Australian Peter Thomson claimed the first of his five Open titles in 1954 with a one-stroke win over Bobby Locke, Dai Rees and Syd Scott

Dai Rees was again runner-up in 1961 as American Arnold Palmer held off a late charge to secure a one-stroke victory

When The Open returned to Birkdale in 1965, Thomson beat a field including Palmer and Jack Nicklaus for his fifth Claret Jug

In 1971, Lee Trevino added The Open to his US Open title after overcoming Liang-Huan Lu, or Mr Lu, by just one shot

Johnny Miller fired a course-record 66 in the final round to collect the Open in 1976, leaving Seve Ballesteros and Nicklaus six shots adrift

Tom Watson collected his eighth and final major with his fifth Open triumph in 1983, which he claimed with a par at the last

Australian Ian Baker-Finch closed with stunning rounds of 64 and 66 in 1991 to claim a two-shot win over Mike Harwood

In the last Birkdale Open in 1998, Masters champion Mark O'Meara, 41, claimed the Claret Jug with a play-off win over Brian Watts