​Royal Birkdale returns to golf’s grandest stage to host the 154th Open Championship, welcoming the world’s elite for the 11th time. Renowned for its iconic white Art Deco clubhouse and dramatic towering dunes, the Southport venue is universally respected as one of the purest and fairest examinations in championship golf. Unlike traditional links layouts that rely on blind shots and unpredictable bounces, Birkdale’s fairways wind through natural valleys, offering players supreme strategic clarity from the tee.RELATED: British Open power rankings 2026: The entire field at Royal Birkdale, rankedAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile Royal Birkdale’s foundational routing dates back to Fred Hawtree and five-time Open champion J.H. Taylor in the 1930s, this week’s 156-player field will face a newly modernized test.A comprehensive renovation by Tom Mackenzie (Mackenzie & Ebert) completed in 2025 has sharpened Birkdale’s strategic options. The project introduced new teeing grounds, rebuilt rugged bunkers and executed major redesigns of the fifth, seventh, 14th and 15th holes, strengthening the back nine while preserving the course’s historic identity. Playing as a par 70 measuring 7,223 yards (67 yards longer than in 2017), the course features only two par 5s and leans heavily on its grueling, lengthy par 4s to protect par. With both par 5s coming toward the end of the round, Royal Birkdale sets the stage for a dramatic finish on Sunday afternoon.RELATED: British Open 2026: The British Open has a nasty habit of breaking players’ golf swings. Here’s whyWith only the low 70 players and ties making the weekend, weather and draw bias will play their usual critical roles. Birkdale’s ultimate defense remains its proximity to the Irish Sea. Changing winds can instantly alter required trajectories, while dry conditions will test a player’s ability to control rollout on firm fescue turf. Early weather reports look quiet, but the reports from the course show a baked-out Birkdale, which should play exceptionally firm and fast for this week’s field.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRELATED: British Open 2026 tee times: Pairings for the first and second round at Royal BirkdaleRegardless of what style of Open Championship pool you’re looking to enter, there are a few golfers in this week’s field who deserve your attention. There is some game theory at play here. In most pools, your peers can roster the same golfers as you, so there’s an advantage to finding ways to be unique without sacrificing upside and win equity.Here are 7 players to help you win your pool for the 2026 Open Championship Matt Fitzpatrick2285767197Andrew RedingtonIf Matt Fitzpatrick is included in the same pool tier as Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, he’s a nice contrarian pivot. If he’s in any other tier, he’ll likely be chalk, so you’ll need to make a decision about how to play that because he’d deserve his popularity.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertiseme