The Royal St George's Golf Club is one of the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894, when it became the first club outside Scotland to host the championship. Past champions include Darren Clarke, Ben Curtis, Greg Norman, Sandy Lyle, Bill Rogers, Bobby Locke, Reg Whitcombe, Henry Cotton, Walter Hagen (on two different occasions), Harry Vardon (on two different occasions), Jack White and John Henry Taylor. It has also hosted The Amateur Championship on 13 occasions.
The club is located in Sandwich, Kent, England, and was founded in 1887 in a setting of wild duneland. Many holes feature blind or partially blind shots, although the unfairness element has been reduced somewhat, after several 20th century modifications. The club's Challenge Trophy dates from 1888 and is one of the oldest trophies in golf; it has been contested annually except for war years. The course also possesses the deepest bunker in championship golf, located on its fourth hole.[1]
Author Ian Fleming used the Royal St. George's course under the name "Royal St. Marks" in his 1959 novel Goldfinger.
Royal St George's is situated on the same stretch of coastline as Royal Cinque Ports Club and neighbouring Prince's Golf Club, both former Open Championship venues.
Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich has hosted The Open Championship on 14 occasions since 1894.
| Year | Winner | Score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | Total | ||
| 1894 | J.H. Taylor 1st | 84 | 80 | 81 | 81 | 326 |
| 1899 | Harry Vardon 3rd | 76 | 76 | 81 | 77 | 310 |
| 1904 | Jack White 1st | 80 | 75 | 72 | 69 | 296 |
| 1911 | Harry Vardon 5th | 74 | 74 | 75 | 80 | 303 PO |
| 1922 | Walter Hagen 1st | 76 | 73 | 79 | 72 | 300 |
| 1928 | Walter Hagen 3rd | 75 | 73 | 72 | 72 | 292 |
| 1934 | Henry Cotton 1st | 67 | 65 | 72 | 79 | 283 |
| 1938 | Reg Whitcombe 1st | 71 | 71 | 75 | 78 | 295 |
| 1949 | Bobby Locke 1st | 69 | 76 | 68 | 70 | 283 (−5) |
| 1981 | Bill Rogers 1st | 72 | 66 | 67 | 71 | 276 (−4) |
| 1985 | Sandy Lyle 1st | 68 | 71 | 73 | 70 | 282 (+2) |
| 1993 | Greg Norman 2nd | 66 | 68 | 69 | 64 | 267 (−13) |
| 2003 | Ben Curtis 1st | 72 | 72 | 70 | 69 | 283 (−1) |
| 2011 | Darren Clarke1st | 68 | 68 | 69 | 70 | 275 (−5) |
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