MORE: Rory’s caddie, Harry Diamond, gives rare live TV interview

Jordan Black, a Northern Irishman and Carrickfergus Golf Club member, has been working on perhaps the most impressive body art in golf history. And, according to the PA News Agency, he already has “Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg and captain Luke Donald all depicted on his left leg.” The 35-year-old wasn’t able to get everything done before this week’s Open Championship, but he’s planning on having the full squad on his body by the Ryder Cup in September.

Photos from David Young, PA News Agency

While taking in the sights at a Royal Portrush practice round, Black had the chance to show the work-in-progress to one of the golfers tattooed on his leg. And, apparently, Rahm “loves” it.

“He’s seen it and he really likes it,” Black added. “So it’s nice to know that. I started it in February. I wanted to have it finished before the Open, but fell short of that deadline, but I’ll get it finished for the Ryder Cup.”

We’re not sure what will happen if Team Europe pulls off the road upset in a few months. Jordan Black might want to memorialise the victory, but it looks as if he’s running out of room.

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A parade.

But not just any parade! This parade is a politically divisive, historically combustible, and arguably provocative march that will have a lot of people feeling a lot of very strong emotions along the Catholic-Protestant split in Northern Ireland. And it’s relevant to golf because the R&A, governing body of the Open Championship, is so worried about it that they reportedly offered £20,000 to the Portrush Sons of Ulster to postpone. That group, associated with—if not directly affiliated with—the Orange Order, declined, so now the R&A is adjusting tee times to get spectators out slightly earlier to avoid the “congestion” that might come with thousands of people spilling out of the course at the exact same time that the parade begins. (By the way, remember the colour orange.)

So, what’s actually going on here? Why is this parade such a big deal? Let’s tackle this, Q&A style.

Do we have to go back in time to understand this thing? Are you going to force us to learn history?

I’m afraid so.

Like, 30 or 40 years back?

How about the year 1534.

Oh no.

I don’t like it either, but without context none of this makes sense. We’ll do some quick bullet points, how’s that?

Fine.

* So, 1534. Henry VIII, a famously weird guy, wanted a male heir, but his wife Catherine had the audacity to have a daughter instead. Henry sought a divorce so he could marry a different woman (who he would later behead), but the pope wouldn’t give it to him, so he started his own church, made himself the head of it, and eventually most of Great Britain became Protestant.

* The English tried to sell the Protestant stuff to Ireland, who said, no thanks, we’re happy being Catholics, and also, we don’t like you. Thus, a religious split formed, and one that would spell serious problems in the future.

* Fast-forward to the 1600s and 1700s, and the Plantation of Ulster, when farmers from England and Scotland were given lots of land in northeast Ireland, moved over, and immediately started fighting with Catholics, who didn’t enjoy all this colonising business.

* Rebellions ensued, which all came to a head when William III, King of England, defeated James II and his Irish followers at the Battle of the Boyne, solidifying Protestant rule in Ireland for centuries to come.

This William III fellow … did he have a nickname that will provide a dramatic narrative revelation for our Q&A?

Yes, he did. William III was known as … William of Orange.

MWF

Wow. So the “Orange Order,” and the orange clothing worn by some of these marchers in Portrush and across Northern Ireland, and indeed the orange stripe in the flag of the Republic of Ireland, it’s all commemorating the victory of William over his Catholic enemies in 1690?

You got it.

Why orange?

It’s a French/Dutch thing, don’t worry about it.

OK, but how do we get from there to a march at a golf tournament?

Buckle up for more bullet points:

* After William won, decades and centuries of sectarian violence ensued, failed rebellions, things of that nature. At a certain point, though, a more hopeful “home rule” movement grew, and after a lot more fighting, in 1921 the Irish successfully negotiated to become a “free state,” which was a prelude to becoming a sovereign country in 1948.

* However, because all those Protestant settlers and their descendants were still up north, six counties were excluded, and remained part of the U.K. This was Northern Ireland, and even back then, people on all sides recognised that the partition was a disaster in the making.

* By the ’60s, Catholics in Northern Ireland began antagonising for housing and economic rights, the remnants of the Irish Republican Army continued fighting for a united Ireland, and the Protestant leadership in the north responded harshly, all of which led to the British Army being called in. The Catholics were actually happy about that at first, a state of affairs which, uhhhh … did not last, and the country was soon mired in a period referred to now as the “Troubles,” marked by warring paramilitary groups, sectarian violence, bombing, and general civic unrest across the six counties. We’re skipping so much here, like Bloody Sunday, Bobby Sands and the hunger strikes, and various broken ceasefires, but in 1998 the Good Friday agreement was signed, which ushered in an era of relative peace that continues today.

