For the third time in its history, The Senior Open takes place at Carnoustie in Scotland after it previously held the Major in 2010 and 2016.
In the most recent of those, Paul Broadhurst claimed his maiden senior Major title with a two-shot win over Scott McCarron, and he plays this week.
Last year, the tournament came from Royal Porthcawl, where Alex Cejka edged out Padraig Harrington in a dramatic playoff after a day of atrocious weather conditions of strong wind and heavy rain. Back then, the overall purse was a record $2.75m, with Cejka claiming $447,800.
There’s even more on offer this year, as players compete for a $2.85m purse. However, that is still significantly less than the senior Major that offered the most money this season – the US Senior Open, where Richard Bland won $720,000 from the $4m purse.
Regardless, the opportunity to claim one of the most prestigious prizes in seniors golf has, as ever, attracted many of the game’s legends as they compete at one of the world’s most historic courses.
Who Are The Star Names In The Seniors Open?
In total, 137 players are in the field for the Major, including defending champion Alex Cejka and the player he beat in 2023, Padraig Harrington.
Darren Clarke took the honors at Gleneagles in 2022, with Harrington once again the man to narrowly miss out, and he’s also playing, along with 2021 champion Stephen Dodd.
One of the legends of the game is Bernhard Langer, and the German is looking for his fifth Senior Open title this week, while there’s also a place for Paul Broadhurst, who won the tournament the last time it was played at Carnoustie, in 2016, and who Langer beat in 2019.
Other big names to look out for include Steven Alker, who has one senior Major win among seven top-10 finishes, 2018 Senior Open champion Miguel Angel Jiminez and former World No.5 KJ Choi, who has four top-10 finishes in senior Majors but has yet to claim a title.
Adding to the star-studded nature of the field are players including four-time Major winner Ernie Els, 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, three-time Major winner Vijay Singh, who made the cut at The Masters in April, and Colin Montgomerie, who last week drew a defiant response from Tiger Woods after he had suggested he should retire.
Where Is The Senior Open Being Held In 2024?
The 2024 Senior Open is being held at Carnoustie in Scotland, the second time it has hosted the event after previous editions in 2010 and 2016. The course has also hosted The Open eight times, most recently in 2018.
Who Is Playing In The Senior Open?
Many of the game’s legends are in the field, including Bernhard Langer, who has won the event four times, former World No.1 Vijay Singh, Colin Montgomerie, who will be hoping for a big week in his homeland, and four-time Major winner Ernie Els.
