​SOUTHPORT, England — The story of the Vibes Guide in 2026 is one of excellence, brief heartbreak and ultimate redemption of the most glorious kind. After the shock of missing out completely on Aaron Rai at the PGA Championship, I came back with a vengeance by declaring the start of the raw, uncut vibes era, obliged to man, and proceeded to predict the dark inevitability of Wyndham Clark’s win at Shinnecock Hills in the No. 1 spot. Which means that for our last installment of the year, at the Open Championship, we’re playing with house pounds, having clearly established ourselves as the top dog in golf handicapping (and in honor of England, yes, we’re using the royal “we” here). Here’s the franchise rundown so far:Masters 2025: Successfully picked Rory (at No. 41) PGA 2025: Successfully picked Scottie Scheffler (at No. 1!!) U.S. Open 2025: Forgot to do one, would’ve definitely had Spaun at No. 1 Open Championship 2025: Successfully picked Scottie again (at No. 4) Masters 2026: Successfully picked Rory again (No. 29) PGA Championship 2026: The tragedy of Aaron Rai U.S. Open 2026: Wyndham Clark all day every day (No. 1)AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementYou know the drill: This is your definitive ranking of the true contenders at Royal Birkdale, from 41 down to 1, based not on data or inside information or any kind of analysis beyond the truth north of VIBES. Feel is real in this world, so let us tell you how it’s going down in Britain town.41. Bryson DeChambeau2285295743ANDY BUCHANANGood Vibes: Probably finished fourth last week in LIV Golf Mogadishu or Ciudad Juarez or wherever. I’d look it up, but LIV’s website is now run by Armenian debt collectors.Bad Vibes: Keeps googling the words, “Possible to shrink to doll-size, upload self to computer, become full-time YouTube creature and leave painful world behind forever???”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDoes he have more than a snowball’s chance in hell?: Noooooope. He’s admitted he can’t handle links golf in bad weather, probably because on the Internet there is no wind or rain, only the soft comforting glow of Mother Screen.40. Sepp StrakaGood Vibes: If he has a bad tournament at Birkdale, I probably won’t include him in this thing next year. “Hey, those aren’t good vibes,” you say? Buddy, that’s as good as it’s going to get. Read on.Bad Vibes: In the last two years, he’s missed five of seven major cuts and (prepare yourself), three cuts in all the rest of his tournaments. Three! You know how Augusta will pull former champions aside when they start getting old and ask them to stop playing? Straka never won the Masters, but he’s been so bad at majors that he might be the first to get that treatment as a 34-year-old. They’ll stop him at the gates next April and say, “sir, Mr. Ridley would like a word.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDoes he have more than a snowball’s chance in hell? He can safely book the Beatles Magical Mystery Bus Tour in Liverpool for Saturday morning.More Fro