Oisin Keniry/R&A

Wow. Did the Troubles hit home for any golf personalities?

It hit home for almost everyone, but a particularly horrific example came in 1972, when Rory McIlroy’s great-uncle, Joseph McIlroy, was gunned down in his home and died in front of his wife and four daughters for the apparent crime of being a Catholic who moved into a Protestant neighbourhood. And more broadly, the Troubles are the reason why the Open Championship stayed far away from Northern Ireland between the first Open at Portrush in 1951 and the next one in 2019.

OK, what about the marches?

Yes, now we come to the so-called “orange walks.” The marching season lasts roughly from April to August every year across Northern Ireland, and they’re organized by loyalists from the Orange Order and similar groups. Some Catholics see them as sectarian and very unfriendly—”triumphalist,” to quote Wikipedia, essentially rubbing their faces in past victories and making current tensions worse—and they’ve led to fighting and riots and other ugliness, especially when they march through Catholic neighbourhoods. (Perhaps you’ve seen the Derry Girls episode on the topic.) The marches have been happening in various forms since 1796, and today there are thousands of them across Northern Ireland, including the annual parade of the Portrush Sons of Ulster this Saturday, which has been going on for at least 40 years. The vast majority of the parades today do not result in violence.

Did they have to do it Open Championship week?

A little sleuthing on their Facebook page indicates that at least for the last five years, they’ve held the march shortly after the July 12 national marches which specifically celebrate the Battle of the Boyne, so on that front they’re consistent. Does the specter of a bigger audience with such a massive event in town appeal to them? It’s unclear. They did refuse that £20,000 offer from the R&A, but groups like these have a long history of refusing to negotiate on the marches, so you can’t read much into that.

Beyond the failed monetary offer, what has the R&A done?

Mark Darbon, the new chief executive of the R&A, spoke briefly on the topic Wednesday.

“Recognising the events that are taking place on Saturday,” he said, “we’ve worked really collaboratively with the organisers and across multiple agency groups to ensure primarily that both events can run as seamlessly as possible. We’re making a slight tweak to tee times to try and finish—it’s not dramatic. It’ll be 15 minutes or so earlier.”

A moment later, asked about the rejected £20,000 offer, he said, “we’re actually contributing some incremental costs to support what I just said, the seamless operation of both events.”

Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time in the press conference to ask the obvious follow-up: how much money is the R&A giving the Sons of Ulster, and for what? A reasonable guess would be security precautions, but that isn’t confirmed.

Richard Heathcote

What will the parade be like?

Apparently there will be more than 60 bands with more than 2,000 participants on hand, the march starts at 8:30 p.m., and parts of it may have been re-routed at the R&A’s request. They can’t move it any later, they said, due to the 11 p.m. curfew. The path of the march is basically just around the town, starting to the west of Royal Portrush. This appears to be footage of the parade from 2023. The basic worry here is what will happen when tens of thousands of fans pour out of the golf course gates and walk immediately into a big parade. What happens then? I guess we’ll see!

Don’t I remember hearing about this in 2019?

Yes, it was very similar. Back then Ewan Murray of The Guardian called it an “embarrassing problem,” and said that, “shows such as this represent a depressing throwback to a Northern Ireland beset by sectarian division.” In response, one letter argued that it’s just an entertaining fundraising even, unaffiliated with the Orange Order, that anyone could enjoy, including fans from the Republic of Ireland. In the end, the parade was severely curtailed, and the result was essentially an outdoor concert.

In other words, it will be much bigger this year.

Much bigger.

Anything else I should know?

Maybe just that the history of Northern Ireland is endlessly fascinating, and if any of this has intrigued you, books like Say Nothing might be right up your alley.

And in conclusion, all of this has been to explain a 15-minute tee time adjustment in the third round of the Open Championship?

That’s right. You’re welcome. Enjoy the golf.

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Indeed, having the distinction brings with it an added level of authority. But it also begs the question: Just how does a course earn the right to call itself Royal?

According to Scott Macpherson’s definitive 2013 book, Golf’s Royal Clubs, it began in 1833. The captain of the Perth Golfing Society, Lord Kinnaird, went on a trip to London to address King William IV, who had recently taken up the game. While there, Kinnaird asked the King if he would become a patron of the Society and if the club could, in turn, call itself the Royal Perth Golfing Society. William agreed, and a movement was born.

A year later, the Society of St. Andrews Golfers, with royalty among its membership, renamed itself the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews.

