290,000 Fans Set to Attend 150th Open

The 150th Open at St Andrews is set to break attendance records as 290,000 fans are due to attend the Old Course from 10-17 July.

The previous record sits at 239,000, set in 2000, when Tiger Woods captured his first claret jug and completed the career Grand Slam. Woods, a two-time winner at the Old Course, has already committed to play the tournament.

Demand to attend the events led to more than 1.3 million applications in the ticket ballot and has resulted in the highest-ever number of general admission tickets being issued to fans.

The R&A is continuing to work closely with the Scottish Government and its health advisors on the planned attendance and to ensure that everyone attending the Championship can do so safely while enjoying the best possible spectator experience.

The Open Camping Village continues to prove a popular accommodation option, particularly for families and young people, with around 3,650 visitors booking a place to stay on-site this year. Almost 40% of those staying at the campsite are under 25, meaning that around 8,000 free bed spaces have been provided to them since the initiative was launched at Royal Troon in 2016.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive at The R&A, said: “The 150th Open at St Andrews is going to be a momentous occasion for golf and this is clearly reflected in the extraordinary demand among fans to be part of this historic playing of the championship. We very much appreciate their passion and enthusiasm for The Open and are delighted that we will set a new attendance record that far exceeds the previous best set in 2000.

“The Open is a major global sporting event and its significance to St Andrews and Scotland is evident in the independent forecast which estimates that the Championship will generate around £200 million in total economic benefit. We look forward to welcoming tens of thousands of fans from many countries around the world to St Andrews in July when they will enjoy a true celebration of golf at its historic home.”

First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon said: “The Open Championship is a brilliant opportunity to showcase Scotland as the home of golf on a global stage, in a historic year for the sport – with five major tournaments being hosted across five weeks this summer. The news that this will be the largest Championship ever staged is a phenomenal feat and reminds us of the enduring appeal of golf. The event, which will welcome visitors from across the world to Scotland, will also have an extremely positive impact on our economy, businesses and tourism industry.”

A record 20% of general admission tickets have been allocated to fans under the age of 25, including over 20,000 children aged under 16 who will be attending free of charge thanks to the long-running Kids Go Free initiative.

A record 80,000 spectators will attend the four practice days of The 150th Open, exceeding the total of 61,000 fans who attended the equivalent days at Royal Portrush in 2019.

The Open Championship was last held at St Andrews in 2015 with Zach Johnson lifting the Claret Jug.