The Open Championship: 1994 - 2008

In honor of the oldest championship in all of golf, the Open Championship, I will take a look back at 15 of the last Opens contested. During the past 15 Opens, some of the greatest golfers of all time, including Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, have lifted the claret jug. In the meantime, some of the most unknown champions, like Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton, have also found glory at golf's oldest stage. Here is a list of the Champion Golfers of the Year from 1994 through 2008:

1994 - Nick Price

• As the 1992 PGA Champion and one of the best golfers in the world for the past three seasons, Nick Price was one of the pre-tournament favorites at Turnberry. He did not dissapoint as he won his second major championship by one stroke over Jesper Parnevik. Thinking he needed a birdie on the 72nd hole to win the tournament when he actually did not, Parnevik bogeyed the final hole to lose. The tournament is also remembered for Price's play on the 16th and 17th holes on Sunday as he birdied the 16th and then made a 50-foot putt on the 17th for an unprecedented eagle. Price also won his second PGA Championship a month later to become the best golfer in the world without the shadow of a doubt.

1995 - John Daly

• With 150-1 odds of winning the 1995 Open Championship, John Daly once again shocked the golfing world by winning his second major championship at the Home of Golf, St. Andrews. Four years earlier, Daly won the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth and final alternate without the benefit of a practice round. While Daly's performance at St. Andrews was not as shocking as his PGA win at Crooked Stick since he was one of the most popular golfers in the world by 1995, Daly had been struggling with his game all season until he defeated Italian Constantino Rocca in a three-hole playoff at St. Andrews. The championship will be remembered for Daly's long drives and dominance in the playoff, as well as Constantino's play on the 72nd hole of the tournament. Faced with a chip shot to the short par-four 18th hole, Rocca chili-dipped his wedge shot and then preceded to hole a 70-foot putt for birdie and the playoff. Daly's win at the Open would be his only top-ten of the season. Neither Rocca nor Daly have won a major since the 1995 Open Championship.

1996 - Tom Lehman

• After near misses at the 1994 Masters and 1996 U.S. Open, Tom Lehman was ready to taste major championship glory when he set foot at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club for the 1996 Open Championship. Playing head-to-head against two of the giants of the game, Ernie Els and Nick Faldo, Lehman left the course with his name etched on the claret jug after defeating Mark McCumber and Ernie Els by two strokes. Faldo finished in third place in the championship, three strokes behind Lehman. To this day, the 1996 season remains Lehman's best as he not only captured his only major championship victory, but also gained number one status in the World Golf Rankings and was voted as the PGA TOUR Player of the Year.

1997 - Justin Leonard

• With a final round of 65, Justin Leonard won his first major championship at the age of 25 at Royal Troon Golf Club. Jesper Parnevik and Darren Clarke finished three strokes behind Leonard. The championship was yet another heartbreak for Parnevik, who came so close to achieving his goal of winning the Open Championship for the second time in four years. In the meantime, Leonard quickly became one of the biggest stars on TOUR after winning the Open. In 1998 he won the PLAYERS Championship and then made a 40-foot putt to win the Ryder Cup for Team USA in 1999. While Leonard has not won a major championship since 1997, he still remains one of the most consistent players on TOUR.

1998 - Mark O'Meara

• Before the 1998 Masters, O'Meara was one of the best golfers to have never won a major championship. After the 1998 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, O'Meara was a two-time major champion. After O'Meara defeated relative unknown Brian Watts in a three-hole playoff, he became one of only a handful of golfers to have won two major championships in one season. In April, O'Meara defeated Fred Couples and David Duval by one shot for his first major championship. At Royal Birkdale, O'Meara became one of the best golfers of the 1990s, as he obtained 1998 PGA TOUR Player of the Year status.

1999 - Paul Lawrie

• The 1999 Open Championship at Carnoustie will always be remembered for who lost, rather than who won. Jean Van de Velde appeared to be destined to become the first Frenchman to win the Open since 1907 when he arrived at the 72nd hole needing only a double-bogey 6 for the vicotry. Instead he had to make a six foot putt for a triple-bogey and a playoff. Van de Velde's collapse remains one of the most painful and remembered collapses in the history of golf. Due to Van de Velde's collapse, the actual champion, Paul Lawrie of Scotland, never receives the credit he deserves for his performance. After shooting a final round of 67, Lawrie easily defeated Van de Velde and Justin Leonard in a three-hole playoff. While Lawrie has yet to achieve major championship victory status since his Open win, he will always have his name on the claret jug - a feat that few golfers have ever accomplished.

