107-558: Rotten Row Southport Southport Flower Show , held at Victoria Park in Southport , is the largest independent flower show in the United Kingdom . It was originally started in 1924 by the local council, but since 1986 has been operated by Southport Flower Show company, which is a registered charity. It is held annually for four days in late August and has attendances of over 80,000. The patron of Southport Flower Show since 1996
214-680: A national nature reserve and a Ramsar site. Local fauna include the natterjack toad and the sand lizard . Southport hosts events, including an annual air show on and over the beach, the largest independent flower show in the UK in Victoria Park , and the British Musical Fireworks Championship. The town is at the centre of England's "Golf Coast", and has hosted the Open Championship at
321-521: A "respectable caddie" to represent each of the clubs. The winner received the Challenge Belt, made from red leather with a silver buckle and worth £25, which came about thanks to being donated by the Earl of Eglinton , a man with a keen interest in medieval pageantry (belts were the type of trophy that might have been competed for in archery or jousting). The first rule of the new golf competition
428-670: A British festival is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Southport Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside , England. It lies on the West Lancashire coastal plain and the east coast of the Irish Sea , approximately 17 miles (27 km) north of Liverpool and 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Preston . At the 2021 census , Southport had
535-524: A channel to drain Martin Mere to the sea. From this point on, attempts at large-scale drainage of Martin Mere and other marshland continued until the 19th century, since when the water has been pumped away. This left behind a legacy of fine agricultural soil and created a booming farming industry. In the late 18th century, it was becoming fashionable for the well-to-do to desert inland spa towns and visit
642-734: A cut after 36 holes, or a qualifying event, and the largest field was 226 in 1911. The large field meant sometimes the tournament was spread across up to four days. In 1907 Arnaud Massy from France became the first non-British winner. Royal Cinque Ports in England became the 6th different Open host course in 1909. The pre-war period is most famous for the Great Triumvirate of Harry Vardon (Jersey), John Henry Taylor (England), and James Braid (Scotland). The trio combined to win The Open Championship 16 times in
749-406: A dependence on tourism the town is also home to businesses both in the private and public sector. Some manufacturing facilities were situated in the town, most notably Chewits were manufactured in the town from 1965 to 2006, only closing to move production to Slovakia . Manufacturing has diminished in the last few decades and only a few sites are still in production in the town today. Lord Street
856-596: A district of Lancashire: the final recommendations in 1991 "concluded that public opinion was more evenly divided than initially thought", and also that eastward transport links with Lancashire were poor compared to those southward to the Liverpool area. The government again directed the Local Government Commission for England to make a review in December 1996 (after it had finished the work on
963-558: A fifth title in 1965. After flooding prevented Royal Cinque Ports from hosting, both in 1938 and 1949, it was removed from the rota. The Open was played outside of England and Scotland for the first time in 1951 at Royal Portrush , Northern Ireland . The period saw fewer American entrants, as the PGA Tour had grown to be quite lucrative, and the PGA Championship was often played at the same or similar time paying triple
1070-510: A first-time winner. In 1999, the Open at Carnoustie was famously difficult, and Frenchman Jean van de Velde had a three-shot lead teeing off on the final hole. He ended up triple bogeying after finding the Barry Burn , and Scotman Paul Lawrie , ranked 241st in the world, ended up winning in a playoff. He was 10 strokes behind the leader going into the final round, a record for all majors. He
1177-457: A fourth title in 1957. Having already won the Masters and the U.S. Open earlier in the year, Ben Hogan won in his one and only Open appearance in 1953 to win the "Triple Crown". His achievement was so well regarded he returned to New York City to a ticker-tape parade. Peter Thomson became the first Australian winner, winning four times in five years between 1954 and 1958, and later winning
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#17327872594221284-832: A high position in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Five amateurs are also exempt from qualifying by winning various global amateur titles provided they maintain their amateur status prior to The Open. Another way of qualifying is to finish in a high position in the Open Qualifying Series of global events, which are about twelve tour events across the globe, run by various local golfing organisations. Any male professional golfer, male amateur golfer whose playing handicap does not exceed 0.4 (i.e. scratch) or has been within World Amateur Golf Ranking listing 1–2,000 during
1391-569: A month, until broken by J.G. Parry-Thomas . Southport elected their first ever Labour MP in the 2024 general election . On 29 July 2024, three girls aged 6, 7 and 9 were murdered in a stabbing incident , with eight children and two adults left injured. A violent riot the following day in response to the stabbings organised by far-right groups left 53 police officers injured, with eight sustaining serious injuries. Multiple police vehicles were burned and destroyed and shops were raided. In 2024 Southport elected its first ever Labour MP since
1498-489: A plaque in the vicinity, by the name of one street at the intersection, namely Duke Street, and by a hotel on Duke Street which bears the legacy name of Dukes Folly Hotel. Southport grew quickly in the 19th century as it gained a reputation for being a more refined seaside resort than its neighbour Blackpool . Southport had a head start compared to all the other places on the Lancashire coast because it had easy access to
1605-529: A population 200. The population was scattered thinly across the region, and it was at the northeast end of Otergimele (present-day Crossens), where blown sand gave way to alluvial deposits from the River Ribble estuary, that a small concentration of people occurred. It was here that a primitive church might have been built, which gave the emerging village its name of Churchtown, the parish being North Meols (pronounced "meals"). A church called St Cuthbert's
1712-609: A population of 94,421, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England and the third most populous settlement in the Liverpool City Region . The town was founded in 1792 by William Sutton , an innkeeper from Churchtown , who built a bathing house at what is now the south end of Lord Street . The area was previously known as South Hawes, and was sparsely populated and dominated by dunes. The area became popular with tourists due to
1819-462: A prevailing onshore breeze, changes in the wind direction and strength over the course of the tournament can mean each round of golf has to be played slightly differently. The courses are also famous for deep pot bunkers, and gorse bushes that make up the "rough". A golfer playing on a links course will often adapt his game so the flight of the ball is lower and so is less impacted by the wind, but this will make distance control more difficult. Also due to
1926-559: A record only bettered by Harry Vardon , and he became regarded as one of the greatest links golf players of all time. In 1976, 19-year-old Spaniard Seve Ballesteros gained attention in the golfing world when he finished second. He would go on to win three Opens (1979, 1984, 1988), and was the first continental European to win since Arnaud Massy in 1907. Other multiple winners in this period were Englishman Nick Faldo with three (1987, 1990, 1992), and Australian Greg Norman with two (1986, 1993). Every year between 1994 and 2004 had
2033-456: A representative of the R&;A openly stated that it is a priority to "eradicate the term British Open" and have a single identity and brand of "The Open" in all countries. Tournament partners, such as the PGA Tour , now refer to it without "British" in the title, media rightsholders are contractually required to refer to the event as The Open Championship, and the official website has released
2140-460: A single year. Although he finished second to Kel Nagle , he returned and won the Open in 1961 and 1962. Palmer was hugely popular in America, and his victories are likely to have been the first time many Americans would have seen the Open on television. This, along with the growth of trans-Atlantic jet travel, inspired many more Americans to travel in the future. The period is primarily defined by
2247-496: A statement titled "Why it's called 'The Open' and not the 'British Open'" stating that "The Open is the correct name for the Championship. It is also the most appropriate". The R&A's stance has attracted criticism from some commentators. The R&A also run The Senior Open , the over 50s equivalent of the Open, which was officially known as the "Senior British Open" from its inception in 1987 until 2007, when "British"
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#17327872594222354-479: A unitary authority, with Banks wishing to see it tied to Lancashire ceremonially , but Fearn wishing to see it remain, as a separate borough, in Merseyside. The commission noted that Southport would have a relatively low population for a unitary authority, even including Formby (89,300 or 114,700), and that it was worried about the viability of a south Sefton authority without Southport, and therefore recommended
2461-502: A year. It used to be the responsibility of the winner to get his name engraved on the trophy, but 1967 winner Roberto De Vicenzo returned the trophy without having done so. Subsequently, the winner's name is already engraved on it when presented, which often results in television commentators speculating as to when it is safe for the engraver to start. "You know to have dreams, to have things that you think are unattainable, if you give up on them, what’s left? I am immensely proud my name
2568-577: Is governed by the Mayor of the Liverpool City Region , and the combined authority, which is responsible for areas of transport, trade and strategic governance of devolved powers in the town and wider Sefton Borough. Southport is located within the historic county of Lancashire , and was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1866. It became a county borough independent of the administrative county of Lancashire in 1905, having reached
2675-489: Is Professor Stefan Buczacki . The UK's largest and longest running independent flower show, each year it attracts many celebrities from all over the world, from television and film to music and sport. As well as flowers, the show includes other attractions such as cookery demonstrations, gala dinners, music and horse riding displays. 53°38′39″N 3°01′11″W / 53.644297°N 3.019722°W / 53.644297; -3.019722 This article related to
2782-611: Is also a memorial inside the Lifeboat house, now operated by the Southport Offshore Rescue Trust . Mexico was just one of many shipwrecks in the Southport area . From 1894 to 1912 Birkdale and the adjoining village of Ainsdale were separate from Southport and administered by Birkdale Urban District Council before becoming part of the county borough of Southport in 1912. This was a huge expansion of
