The Open 2026: Everything you need to know about this year’s major at Royal Birkdale

One men’s major left. And so far, we have Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai and Wyndham Clark taking home the first three. All of the year’s major champs will be in the field at the upcoming Open Championship, as will last year’s Champion Golfer of the Year and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, looking to go back-to-back after his four-shot victory at Royal Portrush. We’re also a year out from Scheffler’s deeply philosophical press conference.

This year will be the 11th time the Open Championship will be held at Royal Birkdale and will feature the best pros in the world competing for golf immortality (and a nice little payday). The most recent major here was nine years ago, when Jordan Spieth claimed the title by three shots. That was his last major victory to this point, and he’ll be back as well, looking for his first tour win in over four years.

To get you ready for the major, we offer this British Open/Open Championship primer, answering some of the frequently asked questions about golf’s oldest major championship, including arguably the most important: what you should call the major.

When is the Open Championship played? 

With the PGA Tour schedule rearranged in 2019, the Open Championship is now the year’s final men’s major. It is still, however, played in mid-July. This year, it will be held July 16-19.

Who conducts the Open Championship?

The R&A conducts the championship.

Is the British Open the same as the Open Championship?

Well, yes. Kind of. It depends on who you ask. In the United States and other parts of the world, the tournament is often referred to as the British Open to help distinguish the championship from Opens in other countries. However, the official name of the tournament is The Open Championship.

When and where was the first Open Championship? And who won?

The first Open Championship was played in 1860 at Prestwick in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It was a one-day, 36-hole competition. Willie Park Sr. won by two strokes with a total score of 174.

RELATED: The Open 2026: Here’s everybody in the field (so far) at Royal Birkdale

What is the format of the Open Championship? How many players are in the field?

The Open is a four-round, 72-hole stroke-play competition, with a cut after 36 holes. Among the 156 players who will be in the field, more than 140 have solidified their spots after the R&A conducted its four 36-hole Final Qualifying events on July 1. The remaining spots will be determined through the last qualifying event, the Genesis Scottish Open, with the rest of the field filled in off the Official World Golf Ranking.

If players are tied after 72 holes, how is the winner determined?

The Open uses a four-hole aggregate playoff if players are tied after four rounds. If players are still tied after four holes, they play sudden death until a winner is determined. It’s not the only major to use the aggregate format in the event of a tie—the PGA Championship uses a three-hole aggregate playoff and the U.S. Open made the switch from an 18-hole playoff to a two-hole aggregate in 2018.

Since 2000, there have been four playoffs at The Open, the most recent occurring in 2015 at the Old Course when Zach Johnson defeated Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman to claim his second career major title.

Where is the British Open being held in 2026? 

The 154th Open Championship will be held at England’s Royal Birkdale Golf Club. The course is located in Southport, Merseyside. The course has hosted 10 Open Championships, starting in 1954, and is also in the rotation for the Women’s British Open. In addition to Spieth winning here in 2017, the other victors include Padraig Harrington, Mark O’Meara, Ian Baker-Finch, Tom Watson, Johnny Miller, Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer and Peter Thomson (twice).

The esteemed links course, currently ranked No. 2 in England, is known for its “surprisingly flat fairways and docile greens between towering dunes,” as well as much-needed accuracy and strategy for its competitors.

The curatorship of the course has been turned over to Tom Mackenzie of the firm Mackenzie & Ebert, who remodelled it for the 2026 Open. That included building new tee clusters, altering bunkers, completely remodelling the short par-5 fifth and adding a new, long par-3, the 15th, to replace the old par-3 14th that was taken out of play and converted to a short-game practice area.

Who won the 2025 Open Championship?

With a four-stroke margin of victory, Scottie Scheffler won his first Open Championship and second major of 2025, behind a seven-under 64 on Friday that gave him a lead he never relinquished. The World No. 1 shot four rounds in the 60s at Royal Portrush en route to his fourth major victory.

Harris English was the runner-up with Chris Gotterup right behind him. Major champs Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele finished T-7, and Bryson DeChambeau made the cut, placing T-10.

Who has won the most Open Championships?

Harry Vardon holds the record for most victories at the Open Championship with six. Four golfers have won the Open five times: James Braid, J.H. Taylor, Peter Thomson and Tom Watson.

How can you qualify for the Open Championship?

There are several ways players can qualify for the Open, including through the Open Qualifying Series and Final Qualifying, which you can learn more about here.

Click here for the most up-to-date field list for the 2026 Open Championship.

RELATED: After hitting opening tee shot at U.S. Open, James Nicholas qualifies

Will Tiger Woods be playing in this year’s Open? 

Though Tiger Woods is eligible to compete in the Open via an exemption as a previous winner—which allows him entry into golf’s oldest major until he’s 60—he won’t be competing in 2026.

Woods has been taking time away after being involved in a car accident that led to his arrest on suspicion of a DUI in March. He will end up missing all four majors this year, which will mark his second straight year doing so.

Will Phil Mickelson be playing in this year’s Open? 

No, Phil Mickelson is out of the Open Championship due to a “family health matter” that has sidelined him for most of 2026. He missed the Masters in April for the same reason, saying he would be “out for an extended period of time.” He eventually withdrew from the PGA Championship and did not qualify to play in the U.S. Open.

Earlier this month, Golf Digest reported that Mickelson is no longer a member of his hometown club, the Farms outside San Diego, after a female club employee accused the six-time major champion of making nonconsensual, inappropriate contact with her before a round of golf.