Earning Royal status hasn’t been as simple as having royalty among your club. Royal Aberdeen in Scotland, for instance, added the label in the 1870s only to be turned down by the crown when they requested the official designation (it wasn’t until 1903 that they finally were approved).

As interest in the distinction picked up in the late 1800s, a formal application process ensued, with the reigning monarch having final approval. According to Macpherson, the title officially was restricted to “institutions of eminence, long standing and secure financial position, and devoted to national, charitable and scientific objects.” This held particularly relevant to clubs in British colonies who were also seeking the label.

Even so, Royal status has been given to six courses in Canada (first to Royal Montreal in 1884), eight in Australia (first to Royal Melbourne in 1895), six in Africa, three in Asia, two in New Zealand and two in continental Europe.

There is no real account of the number of courses that have applied for Royal status and been denied. Sir Peter Allen in his book, The Sunley Book of Royal Golf, noted: “At the conclusion of our researches, we have to admit that no pattern could be found. Those that strove for the title often seem to have got it, especially in the Dominons and Empire.”

The biggest run of courses to gain Royal status came around the turn of the 20th century. From 1882 to 1897, 19 clubs received the honour. And from 1902 to 1937, 21 more were named. During Queen Elizabeth II’s time on the throne from 1952 until her passing in 2022, nine new courses were added to the Royal list, the last three coming in 2010 (Auckland, the second Royal course in New Zealand), 2012 (Moresby in Papua New Guinea) and 2013 (Homburger in Germany, the second course in continental Europe).

It was also during her reign, 1978, that Troon received its Royal status, the most recent of the Open rota courses to be given the honour. That was the year of the club’s 100th anniversary, and 55 years after hosting the first of its nine previous Opens.

The 18th green at Royal Portrush. David Cannon

Interestingly, the British are not the only monarchs to apply the honorific of “Royal” to golf courses. Monarchs in Spain and Belgium have also given the designation to courses in their kingdoms over time.

ROYAL COURSES IN THE OPEN ROTA

Liverpool (earned status in 1871)
Portrush (1892)
St. George’s (1902)
Lytham & St. Annes (1926)
Birkdale (1951)
Troon (1978)
*The Old Course is operated by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, which, obviously has “royal” status granted in 1934.

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Now, Open week has arrived at Royal Portrush and Teder is already making some loud noise on the range, not content with just being a cute little story that we already forgot about. Teder, who, like most 20-somethings nowadays, hits it a mile, had himself a long-drive competition with none other than Bryson DeChambeau. The guy is straight up aura-farming:

Richard Teder is making history this week as the first ever Estonian to play in The Open Championship after holing out for an eagle in qualifying to make it to Portrush. Today his week was made already as he went head to head against Bryson DeChambeau in a long drive competition.… pic.twitter.com/IGCcQbMCsg

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) July 14, 2025

Absolutely unCORKED. My back hurts just watching that.

According to the tweet, Bryson got him by 25 yards in Round 2, but a closer look at the big screen on the range, which tracks everything from “flat carry” to ball speed, shows that Round 1 was much closer than that:

A good battle, though. Teder clearly has some serious speed and is happy to show it off. Whether or not we’ll see him go after it like that in competition on Thursday is another story, of course.

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“In my opinion, the Open Championship is the most prestigious event you can win in golf,” Rahm said on Tuesday at Royal Portrush ahead of this week’s 153rd Open. “For my understanding of the game and the history of the game, I think the claret jug is the most special one.

“There’s an order to it, too, because it changes venues. So if you can win it in St Andrews, I don’t think anything in golf can come close to that. Obviously, there’s different ones that have a lot of significance as well.

“The Open to me, I think that’s what it is,” he continued. “It’s the home of golf. Golf started in this part of the world. It’s the oldest championship we have, and that’s what makes it so special—the type of golf we play, the links courses where in theory is meant to be played, the elements, the weather, it’s quite unique. I don’t think there’s a word to describe it, but all together it’s what makes it so special.”

That Rahm, who won his first major in the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and was then fitted for a green jacket at the 2023 Masters, would be partial to the oldest of golf majors is not a shock, given his knowledge and love of golf history. At only 30 years old, it’d be wise to put money on him in trivia quiz among any of his peers. (The only players he cited that he talks much history with are Phil Mickelson and Jose Maria Olazabal.)

“My dad was a history major. I’ve watched a lot of history documentaries growing up, so it’s something I enjoy. I like history as well,” Rahm said Tuesday. “I don’t know if it helps me or not. I just enjoy it, and I think it makes me get a different understanding when we come to courses like this.”

