The Open Championship is one of the two oldest Association championships with the Amateur. First contested in 1899, it has been played continuously except during World War I (1917-18) and World War II (1943-45). Previous champions include, Fred Brand, Sr., Eben Byers, W.C. Fownes, Jock Hutchinson, Ed Furgol, Ted Luther, Sam Parks, Jim Masserio, Lew Worsham and Arnold Palmer. Winners of the Open have claimed 13 USGA National Championships and 6 Major Championships. Roy Vucinich's victory in 2005 is significant in that it tied Jock Hutchison and Perry DelVecchio for most career victories in the event and also for winning in four separate decades.

Amateurs have won the championship fifteen times, most recently by Nathan Smith in 2008. Only four players have won the Open and Amateur in the same year, Eben Byers (1902), William C. Fownes (1904), Jim Masserio (1971) and Nathan Smith (2008). The championship is 54 holes of stroke play. Qualifying sites have recently been implemented to narrow the starting field from 144 to 72 players.