2889-482: Is also an official event on the Japan Golf Tour . Qualifying was introduced in 1907, and for much of its history, all players had to go through the qualification process. In the modern era, the majority of players get an exemption from qualification which is awarded for previous performance in the Open, performance in high-profile global tournaments (such as other majors ), performance in top golf tours , or
2996-618: Is often called England's Golfing Capital because it is at the centre of England's Golf Coast. Royal Birkdale Golf Club is one of the clubs in the Open Championship rotation for both men and women. The club has hosted the men's championship ten times since 1954, most recently in July 2017, and has hosted the women's tournament five times, including 2010. Southport's other courses include the 9-hole Southport Old Links in High Park,
3103-659: Is on that Claret Jug." —2011 Open winner Darren Clarke on fulfilling a lifelong ambition. The winner of the Open is announced as "The Champion Golfer of the Year", a title which has been used since the first Open in 1860. He will nearly always pose for photos with the trophy sitting on one of the distinctive pot bunkers. Three-time winner Jack Nicklaus said holding the Claret Jug was like holding "a newborn baby", and on other players putting champagne or other drinks inside it to celebrate their Open win, he said "I never used
3210-432: Is recognised as one of the four major championships in golf, and is an official event on the PGA Tour , European Tour , and the Japan Golf Tour . The Open began in 1860, and for many years it was not the most-followed event in golf, as challenge matches between top golfers were more keenly followed and drew larger crowds. The Great Triumvirate dominated the Open between 1894 and 1914 and were primarily responsible for
3317-554: Is still at the centre of Churchtown. With a booming fishing industry, the area grew and hamlets became part of the parish of North Meols. From south to north, these villages were South Hawes, Haweside, Little London, Higher Blowick , Lower Blowick, Rowe-Lane, Churchtown, Marshside , Crossens , and Banks . As well as Churchtown, there were vicarages in Crossens and Banks. Parts of the parish were almost completely surrounded by water until 1692 when Thomas Fleetwood of Bank Hall cut
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3424-472: Is the main shopping street of Southport. It is one of the great shopping streets of Northern England and is said to be the inspiration for the tree-lined boulevards of Paris. In the 2000s Chapel Street was pedestrianised and is home to famous brands. Southport also has an indoor market situated on King Street and Market Street as well as a farmers' market held on the last Thursday of every month on Chapel Street. Southport has hosted conferences since at least
3531-521: The 2024 Open at Royal Troon Golf Club with a score of 275. The first Open Championship was played on 17 October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire , Scotland , over three rounds of the twelve-hole links course. In the mid-19th century golf was played mainly by well-off gentlemen, as hand-crafted clubs and balls were expensive. Professionals made a living from playing for bets, caddying, ball and club making, and instruction. Allan Robertson
3638-523: 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 . The Open is one of the four men's major golf championships , the others being
3745-579: The Claret Jug , known officially as The Golf Champion Trophy, and hosting of the Open would be rotated between the three clubs. These decisions were taken too late for the trophy to be presented to the 1872 Open champion, who was once again Young Tom Morris. Instead, he was awarded with a medal inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy', although he is the first to be engraved on the Claret Jug as the 1872 winner. Medals have been given to, and kept by
3852-404: The Claret Jug , which has been presented to the champion since 1873 (it was first awarded to Young Tom Morris in 1872, however the trophy was not ready in time—his name is the first to be engraved on it). The original trophy permanently resides on display in the R&A's Clubhouse at St Andrews. Therefore, the trophy that is presented at each Open is a replica which is retained by the winner for
3959-551: The Masters Tournament , the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open . Since the PGA Championship moved to May in 2019, the Open has been chronologically the fourth and final major tournament of the year. It is held in mid-July. It is called The Open because it is in theory "open" to all, i.e. professional and amateur golfers. In practice, the current event is a professional tournament in which a small number of
4066-684: The Royal Birkdale Golf Club . The town gets its name from the South Port Hotel; built around 1797 (see #18th century ). There have been settlements in the area now comprising Southport since the Domesday Book , and some parts of the town have names of Viking origin. The earliest recorded human activity in the region was during the Middle Stone Age when mesolithic hunter-gatherers were attracted by
4173-510: The U.S. Open , and later many others. To distinguish it from their own national open, it became common in many countries to refer to the tournament as the "British Open". The R&A (the tournament's organiser) continued to refer to it as The Open Championship. During the interwar years , a period with many U.S.-based winners, the term British Open would occasionally be used during the trophy presentation and in British newspapers. In 2017,
4280-569: The creation of unitary authorities ), commencing in January 1997. This review was constrained by the legal inability of the commission to recommend that the current Sefton-West Lancashire border be altered. In a MORI poll conducted at the behest of the LGCE, 65% of Southport residents supported the campaign, compared to 37% in the borough as a whole. Local MPs Matthew Banks and Ronnie Fearn (MPs for Southport at various times) supported making Southport
