Overview
- The 154th Open begins at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, July 16, with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler back as defending champion despite missing the cut at last week’s Scottish Open.
- R&A chief executive Mark Darbon confirmed on Wednesday that organisers are reviewing whether to bring Sunday’s tee times forward and will decide after England’s World Cup semi-final to avoid a broadcast and attendance conflict.
- Forecasters and on-site experts predict dry, firm links conditions for the first days of the championship, which will reward precise iron play and course management and penalise shots that run into deep rough.
- Bookmakers have tightened and boosted markets ahead of play, listing Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele among the leading contenders as odds shift after recent form.
- Players are framing the week with personal narratives that matter to performance: Fleetwood faces intense hometown support and pressure, Rahm spoke about self-doubt and proposing Majors beyond traditional venues, and Scheffler and McIlroy have downplayed concerns about legacy.