Brief Description the Great champions

Within its first year, in 1892, Muirfield staged the Open. In all, 13 Opens have been held here. Its champions equal those of any course in Britain - Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson and Nick Faldo are among the more recent great players to triumph here.

Only the very best win at Muirfield. Jack Nicklaus' record is particularly impressive. As well as winning the Open in 1966, he lost only one of the eight Ryder Cup and Walker Cup matches he played here. Nicklaus also finished runner-up and fourth in the 1972 and 1980 Opens.

His love of the course is so great that he named his own Muirfield Village complex in Ohio after it.

Muirfield has witnessed a number of Open firsts. In 1892 it was the first held over 72 holes and the first to charge an entrance fee. In 1966 the Open was played over four days for the first time and the Royal and Ancient allowed advertising banners on the course - a practice short lived as it was felt that the Championship was becoming too commercial.