Claret Jug
Encyclopedia
The Golf Champion Trophy, commonly known as the Claret Jug, is the trophy presented to the winner of The Open Championship
, (often 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 Championship Belt outright in 1870 by winning the Championship three years in a row. The silver claret jug
is inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy', and was made by Mackay Cunningham & Company of Edinburgh
at a cost of £30.
However as the 1872 event was organised at the last minute, the trophy wasn't ready in time to be presented to Morris (who had won his fourth in a row). His name was the first to be engraved on it, however. In 1873 Tom Kidd
became the first winner to be actually presented with the Claret Jug after winning the Championship.
The original Claret Jug has been on permanent display at the clubhouse of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
since 1928. The original Championship 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. 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 British Museum of Golf 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. Upon being awarded the Jug in 1989, Mark Calcavecchia
famously said, "How's my name going to fit on that thing?"
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.
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
, (often called the "British Open"), one of the four major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
in golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
.
The awarding of the Claret
Claret
Claret is a name primarily used in British English for red wine from the Bordeaux region of France.-Usage:Claret derives from the French clairet, a now uncommon dark rosé and the most common wine exported from Bordeaux until the 18th century...
Jug
Jug (container)
A jug is a type of container used to hold liquid. It has an opening, often narrow, from which to pour or drink, and nearly always has a handle. One could imagine a jug being made from nearly any watertight material, but most jugs throughout history have been made from clay, glass, or plastic...
dates from 1872, when a new trophy was needed after Young Tom Morris had won the original Championship Belt outright in 1870 by winning the Championship three years in a row. The silver claret jug
Silver claret jug
A silver Claret jug is a wine jug made of glass and silver for the so called Claret, which is a French Bordeaux wine.Claret jugs where produced from about 1830 to 1920 and are nowadays very collectable. The vast majority were made of cut glass. The silver mounted tops incorporated hinged lids, and...
is inscribed 'The Golf Champion Trophy', and was made by Mackay Cunningham & Company of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
at a cost of £30.
However as the 1872 event was organised at the last minute, the trophy wasn't ready in time to be presented to Morris (who had won his fourth in a row). His name was the first to be engraved on it, however. In 1873 Tom Kidd
Tom Kidd (golfer)
Tom Kidd was a Scottish golfer. He was a caddie from St Andrews and won the 1873 Open Championship over his home links. That was the first time the Open was played at what was to become the most famous Open Championship course. Conditions were wet and Kidd's winning score of 179 was the highest in...
became the first winner to be actually presented with the Claret Jug after winning the Championship.
The original Claret Jug has been on permanent display at the clubhouse of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf clubs in the world . It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide "Home of Golf"...
since 1928. The original Championship 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
Walter Hagen
Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
for winning the 1928 Open. 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 British Museum of Golf 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
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
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. Upon being awarded the Jug in 1989, Mark Calcavecchia
Mark Calcavecchia
Mark John Calcavecchia is an American professional golfer and a former PGA Tour member. During his professional career, he has won thirteen PGA Tour events, including the 1989 Open Championship. Calcavecchia currently plays on the Champions Tour.-Early years:Calcavecchia was born in Laurel,...
famously said, "How's my name going to fit on that thing?"
The Claret Jug has twice appeared on commemorative £5 Scottish banknotes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
: 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
Jack Nicklaus
Jack William Nicklaus , nicknamed "The Golden Bear", is an American professional golfer. He won 18 career major championships on the PGA Tour over a span of 25 years and is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional golfers of all time. In addition to his 18 Majors, he was runner-up a...
to mark his retirement.