2016 British Open Championship Awarded to Royal Troon

For the ninth time in its illustrious history, the British Open Championship is returning in 2016 to Royal Troon on the Southwestern coast of Scotland, as reported in Sport24.

Played normally at a par of 71 and only 7,150 yards long, Royal Troon hosted its first Open Championship in 1923 and has been part of the rotation since 1950.

Todd Hamilton defeated Ernie Els in a playoff the last time the Open Championship was played there in 2004. 

Other notable wins include Arnold Palmer's second-straight championship in 1962 and Tom Watson's fourth 20 years later.

With four par-fives and only three par-three's, it is a rather unique layout for a major championship course.

The par-five sixth hole is the longest on the course, playing out at 599 yards, while the eighth, called the "Postage Stamp", is a short wedge off the tee at only 123 yards.

Other former winners include Mark Calcavecchia in the first modern four-hole playoff in 1989 and Justin Leonard in 1997. It was the only major won by each of the course's last three winners in their entire careers.

While playing as a full par-72 in 1982 for the Open Championship, par was reduced to 71 for the 1989 championship and has remained at 71 since then.

It was not announced today whether the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews—the group that runs the Open Championship and creates the rules of golf for the rest of the world outside of the United States and Mexico—plans to make any changes to the course prior to the 2016 championship.