What other sites host the Open Championship?

The Open Championship uses a rotation or “rota” of courses in the United Kingdom. There are currently nine courses in the rota. Four of them are in Scotland: Carnoustie, Old Course at St. Andrews, Royal Troon and Muirfield. The other four are in England: Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Royal St. George’s and Royal Lytham. Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland is the most recent course to join the rota.

Which country has hosted the most Open Championships?

Scotland has hosted the most, with 98 Open Championships.

How many players make the 36-hole cut?

The top 70 players and ties make the cut at the Open Championship.

Who is the oldest winner of the Open Championship?

Old Tom Morris is the oldest, winning the Open in 1867 at Prestwick at age 46.

The youngest?

Young Tom Morris—Old Tom’s son—is the youngest, winning the Open the following year in 1868 at Prestwick at age 17. He also holds the record for most consecutive victories (four), winning the next three in a row after his first.

What is the lowest round shot in the Open Championship?

Ten players held the record of 63 up until eight years ago at Royal Birkdale, when South Africa’s Branden Grace set a new record for all major championships, carding a third-round eight-under 62.

What is the lowest round in relation to par in Open Championship history?

McIlroy and Paul Broadhurst hold the record for the lowest rounds in relation to par, with Broadhurst carding a nine-under 63 in the third round of the 1990 Open at St. Andrews. McIlroy’s nine-under 63 also came at St. Andrews in the first round of the 2010 Open.

What is the 72-hole scoring record? And the record in relation to par?

Henrik Stenson set both records in 2016 at Royal Troon, with 264 strokes and 20 under par.

What is the largest margin of victory?

The largest margin of victory in an Open came in 1862 at Prestwick when Old Tom Morris won by 13 strokes while the event was still contested over 36 holes.

The largest margin since World War II is eight strokes by Woods over Thomas Bjorn and Ernie Els during the 2000 Open at St. Andrews.

What is the highest winning score in Open Championship history?

The highest winning total came in 1894 when England’s J.H. Taylor won with 326 strokes at Royal St. George’s.

Has there ever been a wire-to-wire winner of the Open Championship?

There have been seven wire-to-wire winners in Open Championship history. They are: Ted Ray (1912, Muirfield), Bobby Jones (1927, St. Andrews), Gene Sarazen (1932, Prince’s), Henry Cotton (1934, Royal St. George’s), Tom Weiskopf (1973, Royal Troon), Woods (2005, St. Andrews) and McIlroy (2014, Royal Liverpool).

Has an amateur ever won the Open Championship?

An amateur has won the Open Championship six times. The list includes: John Ball (1890, Prestwick), Harold Hilton (1892, Muirfield and 1897, Royal Liverpool) and Bobby Jones (1926, Royal Lytham and St. Annes; 1927, St. Andrews; 1930, Royal Liverpool).

What is the Silver Medal at the Open Championship?

The Silver Medal is awarded to the leading amateur of the Open Championship, provided he completes all 72 holes. There was no Silver Medal handed out in 2025, as none of the nine amateurs in the field made the cut. It was the first time this had happened since 2019.

In 2024, it was awarded to Scotland’s Calum Scott. The then 20-year-old rising senior at Texas Tech finished T-43 (eight-over 292).

How many times has an American won the Open Championship?

Of the 152 Open Championships that have been contested, an American has won 48, the most of any country. Those 48 wins are split between 33 different golfers, most recently Scheffler in 2025.

Which country has produced the next most Open?

The United States has the most with 48. Scotland has produced the next most with 41 winners, while England has produced 22.

What type of conditions is the Open Championship played in?

The Open Championship is played at classic links golf courses that feature deep bunkers, no trees, large and undulating greens, and high fescue. It’s typically played in high winds, colder temperatures and, often, rain.

What does the winner of the Open Championship receive?

In the early days of the Open Championship, the winner received the Challenge Belt, which was returned the next year and awarded to the next winner. If, however, a golfer won the Open for three straight years, he would be able to keep the belt permanently. Young Tom Morris accomplished that feat in 1870. With the retirement of the belt, the R&A created a new award—the Claret Jug, which has become the most widely recognised trophy in golf. The Claret Jug was first awarded in 1873. Today, winners’ names are engraved on the trophy just as they are completing their victory, and appear on the jug when they are handed the trophy at the prize ceremony after the championship. Winners return the Claret Jug each year (although they also receive a replica that they can keep).

The winner also carries the honourific label of “The Champion Golfer of the Year.”

What is the Open Championship’s purse?

The Open Championship purse has yet to be announced, but the 2025 first-place prize money payout was $3.1 million from a $17 million purse.

What are the confirmed future sites in the Open rota?

Future sites have been confirmed through 2027. They are as follows:

2027: Old Course, St Andrews, Scotland.

2028: Royal Lytham & St Annes, Lytham St Annes, England.

Who broadcasts the Open Championship?

NBC signed a 12-year deal to broadcast the Open Championship, and this year will be its 10th year televising the event, along with its cable network, USA Network. It can also be streamed on the Peacock app.

• • •

Is it the British Open or the Open Championship? The name of the final men’s major of the golf season is a subject of continued discussion. The event’s official name, as explained in this op-ed by former R&A chairman Ian Pattinson, is the Open Championship. But since many United States golf fans continue to refer to it as the British Open, and search news around the event accordingly, Golf Digest continues to utilise both names in its coverage.

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Main Image: Alex Pantling/R&A