2000 - Tiger Woods

• Tiger Woods' 2000 season is arguably the greatest in the history of golf for three reasons. First, he set a major championship record when he dominated the 2000 U.S. Open, winning by 15 shots. Second, he won the Open Championship by 8 shots for yet another dominating victory. Third, he won the PGA Championship in a thrilling playoff against Bob May for his third major championship victory of 2000. At the Home of Golf, St. Andrews, Woods dominated from the first round and eventually defeated Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn by eight shots. At the age of 24, Woods became the youngest golfer to win the career grand slam, joining only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Jack Nicklaus. Even though Woods has won eleven majors since the 2000 Open Championship, his performance at St. Andrews remains one of his best.

2001 - David Duval

• In 2001 David Duval was one of the best golfers in the world and a favorite at every major championship he played in. Eight years later, he is working towards a comeback in the game as he has not won a PGA TOUR tournament since the 2001 Open. Playing consistent golf throughout the week, Duval defeated Niclas Fasth by three shots at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club for his first major championship victory. As a 13-time TOUR winner, Duval still remains one of the best golfers of his generation despite his recent slump.

2002 - Ernie Els

• Ernie Els arrived at Muirfield Golf Links searching for his first major championship victory since the 1997 U.S. Open. After defeating Thomas Levet, Stuart Appleby, and Steve Elkington in a three-hole playoff, Els was once again on top of the golfing world. During a career known more for heartaches and near misses than victories, Els' 2002 Open win remains one of the best performances of his career. Since 2002, neither Els, nor runner-ups Levet, Appleby, and Elkington have won a major championship.

2003 - Ben Curtis

• Before his Open Championship victory, Ben Curtis was ranked 396th in the World Golf Rankings and was 300-1 long shot. To call his victory at Royal St. George's unprecedented is truly an understatement. Curtis became the first golfer to win a major championship in his first appearance since Francis Ouimet won the U.S. Open back in 1913. While defeating some of the best golfers in the world, including Tiger Woods and Davis Love III, as well as runners-up Vijay Singh and Thomas Bjorn, Curtis achieved overnight status as one of the most well-known golfers in the world at the time. While he has not yet won a major championship since his shocking breakthrough six years ago, Curtis has added two more PGA TOUR victories to his resume.

2004 - Todd Hamilton

• For the second consecutive year a relative unknown won the most well-known championship in golf. While Todd Hamilton had won the Honda Classic a few months earlier, no one expected him to contend at Royal Troon Golf Club, let alone win. However, after a three-hole playoff with Ernie Els, Hamilton achieved status as the Champion Golfer of the Year. During the week, Hamilton routinely used his hybrid club to get and up and down for pars from all over the course. Subsequently, after Hamilton's victory, hybrid clubs became very popular around the world, especially in the United States. While Hamilton is still searching for his first tounament victory since the Open, his status as an Open Champion will continue for the rest of his life.

2005 - Tiger Woods

• It appears that St. Andrews is not only the Home of Golf, but the Home of Tiger Woods. Once again, Tiger dominated the Open Championship at St. Andrews defeating hard-luck Colin Montgomerie by five shots for his second major championship victroy of 2005. With the win, Tiger joined Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player as the only golfer to win all four major championships twice in his career. With a stellar performace from tee to green, Woods proved once again why St. Andrews is one of his favorite golf courses.

2006 - Tiger Woods

• With his victory at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Woods became the first golfer to successfully defend the Open since Tom Watson in 1983. However, aside from its historic precedence, Woods will remember the 2006 Open as his first major championship victory since the death of his father, Earl Woods. Woods' emotional outpouring on the 72nd hole after obtaining a two-shot victory over Chris DiMarco will be remembered for years to come.

2007 - Padraig Harrington

• After defeating Sergio Garcia in a three-hole playoff at Carnoustie, Padraig lost his title as "one of the best golfers to have never won a major." With the victory, Harrington became the first Irishman to win the Open in 60 years. The win would propel Harrington to achieve more major championship success in the near future, as he would become a three-time major champion by the end of the 2008 season.

2008 - Padraig Harrington

• Last year, Harrington successfully defended the Open Championship with a four-stroke victory over Ian Poulter at Royal Birkdale. Even though he almost withdrew from the championship before it began due to a wrist injury, Harrington once again displayed the resolve that helped him win the Open in 2007. While the championship will be remembered for the resurgence of 53-year-old Greg Norman, who finished in a tie for third place, Harrington is prepared to become the first golfer to win three consecutive Opens since Peter Thomson in 1956.