Claret Jug

Last updated

The Claret Jug ClaretJug (cropped).jpg
The Claret Jug

The Golf Champion Trophy, commonly known as the Claret Jug, is the trophy presented to the winner of The Open Championship (also called the "British Open"), one of the four major championships in golf.

The awarding of the Claret Jug dates from 1872, when a new trophy was needed after Young Tom Morris had won the original Challenge Belt (presented by Prestwick Golf Club) outright in 1870 by winning the Championship three consecutive seasons. Prestwick had both hosted and organised the Championship from 1860 to 1870.

By the time that Prestwick had reached agreement with the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers (based at Musselburgh) for the championship to rotate at these three venues, more than a year had passed. So, there was no event in 1871.

Each club contributed £10 to the cost of the new trophy, which is inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy', and was made by Mackay Cunningham & Company of Edinburgh.

When played the 1872 event trophy was unready to be presented to Morris (his fourth consecutive title), although his name was the first to be engraved on it. In 1872, Morris was presented with a medal as have all subsequent winners. In 1873 Tom Kidd became the first winner to be actually presented with the Claret Jug after winning the Championship. [1]

The original Claret Jug has been on permanent display at the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews since 1928. [1] The original Challenge Belt is also on display at the same site, having been donated in 1908 by the Morris family.

The current Claret Jug was first awarded to Walter Hagen for winning the 1928 Open. [1] The winner must return the trophy before the next year's Open, and receives a replica to keep permanently. Three other replicas exist: one in the R&A World Golf Museum at St Andrews, and two used for travelling exhibitions.

Every year, the winner's name is engraved on the Claret Jug before it is presented to him. The BBC always shows the engraver poised to start work, and the commentators like to speculate about when he will be sure enough of the outcome to begin. Despite some suggestions, at the 1999 Open Championship, Jean van de Velde's name was not engraved on the trophy before he famously choked with a triple-bogey on the 18th hole and Paul Lawrie subsequently won the playoff; engraver Alex Harvey stated, "No, I didn't start engraving the Jug with his name. I've got to wait until the secretary hands me a slip of paper with the winner's name on it, and they always wait until the last putt is dropped." [2] Upon being awarded the Jug in 1989, Mark Calcavecchia said, "How's my name going to fit on that thing?" [3]

The Claret Jug has twice appeared on commemorative £5 Scottish banknotes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland: first in 2004, for the 250th Anniversary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, then in 2005, the jug is shown held by Jack Nicklaus to mark his retirement. [4] [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Open Championship</span> Golf tournament held in the UK

The Open Championship, often referred to as The Open or the British Open, is the oldest golf tournament in the world, and one of the most prestigious. Founded in 1860, it was originally held annually at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Later the venue rotated between a select group of coastal links golf courses in the United Kingdom. It is organised by The R&A.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prestwick</span> Town and former royal burgh in Scotland

Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the west coast of Ayrshire in Scotland about 30 miles southwest of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr to the south on the Firth of Clyde coast, the centre of which is about two miles south, and the small village of Monkton to the north. It had a population of 14,901 at the 2011 census.

The following is a partial timeline of the history of golf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Tom Morris</span> Scottish professional golfer (1821–1908)

Thomas Mitchell Morris, otherwise known as Old Tom Morris, and The Grand Old Man of Golf, was a Scottish golfer. He was born in St Andrews, Fife, the "home of golf" and location of the St Andrews Links, and died there as well. Young Tom Morris, also a golfer, was his son.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Tom Morris</span> Scottish professional golfer (1851–1875)

Thomas Morris, known as Tom Morris Junior, Young Tom Morris and also Tommy Morris, was a Scottish professional golfer. He is considered one of the pioneers of professional golf, and was the first young prodigy in golf history. He won four consecutive titles in the Open Championship, and did this by the age of 21.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prestwick Golf Club</span> Golf course in South Ayrshire, Scotland

Prestwick Golf Club is a golf course in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. It is approximately 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Scotland's largest city, Glasgow. Prestwick is a classic links course, built on the rolling sandy land between the beach and the hinterland. The course is near the Prestwick airport, and some holes run along railway tracks on the eastern side of the course.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Auchterlonie</span> Scottish golfer

William "Willie" Auchterlonie was a Scottish professional golfer. He was a native of St Andrews. He won the 1893 Open Championship at the age of 21 years and 25 days and he remains the second youngest Open Champion after Tom Morris, Jnr, but it was to prove to be his only Open. His brother, Laurie Auchterlonie, won the 1902 U.S. Open.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Strath</span> Scottish professional golfer

Andrew Anderson Strath was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the mid-19th century. He won the 1865 Open Championship. In total, he accumulated six top-10 finishes in The Open Championship.

