Senior Open heading for Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2019
(L-R) R&A Executive Director of Championships Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club Chairman of the Championship Committee Alan Ker, Club Secretary Charles Grimley and Head of the Staysure Tour David Maclaren pose with the Senior Open Claret Jug at the announcement of Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club as the host venue for the 2019 Senior Open Championship, presented by Rolex. Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts/Getty Images
Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club will host The Senior Open Presented by Rolex for the first time in 25 years when the Championship returns there in 2019.
In a joint announcement, The R&A and European Tour confirmed that Royal Lytham & St Annes will host the 33rd edition of the Championship from 25-28 July 2019.
The Senior Open was last held at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1994 after hosting the Championship for four consecutive years.
Tom Wargo was the last winner of the Senior Claret Jug on the Lancashire links and is joined by Bob Charles, John Fourie and Bobby Verwey as victors at Royal Lytham.
Three-time Senior Major Champion Tom Lehman won The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1996, finishing two strokes ahead of Ernie Els and Mark McCumber and three strokes ahead of Sir Nick Faldo.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships at The R&A, said, “Royal Lytham & St Annes has a prestigious reputation as a world-class championship venue and a number of the greatest golfers in the history of the game have won The Open on these famous links.
“We look forward to the Senior Open returning to Royal Lytham & St Annes for the first time in 25 years in 2019 and welcoming a strong field to compete for the Senior Claret Jug.”
The 2016 European Ryder Cup Captain Darren Clarke, who turns 50 in August 2018, and fellow former Major Champions Michael Campbell, Paul Lawrie and Retief Goosen will be in line to make their Senior Open debuts as they turn 50 in 2019.
Former Ryder Cup Captain Bernhard Langer made history at The 2017 Senior Open, when he became the first person in history to win ten Senior Major Championships, securing his third Senior Claret Jug at Royal Porthcawl.
Langer joined Gary Player, winner of The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1974, and Tom Watson, a five-time Champion Golfer of the Year, as three-time winners of The Senior Open.
Jointly sanctioned by The R&A, the Staysure Tour and PGA TOUR Champions, the 2018 edition of the Championship will take place on the Old Course at St Andrews.
Tim Walker, Captain of Royal Lytham & St Annes, said: “On behalf of us all at Royal Lytham & St Annes we are delighted to host The 2019 Senior Open. We are honoured to welcome players, visitors and organisers to our great Club.”
