Overview
- The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale starts Thursday, July 16, with a full field and a course reworked since 2017 that features new bunkering, altered teeing positions and a rebuilt short hole on the back nine.
- Defending champion Scottie Scheffler arrives under scrutiny after missing the cut at the Scottish Open, a result that ended a long run of consecutive cuts and prompted extra practice time at Birkdale.
- Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and a deep list of contenders headline a wide‑open favorites list as firm fairways and coastal wind are expected to change scoring strategy this week.
- LIV Golf is searching for new investors after reports the Saudi PIF will end funding after 2026 and the league filed a WARN Act notice about potential layoffs, creating uncertainty about its 2027 schedule and player access to majors.
- Qualification routes shifted the field this year: the R&A added a one‑spot Last‑Chance Qualifier, several players reached The Open via the Scottish Open and final qualifying, and withdrawals such as Dustin Johnson highlighted calendar frictions that could affect future major entry.