125-1, 2023
The 5-foot-7-inch Harman stood tall atop the leaderboard at Royal Liverpool by five strokes heading into the rain-soaked final round and shot a 1-under 70 to beat a foursome including major winners Jon Rahm and Jason Day by six strokes.
Stewart Cink, 125-1, 2009
Cink prevented 59-year-old Tom Watson from becoming the oldest winner of a major title when he outlasted the eight-time major winner by six strokes in a four-hole playoff at Turnberry. Watson birdied the 17th to take a one-shot lead, but he missed a 12-foot par putt on 18 to set up a playoff.
Darren Clarke, 150-1, 2011
Clarke won his only major by three strokes over runners-up Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson at Royal St. George’s. Clarke took a one-stroke lead over Johnson into the final round and shot a 5-under 30 on the front nine en route to an even-par 70. At 42, Clarke was the oldest British Open champion in 44 years.
Louis Oosthuizen, 200-1, 2010
In a dominant performance, the South African led over the final 48 holes at St. Andrews and beat the field by seven shots. The only challenge came from Paul Casey, who got within three shots after the eighth hole, then drove the green on the par-4 ninth. Oosthuizen answered by hitting driver onto the green and knocking in a 50-foot eagle putt to help seal the win.
Todd Hamilton, 500-1, 2004
Hamilton outlasted Ernie Els, who had lifted the Claret Jug two years earlier, by a stroke in a four-hole playoff at Royal Troon. Els had a chance to win in regulation after Hamilton faltered with a bogey on the final hole. But Els missed a 10-foot birdie putt that would’ve clinched the title.
Hamilton took a one-shot lead on the third playoff hole when Els bogeyed it after an errant tee shot. When Els missed another birdie putt on the fourth playoff hole, all Hamilton had to do was tap in a 2-footer for par to prevail.
Hamilton said he was surprised as anybody to shock the golf world.
“I’ve played so bad for so long. It’s very strange to be sitting in here commenting on my golf,” he said. “Usually when I’m commenting on it, it’s to my wife and my kids and it’s usually in an angry tone.”
Ben Curtis, 500-1, 2003
Curtis won his only major championship by one stroke over runners-up Vijay Singh and Thomas Bjorn at Royal St. George’s, and by two strokes over Tiger Woods and Davis Love III.
Bjorn blew a two-stroke lead with three holes to play after needing three shots to get out of a green-side bunker on the 16th hole. Curtis shot 6 under on the first 11 holes in the final round. He then dropped four strokes in six holes. But he made an 8-footer for par on No. 18 to finish as the only player under par.
Curtis, ranked No. 396 in the world, was the first player since Tom Watson in 1975 to win playing in his first British Open and the first since Francis Ouimet at the 1913 U.S. Open to win a major in his first attempt.
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
