When and where was the first British Open played?

The first Open Championship was played on October 17, 1860, at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.

More about the first British Open

The British Open, officially the Open Championship or the Open, is one of the world’s four major golf tournaments.

On 17 October 1860, eight professional golfers assembled at Prestwick for a tournament to determine who would be the Champion Golfer.

The winner was to receive the Challenge Belt, a prize crafted from red Moroccan leather and worth £25. The competitors played three rounds of 12 holes, with Willie Park Snr. beating Old Tom Morris by two shots. A year later, Prestwick announced that the tournament shall be open to all the world.

Source: https://www.theopen.com/about/

The British Open