Jon Rahm reacts after winning the Irish Open at Portstewart. Oliver McVeigh

Rahm has a particular affinity for Ireland, having captured two Irish Opens here on a couple of the most beloved tracks on the island. He stormed to a six-shot win in the 2017 edition at Portstewart, which is just up the road from Portrush, and seized a second two years later at Lahinch in County Clare.

An Open Championship would certainly seem within Rahm’s reach, and he’s had a couple of close calls in eight starts. In 2021, having won the U.S. Open a month earlier, he powered to scores of 64-68-66 in the last three rounds and ultimately lost by four to Collin Morikawa at Royal St. George’s. At Royal Liverpool two years later, Rahm tied with three others for second, but they were all blown away, six shots to rear of Brian Harman.

Remarkably, it’s been 37 years since a Spaniard lifted the claret jug, and, of course, it was the country’s greatest golf hero, Seve Ballesteros, who won the Open three times in a 10-year span. Links golf didn’t favour two-time Masters champ Jose Maria Olazabal, who posted only one top-10. Conversely, Sergio Garcia, who is competing this week, has done everything but win, with 10 top-10 finishes and a pair of runners-up. His only majors triumph came in the Masters.

Rahm had no answer to a question that was asked about the Spanish drought. It’s no easier to explain why it’s been 38 years since Nick Faldo was the last Brit to win The Open.

“It’s just never easy to win an Open,” Rahm said with a shrug.

We do know this: The Spaniard is always ready to do battle.

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Liam James, Dubai-based coach

That balance is important. Players are constantly on the move — different continents, courses, and time zones — so having a familiar place to train and reset has been invaluable. Everything we’ve done in the lead-up was built around last week’s Genesis Scottish Open and The Open.

Thorbjørn Olesen. Image by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Thorbjørn Olesen is the only player I work with who’s currently exempt for The Open, having qualified through last season’s DP World Tour Race to Dubai Rankings.

RELATED: Here’s every player in the field (so far) at Royal Portrush

When it comes to The Open, it’s always a special week — not just for the players, but for us coaches too. Growing up watching The Open, it’s the kind of event you dream about being part of in any capacity. The history, the atmosphere, the way it captures the full personality of the game — there’s nothing quite like it. Even now, I always make a conscious effort to take it all in. These are the moments you feel genuinely grateful for.

Royal Portrush 5th hole. Image by David Cannon/Getty Images

This year’s venue, Royal Portrush, brings back some brilliant memories. I was there in 2019, working with Matt Wallace during the week Shane Lowry went on to lift the Claret Jug. Matt was paired with Tiger Woods for the first two rounds, which — as you can imagine — was something pretty unforgettable to witness firsthand. You never quite forget the roar of a Tiger crowd, especially at an Open.

When it comes to Portrush itself, it’s a spectacular venue. It’s not just a great test of golf; it’s one of the most stunning places The Open visits. The design, the natural layout, the atmosphere — it all adds up to a very unique challenge. And like any Open venue, the real defences come from the course and the conditions working together. You’ve got the wind, the rough, the rain — and often all three in the space of a few holes.

Royal Portrush. Image by David Cannon/Getty Images

There are several standout holes at Portrush. The 5th, for instance, runs along the coast and becomes a completely different beast in a crosswind. The 14th has a tough blind tee shot that requires real trust, and the 16th — a par 5 — has a well-protected green that can make or break momentum. What I love about this place is that no hole feels easy. Every shot asks a question, and every mistake can cost you. That’s the essence of The Open.

In terms of preparation, I tend to leave the detailed course strategy to the player and their caddie — that’s their team dynamic. But I always walk the course in practice rounds to understand the layout and get a feel for where the real challenges lie. From a coaching perspective, it’s about preparing the player with the tools and confidence to adapt. If a player isn’t fully comfortable on a certain tee shot or with a particular shape in the wind, that’s where we come in — finding solutions, simplifying decision-making, and building belief in the plan.

One of the most overlooked aspects of links golf is patience. You can hit a perfect shot and end up in trouble, or get a lucky bounce from a poor one. That randomness is part of the charm, but it also requires a certain mindset. The ability to absorb frustration and stick to your game plan is often what separates the contenders from the rest. That’s something we talk about a lot during prep.

So as The Open draws near, there’s plenty of hard work still to be done — but also a real sense of excitement, it’s infectious! It’s a privilege to be part of that environment, and I’ll never take that for granted.

Liam James, professional golf coach based out of JA The Resort, Dubai, UAE.