Christopher Thomas Kidd was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century. He won the 1873 Open Championship on his home course at St Andrews, Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1870 Open Championship</span> Golf tournament

The 1870 Open Championship was a golf competition held at Prestwick Golf Club, Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the 11th Open Championship and the last to be contested for the Challenge Belt. Tom Morris, Jr. won the championship by 12 shots from Bob Kirk and Davie Strath. By winning for a third successive time Tom Morris, Jr. gained permanent possession of the Challenge Belt.

The 1872 Open Championship was the 12th Open Championship, held 13 September at Prestwick Golf Club in Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland. Tom Morris Jr. won the Championship for the fourth successive time, by three strokes from runner-up Davie Strath, having been five shots behind Strath before the final round. He was just 21 years and 146 days old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1860 Open Championship</span> Golf tournament

The 1860 Open Championship was a golf competition held at Prestwick Golf Club, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It is now regarded as the first Open Championship. Until his death in 1859, Allan Robertson was regarded as top golfer in the world. The Open Championship was created to determine his successor. Eight golfers contested the event, with Willie Park, Sr. winning the championship by 2 shots from Tom Morris, Sr.

The 1873 Open Championship was the 13th Open Championship, held 4 October at the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. Tom Kidd won the Championship by a stroke from Jamie Anderson. This was the first Open Championship not held at Prestwick. The Championship was still contested over 36 holes; now two rounds of 18 holes rather than three rounds of 12. Since the new "Champion Trophy" was not ready in 1872, Kidd became the first golfer to receive it at the Championship. "The trophy conferred on the successful golfer is a silver cup which, however, can never become the absolute property of any winner. Along with the honour the winner receives a medal and likewise a money prize."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrews Golf Club</span> Private golf club in Scotland

St Andrews Golf Club, originally known as St Andrews Mechanics Golf Club, is a private members' golf club located in St Andrews, Scotland. The club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the world, having been established in 1843.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Ogilvie Fairlie</span> Scottish golfer and landowner

James Ogilvie Fairlie was a Scottish amateur golfer and landowner. He is best remembered as the principal organiser of the first Open Championship in 1860. Fairlie was a founding member of Prestwick Golf Club in 1851.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Chambers Jr.</span> Scottish publisher and encyclopaedist

Robert Chambers was a Scottish publisher, editor of Chambers' Journal, amateur golfer and encyclopaedist, the son of Robert Chambers, the co-founder of the W & R Chambers publishing house in Edinburgh.

Alexander Hamilton Doleman was a Scottish amateur golfer. Doleman tied for ninth place in the 1870 Open Championship. His brothers John, William, and Frank were also golfers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hunter (golfer)</span> Scottish professional golfer

John Hunter was a Scottish professional golfer who played in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Hunter finished in eighth place in the 1898 Open Championship. He won the first Scottish Professional Championship at Panmure Golf Club in 1907 with a score of 304 over four rounds, which included a record round of 71 in the third round.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Challenge Belt</span> Award presented to the winner of The Open Championship in golf from 1860 to 1870

The Challenge Belt was awarded to the winner of The Open Championship in golf from 1860 until 1870. It was replaced by the Claret Jug for the 1872 Open Championship which is still being used to the present day. The winner of the first Open Championship, Willie Park Sr., in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club received no prize money; instead, he was allowed to keep the Belt until the following Open Championship.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "2019 British Open: History of the claret jug, golf's oldest prize". Golf Channel. 25 June 2019.
  2. "Le Crying Shame". Golf.com. 17 July 2007.
  3. Apfelbaum, Jim (17 May 2007). The Gigantic Book of Golf Quotations. Skyhorse Publishing Inc. ISBN   9781602390140 via Google Books.
  4. "Commemorative £5 note - 2004". The Committee of Scottish Bankers.
  5. "Commemorative £5 note - 2005". The Committee of Scottish Bankers.