Old Course at St Andrews to host 2018 Senior Open Championship

The Senior Open Championship will be held at St Andrews for the first time in 2018, the R&A and European Tour have announced.

The Old Course has hosted the Open Championship 29 times, most recently last year when Zach Johnson claimed his first major title, and has held the Women's British Open on two occasions, but has up until now never hosted the over-50s event.

In a joint announcement at the Home of Golf on Tuesday, the R&A and the European Tour confirmed that the tournament will be held at the Old Course from July 26-29 2018, making it the 13th venue to accommodate the Senior Open Championship.

"There have been many great championships held at St Andrews over the years and it is entirely fitting that the Senior Open should be played at the Home of Golf in 2018," Martin Slumbers, the R&A's chief executive, said.

"We know that the galleries in St Andrews are passionate about golf and I'm sure they will turn out in strong numbers to see so many renowned senior players competing."

The Senior Open mark its 30th anniversary when the tournament takes place at Carnoustie this summer from July 21-24, before the tournament returns to Royal Porthcawl in Wales the following year.

The decision to host 2018's tournament at St Andrews has received unanimous support, including from three-time Senior Open winner, Tom Watson, who was keen to compete one last over on the famous links.

Watson made what he believed would be his final flourish on the Old Course during The Open last year, when he made an emotional farewell to the Championship on the Swilcan Bridge.

"I am thrilled at the news that the Senior Open Championship will be staged over the Old Course for the first time in 2018," Watson said. "Only last July, I played what I believed would be my final competitive round of golf at The Open, and the reception I received as darkness fell on that Friday evening will stay with me always.

"However, The R&A, the European Tour and the St Andrews Links Trust have shown the spirit of cooperation that exists in the game.

"By agreeing to bring this wonderful Championship to the Home of Golf in July 2018, they have allowed not just me, but many other great champions, an opportunity to return to a venue that means so much to everyone who plays the game."

Marco Dawson is the defending Senior Open champion following his narrow victory over Bernhard Langer at Sunningdale last July, where Colin Montgomerie ended the week in third spot.

The 2016 European Senior Tour season gets underway with the US Senior PGA Championship from May 26-29, with the Wales Senior open taking place a week later.