The championship was won by Collin Morikawa with a score of 265, 15-under-par, two strokes ahead of Jordan Spieth.

Morikawa became the first player to win on his Open Championship debut since Ben Curtis in 2003, also at Royal St George's.

[2][3] The previous record for attendance at Royal St George's was 183,000 but organisers expected the 2020 edition to exceed 200,000.

[5] In March 2020, The R&A released a statement regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, stating they were examining a range of scenarios for staging the championships, with the focus on proceeding as planned, but also considering other available contingency options.

[6] On 6 April, the R&A announced the Championship was cancelled for 2020; it was the first time since the Second World War that the event was not held.

The 2021 Open Championship was the 149th edition of the tournament and was held at Royal St George's Golf Club.

It is located in Sandwich Bay, a long sweeping inlet of the sea between Ramsgate and Deal, on the east coast of Kent, England.

[8] Royal St George's is the only venue on the current rota located in Southern England.

The leading player, not already exempt, in the 2021 Kaskáda Golf Challenge (must have made the cut and not participated in Final Qualifying).

The leading three players, not already exempt, in the 2021 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open (must have made the cut and not participated in Final Qualifying).

The leading player, not already exempt, in the 2021 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge (must have made the cut and not participated in Final Qualifying).

Thursday, 15 July 2021 Louis Oosthuizen, the 2010 champion and runner-up in the previous two majors, opened with seven straight pars before making six birdies in a span of nine holes.

Defending champion Shane Lowry had a one-over 71, as did Darren Clarke, who won the last time the Open was held at Royal St George's in 2011.

[34][35] Phil Mickelson, winner of the PGA Championship two months earlier and the 2013 Open champion, had a 10-over 80, his worst score at this tournament since 1998, and finished the round tied for last place.

[37] Friday, 16 July 2021 First-round leader Louis Oosthuizen set a 36-hole Open Championship scoring record after a round of 65 (−5).

After consecutive birdies on holes 12 and 13, Oosthuizen eagled the par-five 14th to go six-under on his round and open a three-shot lead.

His total of 129 broke by one shot the previous 36-hole scoring record, first set by Nick Faldo in 1992 and Brandt Snedeker in 2012.

Jordan Spieth was tied for the lead after being four-under through 12 holes before a bogey on the 15th dropped him back to eight-under following a round of 67 (−3).

Notable players to miss the cut included past champions Francesco Molinari, Henrik Stenson, Stewart Cink, Ernie Els, Darren Clarke, and Phil Mickelson.

[43] Saturday, 17 July 2021 Louis Oosthuizen held the outright lead for the third consecutive round after a one-under-par 69.

Oosthuizen began the round with six pars before making a birdie on the seventh and ninth holes to open a two-shot lead at 13-under-par.

Right of the green on the 13th, he left his chip shot short and made his second bogey in three holes to fall back into a tie for the lead.

He made a birdie on the par-three 16th with an approach shot within eight feet, finishing the round at 12-under-par and with a one-shot lead.

[45] Jordan Spieth made five birdies in his first 10 holes and was part of a three-way tie for the lead with Oosthuizen and Morikawa on the back-nine.

[47] Sunday, 18 July 2021 Collin Morikawa became the first player since 2003 to win in his Open Championship debut, shooting a bogey-free 66 (−4) to finish two shots ahead of runner-up Jordan Spieth.

[48] Beginning the round a shot off the lead, Morikawa made six straight pars before getting up-and-down from short of the green on the par-five seventh hole.

He made another long birdie putt over a ridge on the par-five 14th, and managed to save par from the fescue to the left of the green on the 15th.

[49][50] Jordan Spieth, seeking his second Open title, was two-over on his round before making an eagle on the seventh and playing holes 7 to 14 in six-under-par to get within one of Morikawa.

He didn't make a birdie until the par-three 11th, his tee shot hitting off the flagstick before settling within five feet.

U.S. Open champion Jon Rahm eagled the seventh and made four straight birdies on his back-nine to shoot 66 (−4) and tie Oosthuizen for third place.