​SOUTHPORT, England — Matthew Baldwin had the honor of hitting the opening tee shot of The Open at Royal Birkdale, where the Englishman has been a member for 23 years after growing up in the area.It meant needing a 3:30 a.m. alarm.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt also meant missing one of his country’s biggest ever soccer matches.Baldwin said he didn’t watch England’s agonizing 2-1 loss to Argentina in the men’s World Cup semifinals, a match that started at 8 p.m. on Wednesday. He was dozing until waking up 55 minutes into the game and discovering England was leading 1-0. He fell asleep and woke up again around midnight, to be informed by his wife that England lost.More important to Baldwin was making a good start to his fourth appearance at the Open — and first at Birkdale.He said the opening shot — an iron that split the middle of the parched fairway and was approved by a cheering crowd in a full grandstand under early morning sunshine — was “terrifying” and “overwhelming.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“But,” added Baldwin, who shot 2-over 72, “it’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”The 154th Open – Media DayThe Open 2026 prize money: R&A announces $750,000 increaseThe 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale will be played for a $17.5 million purse, a $750,000 uptick from last year’s prize money. Steve Coulter, Steve Coulter,