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This article was featured in the July 2025 issue of Golf Digest Middle East. Click here for a digital issue of the full magazine

The post Preparation Portrush: Inside a coach’s build-up to The Open Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

Also on Sunday, the R&A announced that two-time winner Ernie Els had withdrawn from the championship, with first alternate Si Woo Kim taking his place.

Below is everybody in the field as of July 13. We’ll update this post as news of any other withdrawals or changes to the player list are announced.

FIELD

Ludvig Aberg, 5, 12

Cameron Adam (a), 28

Mikiya Akutsu, OQS Japan

Byeong Hun An, 5, 12

John Axelsen, Final Qualifying

Daniel Berger, 5

Christiaan Bezuidenhout, 12

Akshay Bhatia, 5, 12

George Bloor, Final Qualifying

Keegan Bradley, 5, 12

Daniel Brown, 4

Dean Burmester, Final Qualifying

Sam Burns, 5, 12

Brian Campbell, OWGR

Laurie Canter, 6

Patrick Cantlay, 5, 12

John Catlin, 18

Bud Cauley, OWGR

Sebastian Cave (a), Final Qualifying

K.J. Choi, 20

Stewart Cink, 1

Wyndham Clark, 5, 11, 12

Darren Clarke, 1

Corey Conners, 5, OQS USA, Arnold Palmer Invitational

Martin Couvra, OQS Italy

Jason Day, 5

Bryson DeChambeau, 5, 11

Thomas Detry, 5

Nicolas Echavarria, OWGR

Harris English, 5

Ethan Fang (a), 26

O.J. Farrell, Final Qualifying

Darren Fichardt, OQS South Africa

Tony Finau, 5, 12

Matt Fitzpatrick, 11

Tommy Fleetwood, 5, 6, 12

Rickie Fowler, OQS USA

Ryan Fox, 7

Sergio Garcia, 15

Lucas Glover, 5

Chris Gotterup, OQS Scotland

Connor Graham (a), Final Qualifying

Max Greyserman, 5

Ben Griffin, 5

Julien Guerrier, 6

Harry Hall, Final Qualifying

Brian Harman, 1, 3, 5

Padraig Harrington, 1

Justin Hastings (a), 24

Tyrrell Hatton, 5, 6

Russell Henley, 4, 5, 12

Lucas Herbert, Final Qualifying

Angel Hidalgo, Final Qualifying

Daniel Hillier, 8

Tom Hoge, 5, 12

Nicolai Hojgaard, OQS Scotland

Rasmus Hojgaard, 6

Rikuya Hoshino, 6

Viktor Hovland, 5, 12

Mackenzie Hughes, 5

Sungjae Im, 4, 5, 12

Shugo Imahira, 19

Stephan Jaeger, 5

Felip Jakubcik (a), 27

Dustin Johnson, 9

Zach Johnson, 1, 3

Ryggs Johnston, OQS Australia

Frazer Jones (a), Final Qualifying

Matthew Jordan, 4

Sadom Kaewkanjana, OQS Korea

Takumi Kanaya, 18

Riki Kawamoto, OQS Japan

Si Woo Kim, OWGR/Alternate

Tom Kim, 5

Michael Kim, OWGR

Nathan Kimsey, Final Qualifying

Chris Kirk, 12

Curtis Knipes, Final Qualifying

Brooks Koepka, 10

Jason Kokrak, OQS Macau

Romain Langasque, 6

Thriston Lawrence, 4, 6

Min Woo Lee, 5

Marc Leishman, OQS Australia

Justin Leonard, 1

Haotong Li, 8

Oliver Lindell, Final Qualifying

Shane Lowry, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12

Curtis Luck, OQS Australia

Robert MacIntyre, 5, 6, 12

Matteo Manassero, 6

Hideki Matsuyama, 5, 9, 12

Denny McCarthy, 5

Matt McCarty, OQS Canada

Rory McIlroy, 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 12, 13

Tom McKibbin, 6

Maverick McNealy, 5

Phil Mickelson, 1, 10

Guido Migliozzi, 6

Francesco Molinari, 1, 3

Collin Morikawa, 1, 3, 5, 10, 12

Dylan Naidoo, OQS South Africa

Bryan Newman, (a), 25

Joaquin Niemann, 6

Niklas Norgaard, 6

Shaun Norris, 8

Andrew Novak, 5

Thorbjorn Olesen, 6

Jacob Skov Olesen, Final Qualifying

Louis Oosthuizen, 1

Carlos Ortiz, OQS Macau

John Parry, 8

Matthieu Pavon, 12

Ryan Peake, OQS New Zealand

Taylor Pendrith, 5, 12

Marco Penge, OQS South Africa

J.T. Poston, 5

Aldrich Potgieter, OWGR

Jon Rahm, 4, 9, 11

Aaron Rai, 5, 12

Patrick Reed, 18, OQS Macau

Kristoffer Reitan, 8

Justin Rose, 4, 5

Antoine Rozner, 6

Adrian Saddier, OQS Italy