4387-575: The "British Open Championship Fund", after a campaign by the American magazine Golf Illustrated . Five of these players were actually British born, and had emigrated to America to take advantage of the high demand for club professionals as the popularity of golf grew. A match was played between the Americans and a team of British professionals, which is seen as a forerunner of the Ryder Cup . When
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4494-660: The 1880s when the Royal Institution met in the town. The former Southport Theatre & Convention Centre closed in 2020 and a planning permission application for a new Marine Lake Events Centre was submitted at the end of June 2022. It has hosted the United Kingdom Independence Party national conference as well as the regional Labour Party conference. The Liberal Democrats held their federal Spring conference here in March 2018. Southport
4601-715: The 1980s and is now the site of part of the Ocean Plaza shopping development. A former landmark of Pleasureland was the Looping Star roller coaster, which was on site from 1985 to 1987. It featured in the video for the pop single Wonderful Life , by Liverpool band Black , which was also shot at other parts of the Sefton and North West coastline. On 24 April 2009 a serious fire occurred at the oldest attraction within New Pleasureland. Called The River Caves , it
4708-400: The 2002 local elections, including that of the leader of Sefton Council, Liberal Democrat Councillor, David Bamber. At the following election there were no gains and a drop in the number of votes for the party. At the all out election in 2004, one of their councillors stood down, whilst the other two lost their seats. To date, there have been no further moves to change Sefton's boundaries, but
4815-591: The 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale . American Phil Mickelson won his first Open, and fifth major, in 2013. In 2016, he was involved in an epic duel with Sweden's Henrik Stenson , which many people compared to the 1977 Duel in the Sun between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Stenson emerged the winner, and the first Scandinavian winner of a male professional major championship, with a record Open (and major) score of 264 (−20), three shots ahead of Mickelson, and 14 shots ahead of third place. Jack Nicklaus shared his thoughts on
4922-525: The 21 tournaments held between 1894 and 1914; Vardon won six times (a record that still stands today) with Braid and Taylor winning five apiece. In the five tournaments in this span the Triumvirate did not win, one or more of them finished runner-up. These rivalries enormously increased the public's interest in golf, but the First World War meant another Open was not held until 1920, and none of
5029-806: The Boundary Commission indicated in 2004 that a future review is possible. From 2014 the Borough of Sefton became one of the six boroughs of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority . The closest cities are Preston 20 km (12 miles) to the north east and Liverpool 27 km (17 miles) to the south. Existing on the West Lancashire Coastal Plain , most of the town is only slightly above sea level and thus parts of Southport used to be susceptible to flooding . Marine Drive
5136-532: The Challenge Belt). From 1864 onwards a cash prize was also paid to the winner. Before this the only financial incentive was scheduling Prestwick's own domestic tournament the same week, this allowed professionals to earn a few days' work caddying for the wealthier gentlemen. Willie Park, Sr. went on to win two more tournaments, and Old Tom Morris three more, before Young Tom Morris won three consecutive titles between 1868 and 1870. The rules stated that he
5243-655: The Claret Jug for anything other than what it symbolized – Champion Golfer of the Year." The first event was held as an invitational tournament, but the next year Prestwick Golf Club declared that "the belt... on all future occasions, shall be open to all the world". In its early years it was often referred to as The Championship but with the advent of the Amateur Championship in 1885, it became more common to refer to it as The Open Championship or simply The Open. The tournament inspired other national bodies to introduce open golf tournaments of their own, such as
5350-622: The Hesketh Golf Club, Hillside Golf Club and Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club . One of Southport's main attractions for many years was Pleasureland , a fairground established in 1912. It was owned by the Thompson Family , and was closed in September 2006. A replacement fairground on the same site, provisionally named New Pleasureland , opened in July 2007. An earlier permanent funfair, Peter Pan's Playground, closed in
5457-525: The North of England. The United Kingdom Census 2001 showed a resident population for Southport of 90,336. Approximately 19,000 were aged 16 or under, 60,000 were aged 16–74, and 10,000 aged 75 and over. According to the 2001 census, 96% of Southport's population claim they have been born in the UK. The population of Southport began to rapidly increase during the Industrial Revolution and
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#17327872594225564-403: The Open in the same year. His bid came to a halt on Saturday with the worst round of his career up to that time, an 81 (+10) in cold, gusty rain. He went on to win again back-to-back in 2005 and 2006 to bring his total to three wins. Other multiple winners in this era are South African Ernie Els (2002, 2012) and Irishman Pádraig Harrington (2007, 2008). In 2009, 59-year-old Tom Watson led
5671-427: The Open is now one of the four majors in golf, along with the U.S. Open , PGA Championship , and Masters Tournament . The term "major" is a universally-acknowledged unofficial term used by players, the media, and golf followers to define the most important tournaments, and performance in them is often used to define the careers of the best golfers. There is often discussion amongst the golfing community as to whether
