​The 154th Open Championship is being staged at Royal Birkdale, marking the venue’s 11th hosting and its first since 2017. As the final major of the year comes to Southport, the Press Association surveys the key storylines and what to watch ahead of the week.
Can McIlroy draw on the comfort of a home-major setting? After successfully defending his Masters title in April, Rory McIlroy’s performance in majors has cooled, with a joint-seventh at the US PGA and a 32nd-place finish at the US Open. He isn’t far from his best, having faltered for six holes at Shinnecock Hills last month, and his recent Open record has shown three top-seven finishes in his last four appearances, with his only Claret Jug triumph dating back to Royal Liverpool in 2014. The atmosphere of support at Royal Birkdale could provide a timely boost as he seeks to recapture his best form.
DeChambeau faces pressure to avoid another unwanted “grand slam” miss. American Bryson DeChambeau arrives at Birkdale hoping to end a troubling run of form that has him aiming to avoid missing the cut in all four majors for the first time in his career. He already faces his poorest calendar-year stretch since he became eligible for all four majors in 2018, having failed to reach the weekend in more than one major in only his third season of that span. His decision to join LIV Golf has not helped his preparation; the only competitive action he had in the five weeks before the Open came at Shinnecock Hills, where he failed to break par in his two rounds.
Spots to defend? World number one Scottie Scheffler is chasing a rare Open title defense, a feat not achieved since Padraig Harrington did so at Birkdale in 2008. Though just 16 players have successfully defended the Open in its long history, Scheffler’s current major form—runner-up at the Masters, 14th at the US PGA, and a tie for fourth at the US Open—suggests he has the credentials to contend, even if he is not coming in at his peak.
A refreshed Birkdale presents a tougher test. Since the last Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017, five holes have been redesigned. The most significant change is on the back nine, where the former 15th now occupies the 14th, and a brand-new 15th has been introduced. The 241-yard 15th remains the third-longest par three in Open history, but it is expected to play predominantly downwind with a narrow entry, bunkers to the left, and a large run-off to the right. Birkdale head professional Gregg Pettersen warned that “getting the ball to stop on the green could be difficult as the wind gets up. It does want to run away from you. There could be big moments here.”
English hopes are strong again. Sir Nick Faldo’s Open victory in 1992 remains the last by an Englishman, and the field includes 13 English players led by major winners Aaron Rai, Justin Rose, and Matt Fitzpatrick. Southport’s Tommy Fleetwood, returning to his home region, and Ryder Cup compatriot Tyrrell Hatton are also among the contenders, as England seeks a major breakthrough on its home soil.