Jesper Sandborg, Final Qualifying

Xander Schauffele, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 12

Scottie Scheffler, 4, 5, 9, 10, 12, 13, 16

Matti Schmid, OQS Scotland

Adam Scott, 4, 5, 6, 12

Cameron Smith, 1, 3

Jordan Smith, 6

Elvis Smylie, 18

Sebastian Soderberg, 6

Younghan Song, OQS Japan

J.J. Spaun, 5, 11

Jordan Spieth, 1, 3

Henrik Stenson, 1, 3

Sepp Straka, 5, 12

Justin Suh, 17

Jesper Svensson, 6

Nick Taylor, 5

Richard Teder (a), Final Qualifying

Sahith Theegala, 5, 12

Justin Thomas, 5, 10, 12

Davis Thompson, OWGR

Daniel Van Tonder, 18

Jhonattan Vegas, 5

Matt Wallace, 6

Justin Walters, Final Qualifying

Paul Waring, 6

Lee Westwood, Final Qualifying

Cameron Young, OQS Canada

Daniel Young, Final Qualifying

Kevin Yu, OQS Canada

Sampson Zheng, Final Qualifying

Note: Past champions Ben Curtis, John Daly, Todd Hamilton, Paul Lawrie and Tiger Woods are eligible to compete but have not entered the championship.

Alternate List

Davis Riley

Exemption Categories

1. The Open Champions aged 60 or under on 20 July 2025 (for all Champions up until 2024)

2. The Open Champions aged 55 or under on 20 July 2025 (for all Champions from 2024)

3. The Open Champions for 2014-2024

4. First 10 and anyone tying for 10th place in The 152nd Open at Royal Troon in 2024

5. The first 50 players on the OWGR for Week 21, 2025

6. First 25 in the Final Race to Dubai Rankings for 2024

7. The BMW PGA Championship winners for 2022-2024

8. First 5 DP World Tour members and any DP World Tour members tying for 5th place, not otherwise exempt, in the top 20 of the Race to Dubai Rankings on completion of the 2025 BMW International

9. Masters Champions for 2020-2025

10. PGA Champions for 2019-2025

11. U.S. Open Champions for 2020-2025

12. Top 30 players from the Final 2024 FedEx Cup Points List

13. The Players Champions for 2023-2025

14. First 5 PGA Tour members and any PGA Tour members tying for 5th place, not otherwise exempt, in the top 20 of the PGA Tour FedEx Cup Points List for 2025 on completion of the 2025 Rocket Classic.

15. The first player and anyone tying for that place, not otherwise exempt, in the top 5 of the 2025 LIV Golf Individual Season Standings on completion of LIV Golf Dallas.

16. The 2024 Olympic Men’s Golf Gold Medalist

17. The 118th VISA Open de Argentina 2025 Champion

18. The first 5 players on the 2025 Federations Ranking List as of closing date

19. 2024 Japan Open Champion

20. 2024 Senior Open Champion

21. 2024 U.S. Amateur Champion

22. 2024 Mark H McCormack Medal (Men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking) winner

23. 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Champion

24. 2025 Latin America Amateur Champion

25. 2025 Africa Amateur Champion

26. 2025 Amateur Champion

27. 2025 European Amateur Champion

28. 2025 Open Amateur Series winner

Note: Exemptions 21-28 can only be taken up by players retaining their amateur status.

OPEN QUAILFYING SITE VENUES

OQS Australia, ISPS Handa Australian Open
OQS New Zealand, New Zealand Open
OQS South Africa, Investec South African Open
OQS USA, Arnold Palmer Invitational
OQS Macau, International Series Macau
OQS Korea, KOLON Korea Open
OQS Japan, Mizuno Open
OQS USA, the Memorial Tournament
OQS Canada, RBC Canadian Open
OQS Italy, Italian Open

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The 2025 British Open is upon us, which means it’s time to set your alarm clocks early to watch the action. But before the tournament starts, it’s also time to brush up on the real meaning behind some phrases commonly associated with golf’s oldest major championship. Don’t worry, there won’t be a quiz.

1. “Open Championship”

This is the official name of the tournament. Although calling it the British Open makes sense to help differentiate it from the U.S. Open, many golf purists bristle when they hear that. To be fair to said purists, since the Open isn’t being played in England or Scotland for only the third time ever this year (Northern Ireland’s Royal Portrush is hosting again after returning to the Open rota in 2019, it actually doesn’t make as much sense to refer to it as the British Open this year. But for the most part, we still will.

RELATED: Here’s every player in the field (so far) at Royal Portrush

2. “Links Golf Course”

The par-3 third at Royal Portrush. Image by David Cannon/R&A

The term describes courses built on land linking the coast to good farmland. In other words, these types of golf courses only originated because there was farmland that was otherwise useless. Yep, golf is kind of like an adopted mistake baby.

3. “Outward and Inward”

Image supplied

A layout common in links golf in which nine holes go out away from the clubhouse and the other nine come back in. Not very creative, to be honest, but again, these course designers were working with bad farmland. On the bright side, it encourages playing a full 18 because you’re going to have to walk miles back anyway just to get to your car. Yes, golfers pretty much exclusively walk at Open venues, which why “buggy” (great word) isn’t an Open term you need to know.

4. “Burn”

David Cannon

Those annoying little streams that cut through the course and seem to serve as magnets for golf balls. None is more famous than the Barry Burn at Carnoustie, which Jean van de Velde made himself familiar with during his epic collapse at the 1999 British Open. When you hit into one of these narrow waterways it’s especially frustrating because it’s not exactly like finding a huge lake. Put simply, getting burned by a burn sucks.

5. “Dunes”

David Cannon

Hills of sand that are all over links golf courses. Sometimes, they’re the only things that frame a links golf hole and remind a golfer he’s not just knocking a ball around an abandoned sheep pasture. You should admire these mini-mountains while also avoiding them. Dunes are often covered in gnarly fescue and they come in all shapes and sizes. Kind of like …

6. “Pot bunkers”

Keyur Khamar

You know how you hate hitting into normal bunkers? Well, these are worse. Much, much worse.

7. “Breeze”

Breeze. Image supplied

In a land where they pride themselves on playing in tough conditions, anything less than a gale-force wind is considered a “breeze.” The Scots and Irish don’t even notice a “breeze” or a “wee breeze” unless golf balls start moving on the green before you even hit them. The same can be said of their “drizzle,” which in America, would shut most courses down for the day.

8. “Ground game”

Stuart Franklin

Often employed by football teams without a good quarterback, it’s also used by golfers at links courses to take advantage of firm terrain and help avoid the “breeze.” Approach shots are often run up onto greens, there are plenty of bump-and-runs around the greens, and sometimes you’ll even see players putting with putters or hybrids (Think: Todd Hamilton, left) from insane distances down the fairway. Fun!

9. “Rota”

Robert Beck

This the term for the rotation of courses that traditionally host the Open Championship. The rota is pretty set between The Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie, Royal St. George’s, Royal Lytham & St. Annes, Royal Birkdale, Royal Liverpool, Muirfield, and Royal Troon, and now, Royal Portrush. Have trouble telling them apart? We’ve got you covered with this handy crash course.

10. “Haggis”

Colin McPherson

A special Scottish sausage dish that contains the liver, heart and lungs of a sheep. Mmm. Why do you need to know this—especially during a year when the Open is in Northern Ireland? Because NBC/Golf Channel announcers will still refer to it during coverage. And you better believe it will still be served in media dining. Thoughts and prayers to those brave enough to try it.

11. “Dram”

Supplied

A glass of Scotch whiskey, which will be very prevalent with Portrush’s proximity to the island of Islay. Apparently, if you drink enough “drams,” even haggis will go down smooth.

Main Image: Andrew Redington

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Six years ago, Tommy Fleetwood walked up the 18th fairway on Sunday afternoon of The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, finishing in the closest position he has ever been to hoisting the Claret Jug. He’d gone toe-to-toe with Shane Lowry in the final group — but it wasn’t to be for the Englishman.

Now, The Open is heading back to the Northern Irish coast, and Fleetwood returns with both the memories and motivation to perhaps have one more chance at golf’s grandest prize.

“It means a lot,” Fleetwood says, reflecting on that Sunday in 2019. “It’s mad to think that was six years ago now.

RELATED: Here’s every player in the field (so far) at Royal Portrush

“I think it’s easy to look back at coming so close, but of course it didn’t quite happen. That was Shane’s week 100%.”

He isn’t wrong. Lowry’s fairytale win in front of a roaring home crowd has become part of Open folklore. But Tommy’s performance — and the charm with which he handled the disappointment — has left its own lasting impression.