5778-529: The Open was held two weeks later, one of these visitors, Jock Hutchison , a naturalised American citizen, won in St Andrews , the town of his birth. In 1922 Walter Hagen won the first of his four Opens, and become the first American-born winner. The period between 1923 and 1933 saw an American-based player win every year (two were British-born), and included three wins by amateur Bobby Jones , and one by Gene Sarazen , who had already won top tournaments in
5885-485: The Open, U.S. Open , or the Masters Tournament is the most prestigious major, but opinion varies (often linked to nationality). The PGA Championship is usually seen as the least prestigious of the four. In terms of official recognition, the tournament has been an event on the European Tour since its formation in 1972. In 1995, prize money won in the Open was included in the PGA Tour official money list for
5992-782: The Southport Conservative Party . Southport born Kevin Laroux Wood stood in the 1983 general election for the Southport Constituency. He was supported by a team of people who raised the funds needed and formed the "Southport Back in Lancashire Party". Posters were distributed and articles published in the Visiter newspaper. Although was not elected as MP, it put the issue firmly on the local agenda which continues to this day. In
6099-475: The United States. English players won every year between 1934 and 1939, including two wins by Henry Cotton (he would go on to win a third in 1948). After overcrowding issues at the 1925 Open at Prestwick, it was decided it was no longer suitable for the growing size of the event, being too short, having too many blind shots, and it could not cope with the volume of spectators. The Open's original venue
6206-485: The Victorian era. From then the population has been stable with minor decline in some areas of the town. As a seaside town Southport has a history of leisure and recreation and is still dependent on tourism. The town went into decline when cheap air travel arrived in the 1960s and people chose to holiday abroad due to competitive prices and more reliable weather. However, the town kept afloat with people coming to spend
6313-548: The abundant red deer and elk populations, as well as the availability of fish, shellfish, and woodland. Roman coins have been found at Halsall Moss and Crossens, although the Romans never settled southwest Lancashire. The first objective evidence of an early settlement in the region is in the Domesday Book , in which the area is called Otergimele . The Domesday Book states that there were 50 huts in Otergimele, housing
6420-696: The back of the Dunes swimming pool which opened in June 2007. Meols Hall , a manor house, home of the Hesketh family, is open to the public for a limited period each year. Its history back to the Domesday Book. The British Lawnmower Museum is based in Shakespeare Street, a short distance outside the town centre. The Power Station, that was the base of the town's former radio station Dune FM , on
6527-443: The canal system. Other seaside bathing areas could not really get going until the railways were built some years later. The Leeds and Liverpool canal brought people from Liverpool, Manchester, Bolton and Wigan amongst others. By 1820 Southport had over 20,000 visitors per year. Southport Pier is referred to as the first true "pleasure pier", being one of the earliest pier structures to be erected using iron. A design from James Brunlees
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#17327872594226634-415: The championship by 2 shots from Old Tom Morris , and he was declared "The Champion Golfer of the Year". A year later, it became "open" to amateurs as well as professionals. Ten professionals and eight amateurs contested the event, with Old Tom Morris winning the championship by 4 shots from Willie Park, Sr. A prize fund (£10) was introduced in 1863 split between 2nd, 3rd and 4th (the winner only received
6741-456: The competition between Player, Palmer, and Jack Nicklaus . Nicklaus won three times (1966, 1970, 1978) and had a record seven runner-ups. American Lee Trevino also made his mark winning his two Opens back to back in 1971 and 1972, the latter denying Nicklaus a calendar year Grand Slam. The only British champion in this period was Tony Jacklin , and it is also notable for having the first winner from Argentina , Roberto De Vicenzo . By 1975,
6848-406: The concept of the modern majors had been firmly established, and the PGA Championship had been moved to August since 1969, so no longer clashed with the Open. This meant the Open had a feel similar to the current tournament, with the leaders after 36 holes going off last (1957 onwards), all players having to use the "bigger ball" (1974 onwards), play spread over four days (1966 onwards, although
6955-412: The creation of the constituency in the 1880s, with Labour politician Patrick Hurley succeeding Conservative incumbent Damien Moore . Prior to that, Liberal Democrat John Pugh was the MP for Southport, holding the seat for 16 years until his retirement in the 2017 General election . Southport, as part of the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton , one of the six boroughs of the Liverpool City Region. . It
7062-412: The current calendar year, and any female golfer who finished in the top 5 and ties in the latest edition of any of the five women's majors is eligible to enter local qualifying. If they perform well they will go on to Final Qualifying, which is four simultaneous 36-hole one-day events held across the UK, with 12 players qualifying for the Open. If there are any spots left, then alternates are made up from
7169-400: The day by the seaside on bank holidays and weekends. The town has diversified with annual events, shopping and conferences. In 2011, Southport was named the fourteenth-most popular coastal resort in the country, benefiting from a 23% rise in money spent in the resort in that year. Part of the resort's progress is a result of the money invested in Southport over recent years. While Southport has
7276-464: The days were Wednesday to Saturday until 1980), and a field containing all the world's best players. American Tom Watson won in 1975. Turnberry hosted for the first time in 1977, and Watson won the Open for the second time, after one of the most celebrated contests in golf history, when his duel with Jack Nicklaus went to the final shot before Watson emerged as the champion. He would go on to win again in 1980, 1982 and 1983, to win 5 times overall,
7383-445: The easy access from the nearby Leeds and Liverpool Canal , and by 1848 had a railway connection. The resort increased during the Victorian era and contains examples of Victorian architecture and town planning . Lord Street was developed as a wide, tree-lined shopping street, and attractions such as Southport Pier , which is the second longest seaside pleasure pier in the British Isles , were constructed. A particular feature of
7490-467: The edge of Victoria Park, which itself is home to the Southport Flower Show . See also Listed buildings in Southport Southport has many unique buildings and features, many of which are privately owned Victorian villas and houses and the town centre shops are of architectural interest. The most notable buildings, gardens and places of architectural interest are: The Open Championship The Open Championship , often referred to as The Open or
7597-430: The end of October. The season has extended into weekend openings during November, February and March, weather permitting. An earlier model village, the Land of the Little People, was demolished in the late 1980s to make way for the aborted Winter Gardens /SIBEC shopping development. Its site is now occupied by a Morrison's supermarket. Other attractions in Southport include Splash World, an indoor water park situated on
7704-420: The final round, saying: "Phil Mickelson played one of the best rounds I have ever seen played in the Open and Henrik Stenson just played better—he played one of the greatest rounds I have ever seen". Francesco Molinari won the 2018 Open at Carnoustie by two shots, to become the first Italian major winner. Shane Lowry won the 2019 Open when the tournament returned to Royal Portrush Golf Club , to become
7811-483: The first time, a change that caused an increase in the number of American entries. In addition all previous PGA Tour seasons have been retroactively adjusted to include the Open in official money and win statistics. Currently the Open, along with the other three majors and The Players Championship , are the top-tier tournaments in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup , offering more points than any other non-playoff event. The Open
7918-524: The formation of the PGA in 1901 which had a big impact in promoting interest in professional golf (and therefore The Open) and increasing playing standards. Between the World Wars, the first wins by Americans were widely celebrated when they broke the dominance previously held by British players. After World War II , although the profile of the tournament remained high in the UK and Commonwealth countries,
8025-538: The funds to buy a new lifeboat for the town, stationed at the old RNLI lifeboat house. The lifeboat, operated by the Southport Offshore Rescue Trust , is completely independent from the RNLI and receives no money from them. It relies entirely on donations from the general public. On 21 March 1926, Henry Segrave set the land speed record in his 4-litre Sunbeam Tiger Ladybird on the sands at Southport at 152.33 mph (245.15 km/h). This record lasted for just over
8132-530: The highest ranked players in the OWGR who are not already qualified, which brings the total field up to 156 players. In 2018, the OWGR gave the Open a strength of field rating of 902 (the maximum possible is 1000 if the top 200 players in the world were all in a tournament). This was only bettered by the PGA Championship , a tournament which actively targets a high strength of field rating. Field : 156 players Basic Format : 72 hole stroke play . Play 18 holes
8239-450: The low prize money compared to the US events and the cost of travel meant fewer Americans participated. High-profile visits and wins by Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer , the growth of cheaper and faster transatlantic flights , and the introduction of television coverage recovered its prestige. When the modern concept of the majors was cemented, the Open was included as one of those four. Thus,
8346-631: The minimum 50,000 population (the 1911 census gave a figure of 51,643). The Birkdale Urban District, including the parishes of Birkdale and Ainsdale was added to Southport in 1912. The county borough had its headquarters at Southport Town Hall . Under the 1971 Local Government White Paper, presented in February 1971, Southport would have lost its county borough status, becoming a non-metropolitan district within Lancashire. Rather than accept this fate and lose its separate education and social services departments, Southport Corporation lobbied for inclusion in
8453-464: The modern era, much more frequently than the other courses used for the Open. Previous champions will often choose St Andrews as their final Open tournament. It has become traditional to come down the 18th fairway to huge applause from the amphitheatre crowds, and to pose for final pictures on the Swilken Bridge with the picturesque clubhouse and town in the background. The Open trophy is
8560-458: The name of the town. The locals thought him mad and referred to the building as the Duke's Folly , but Sutton arranged transport links from the canal that ran through Scarisbrick , four miles from the hotel, and trade was remarkably good. The hotel survived until 1854, when it was demolished to make way for traffic at the end of Lord Street, but its presence and the impact of its founder are marked by
