THE R&A has announced that the 2020 Open Championship will be played at Royal St George’s – the scene of Darren Clarke’s memorable victory six years ago.

Royal St George’s, which voted in March 2015 to admit women members, will stage the Open for the 15th time. It will be the first occasion since Clarke held off the challenge of Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson to lift the Claret Jug in dramatic fashion.

“It was an unbelievable feeling to lift the Claret Jug and know that my name was displayed on the trophy alongside so many of the greatest players ever to play the game,” said Clarke, who joined the likes of Scotland’s Sandy Lyle by winning the event at Royal St George’s.

“The Open is what it is all about for me as a golfer and it is the championship I always dreamt of winning from when I first took up the game as a kid. I have so many wonderful memories from that week at Sandwich and I will be thrilled to go back there for The Open in three years’ time.”

The 149th Open will be played from July 16-19, 2020. St Andrews is set to host the tournament a year later for its 150th anniversary.