“I’ve always been drawn to golf’s untold stories, moments when ordinary people rise to extraordinary challenges. That curiosity led me to explore the roots of the game, and I soon realized that the Open Championship was born from the drama of a country, its people, and a remarkable new game. THE OPEN became my way of bringing that drama to life in novel form.

Golf today is familiar, yet its origins are full of conflict, ambition, and culture. This book honors that legacy, weaving a narrative that celebrates the birth of golf’s first major while revealing the human stories behind it. I wanted readers to experience the birth of golf as if they were there, feeling the tension, the excitement, and the sheer audacity of those early players. In the end, this is a story about more than golf. It is about human resilience, ambition, and the timeless spirit of competition.”

Joe Loughran is the author of six novels, including Linked and The Boy from the North Country series. A retired corporate executive, entrepreneur, lifelong golf enthusiast, and member of the storied Oakmont Country Club for more than 30 years, he drew on the game's rich past to write The Open, a historical novel about the origins of golf's first major championship. He lives in Pine Township, Pennsylvania, where he continues to write stories inspired by history, golf, and the remarkable people who have shaped both.