8667-516: The nearby planned metropolitan county of Merseyside, to join with Bootle and other units to form a district with the 250,000 required population. It was duly included in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton . A recurring local political issue has been the cross-party movement campaigning for Southport to leave Sefton and form its own unitary authority , perhaps adjoined to the neighbouring West Lancashire authority. Support for this has been seen amongst Liberal Democrat councillors, and also within
8774-493: The newly built Muirfield , which replaced Musselburgh as the host venue used by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers. A few years later St George's and Royal Liverpool in England were added to the rotation. From 1892 the tournament was increased in duration to four 18-hole rounds over two days (Prestwick had been extended to an 18-hole course by then ). Between 1898 and 1925 the tournament either had
8881-403: The prize money. A larger golf ball was also used in America, which meant they had to adjust for the Open. In 1959, Gary Player , a young South African , won the first of his three Opens. Only four Americans had entered, but in 1960 Arnold Palmer travelled to Scotland after winning the Masters and U.S. Open , in an attempt to emulate Hogan's 1953 feat of winning all three tournaments in
8988-467: The rest of western UK. The coast-to-coast Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) stretches the breadth of northern England – 215 miles (346 km) from Southport in the west to Hornsea in the east. The TPT is a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders linking the North and Irish seas and passing through the Pennines. It runs alongside rivers and canals and through some of the most historic towns and cities in
9095-540: The same period in 1980, a Private Member's Bill proposed restoring Southport to Lancashire, and renaming the residue of Sefton to the Metropolitan Borough of Bootle. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England conducted a review of the area in 1987, which attracted 10,000 messages, of which "70% were pro forma ". In 1990, the LGBC made suggestions that Southport, Ainsdale and Birkdale should be made
9202-409: The seaside just four miles (6 km) away from the newly constructed Leeds and Liverpool Canal and two miles southwest of Churchtown. When a widow from Wigan built a cottage nearby in 1797 for seasonal lodgers, Sutton quickly built a new inn on the site of the bathing house which he called the South Port Hotel, moving to live there the following season. There was no port, but "Southport" soon became
9309-602: The seaside to bathe in the salt sea waters. At that time, doctors recommended bathing in the sea to help cure aches and pains. In 1792, William Sutton, the landlord of the Black Bull Inn in Churchtown (now the Hesketh Arms ) and known to locals as "The Old Duke", realised the importance of the newly created canal systems across the UK and set up a bathing house in the virtually uninhabited dunes at South Hawes by
9416-573: The second champion from the Republic of Ireland . In 2020, the Open Championship was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic . It was the first time the championship had been cancelled since World War II. The R&A also confirmed that Royal St George's , which would have hosted the championship in 2020, would be the host venue in 2021, effectively retaining the Old Course at St Andrews as
9523-601: The status quo be kept. The commission suggested the use of area committees for the various parts of the borough and also that Southport could become a civil parish . Another request made in 2004 was turned down, the Electoral Commission must request such a review. In 2002, a local independent party calling themselves the Southport Party was established, with many members supporting a policy of "Southport out of Sefton." Three council seats were won in
9630-467: The tournament through 71 holes and needed just a par on the last hole to become the oldest ever winner of a major championship, and also match Harry Vardon 's six Opens. Watson bogeyed, setting up a four-hole playoff, which he lost to Stewart Cink . In 2015, Jordan Spieth became another American to arrive having already won the year's Masters and U.S. Open tournaments. He finished tied for fourth as Zach Johnson became champion. Spieth would go on to win
9737-447: The town is the extensive tree planting. This was one of the conditions required by the Hesketh family when they made land available for development in the 19th century. Hesketh Park at the northern end of the town is named after them, having been built on land donated by Rev. Charles Hesketh. Extensive sand dunes stretch for several miles from Woodvale to Birkdale , the south of the town. The Ainsdale dunes have been designated as
9844-469: The town. In 1914, a very short romance story between a "2 park road Southport" private soldier and French lady took place in Valenciennes in north France during early First World War as described by Andrée Ducatez's Journal . In 1925, the RNLI abandoned the station at Southport and left the town with no lifeboat. In the late 1980s, after a series of tragedies, local families from Southport raised
9951-409: The trio won another Open. In 1920 the Open returned, and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club became the sole organiser of the Open Championship. In 1926 they standardised the format of the tournament to spread over three days (18 holes on day 1 and 2, and 36 on day 3), and include both qualifying and a cut. In 1921 eleven U.S.-based players travelled to Scotland financed by a popular subscription called
10058-550: The venue for the 150th Open. The Open is always played on a coastal links golf course. Links golf is often described as the "purest" form of golf and keeps a connection with the way the game originated in Scotland in the 15th century. The terrain is open, often without any trees, and will generally be undulating with a sandy base. The golf courses are often primarily shaped by nature, rather than 'built'. Weather, particularly wind, plays an important role, and although there will be