“The best consolation is how well Shane did and played,” Tommy said at the time. “It hurts… but I finished six shots back and it feels closer. It was Shane’s time, Shane’s week. Fair play.

“I played well early on, but the margins… the putts on one, two, and three, I scrambled a bit, and missed a short one on 10. It was nice to still be in The Open with six or seven holes to go,” he said after the round. “But the mountain was too high to climb.”

Tommy Fleetwood. Image by David Cannon/Getty Images

Fleetwood’s solo second-place finish remains his best result at The Open.

“I had such a special time there,” he says. “I still look at that Open at Portrush and remember playing in the final group on Sunday and being that close to achieving a lifelong dream.”

“I look at it with so many fond memories… you have to take all the positives from what happened then, and take them into now and be prepared for it and look forward to it.”

Fleetwood has come a long way since that week. Three further wins on the DP World Tour has taken his total to seven, a second Ryder Cup victory, a silver medal in the Olympics at Paris 2024 and now a DP World Global Ambassador, plus he’s also put down roots in Dubai with his family — where he set up the Tommy Fleetwood Academy at Jumeirah Golf Estates.

Tommy is one of golf’s ‘good guys’ and a fan favourite for many, but that major moment — and a Claret Jug — remains a glaring omission from an otherwise stellar résumé for himself.

MORE: Lee Westwood secures spot in first major since 2022

This summer’s return to Royal Portrush is shaping up to be historic. The 153rd Open, running from 13–20 July, will welcome a record-breaking 278,000 fans — the largest Open ever staged outside of St Andrews. Demand was so high that over one million ticket applications were submitted in the ballot last year.

In addition, it will be the biggest sporting event Northern Ireland has ever hosted, with an estimated £213 million economic impact, according to research from Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre.

For Fleetwood, with a familiar course and a crowd he knows will be electric, it’s an opportunity he is relishing.

“I think the crowds are going to be amazing,” he says. “It’s an amazing golf course and an amazing tournament. So I’m very excited.”

As The Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush, Tommy Fleetwood knows his opportunity is there.

Main Image: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

This article was featured in the July 2025 issue of Golf Digest Middle East. Click here for a digital issue of the full magazine

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What made Horsfield’s move unusual, however, was that he apparently didn’t tell R&A officials that he was withdrawing from the event. The R&A confirmed to Golf Digest that Horsfield was ultimately “disqualified after leaving the venue without informing officials.”

The 28-year-old was one of a handful of LIV pros among the 72 golfers at West Lancashire, including Lucas Herbert, Andy Ogletree and Harold Varner III, looking to snag one of the five tickets to Royal Portrush. There were four Final Qualifying sites overall, with 20 spots into this year’s Open up for grabs. A total of 14 LIV players are among those trying to earn their way into the major with Lee Westwood, Herbert and Dean Burmester playing their way to Portrush by being medalists in three of the four events.

Horsfield has teed off in three Open Championships thus far, with a career-best T-67 performance back in 2021, but he certainly won’t have a chance to improve on that showing this time around. The University of Florida golfer placed fifth at LIV’s inaugural event, winning $975,000, and his last DP World Tour win was back in May 2022 at the Soudal Open.

A torn labrum in his right hip and subsequent surgery sidelined him for a good portion of 2023, but Horsfield returned to the Majesticks at the tail-end of the year.

Can’t wait to be back pic.twitter.com/6B5uyAQdNE

— Sam Horsfield (@hr59sam) May 10, 2023

This non-finish finish is the latest in a precarious start to Horsfield’s 2025, in which he has just one top 10 over nine LIV events, with a T-7 at LIV Golf Adelaide. In his last seven starts, Horsfield has finished T-50, T-49, T-27, T-41, T-29, T-33 and T-25.

RELATED: Here’s every player in the field (so far) at Royal Portrush

UPDATE, July 1: After news surfaced of his DQ, Horsfield, who played in the LIV Golf Dallas event that ended on Sunday, took to Instagram to offer an explanation for why he stopped playing after nine holes.

“So I flew back home Sunday night and landed into Heathrow at 4pm by the time I got up to west lancs it was about late. Had a bit of dinner and fell asleep at 1030/11. At 1AM the fire alarm went off and we had to go satnd outside for an hour or so. I eventually got back sleep around 530 for a 6am alarm which I slept thru but fortunately my caddy woke me up.. I felt completely dizzy and out of it all day. Don’t listen to the propaganda out there against liv players by some of these pages. Hope this clears things up.”

Main image: Richard Martin-Roberts/R&A

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