10165-543: The vessel. The crews battled against storm-force winds as they rowed towards the casualty. The entire crew from the St. Anne's boat was lost and all but two of the Southport crew were too. In all, 28 lifeboatmen lost their lives on that night, leaving many widows and fatherless children. A memorial was erected in Duke Street Cemetery and there is a permanent display in the museum at The Atkinson on Lord Street. There
10272-502: The windy conditions the speed of the greens are often slower than a golfer might be used to on the PGA Tour , to avoid the ball being moved by a gust. The Old Course at St Andrews is regarded as the oldest golf course in the world, and winning the Open there is widely considered to be one of the pinnacles of achievement in golf. Given the special status of the Old Course, the Open is generally played there once every five years in
10379-409: The winner ever since. Young Tom Morris died in 1875, aged 24. The tournament continued to be dominated and won by Scottish professionals, to be rotated between the three Scottish golf courses, and played over 36 holes in a single day until 1889. In the 1890s, the tournament was won four times by three Englishman (two of whom were amateurs). In 1892 the tournament was played for the first time at
10486-478: The world's leading amateurs also play, by invitation or qualification. The success of the tournament has led to many other open golf tournaments to be introduced around the world. The winner is named "the Champion Golfer of the Year", a title that dates to the first Open in 1860, and receives the Claret Jug , a trophy first awarded in 1872. The reigning champion is American Xander Schauffele , who won
10593-411: Was "The party winning the belt shall always leave the belt with the treasurer of the club until he produces a guarantee to the satisfaction of the above committee that the belt shall be safely kept and laid on the table at the next meeting to compete for it until it becomes the property of the winner by being won three times in succession". Eight golfers contested the event, with Willie Park, Sr. winning
10700-467: Was allowed to keep the belt for achieving this feat. Because no trophy was available, the tournament was not held in 1871. On 11 September 1872 agreement was reached between Prestwick, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club . They decided that each of the three clubs would contribute £10 towards the cost of a new silver trophy, which became known as
10807-551: Was approved at a cost of £8,700 and on 4 August 1859 a large crowd witnessed the driving home of the first support pile. The opening of the pier was celebrated on 2 August 1860. On the night of 9 December 1886, the worst lifeboat disaster in the history of the UK occurred off the shores of Southport. A cargo ship called the Mexico was on its way to South America when it found itself in difficulty. Lifeboats from Lytham , St. Annes and Southport set off to try to rescue those aboard
10914-685: Was completely destroyed in this arson attack, and a 16-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the fire. Southport Model Railway Village is situated in Kings Gardens opposite the Royal Clifton Hotel and near the Marine Lake Bridge. The Model Railway Village opened in May 1996 and was created by Ray and Jean Jones. The Jones family still run the attraction today. The Model Railway Village season extends from April to
11021-404: Was dropped from the name. The Women's Open , seen by some as the women's equivalent to the Open (although unlike the Open it is not always held on a links course, and was not run by the R&A until 2017) was officially known as the "Women's British Open" from its inception in 1976 until 2020, when the word "British" was dropped from the name as part of a sponsorship deal with AIG . The Open
11128-445: Was not the only unheralded champion during this span, as 396th-ranked Ben Curtis and 56th-ranked Todd Hamilton won in 2003 and 2004, respectively. In 2000, Tiger Woods , having just won the U.S. Open, became champion by a post-war record 8 strokes to become the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam at age 24. After winning the 2002 Masters and U.S. Open, he became the latest American to try to emulate Ben Hogan and win
11235-458: Was regularly closed due to flooding from high tides , but in February 1997, new sea defences started being constructed and in 2002 the whole project was completed. Southport has a maritime climate like most of the UK. Due to its position by the coast, Southport rarely sees substantial snowfall and temperatures rarely fall below −5 °C (23 °F) so it does not have frequent frosts . Southport generally has moderate precipitation, unlike
11342-565: Was replaced on the rota with Carnoustie , which hosted for the first time in 1931. Troon hosted for the first time in 1923, and Royal Lytham & St Annes was also added, hosting for the first time in 1926. Prince's hosted its one and only Open in 1932. The Open returned after the Second World War to St Andrews, with a victory for American Sam Snead . Bobby Locke became the first South African winner, winning three times in four years between 1949 and 1952, and later winning
11449-486: Was the most famous of these pros, and was regarded as the undisputed best golfer between 1843 and his death in 1859. James Ogilvie Fairlie of Prestwick Golf Club decided to form a competition in 1860, "to be played for by professional golfers", and to decide who would succeed Robertson as the "Champion Golfer". Blackheath (England), Perth , Bruntsfield (Edinburgh), Musselburgh and St Andrews golf clubs were invited to send up to three of their best players known as
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