By Bilal Ahmed
Anticipation builds for the Open Championship
The 2026 Open Championship is set to conclude the golf calendar, with Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, hosting the final major of the season. For 156 players, this event represents the last opportunity to achieve a major victory in 2026. The tournament, known as the oldest major in golf, will be played on the linksland where the sport originated. Royal Birkdale has previously seen champions such as Watson, Trevino, Spieth, and Palmer.
The winner of the Claret Jug will join a lineage that predates professional golf. The stakes are high, and the stage is prepared for what promises to be a significant event in the golfing world.
Players to watch at Royal Birkdale
Several golfers are drawing attention as potential contenders for the Claret Jug. Robert MacIntyre, a Scotsman, has developed a reputation as a links specialist. Since a T6 finish at Portrush, he has recorded two wins, a runner-up, and four additional top-10 finishes in events like The Open, Scottish Open, and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. His recent form includes a T3 at his home event in North Berwick and a T10 at the Travelers Championship, marking his first back-to-back top-10 finishes since April.
Tommy Fleetwood, a local from Southport, is another player to watch. Despite 2026 not being a direct follow-up to his 2025 campaign, he has shown consistent performance. He has logged five consecutive finishes of 15th or better leading into The Open, a consistency matched only by Wyndham Clark. Fleetwood’s best recent result was a T4 at Muirfield Village. His elite driving accuracy, resilience in blustery conditions, and trending tee-to-green play make him a strong contender.
Xander Schauffele has maintained a remarkable run of consistency in major championships, with finishes of T9, T7, and T11 in his three major appearances this year. He has 29 top-20s in 37 career starts. In eight career Open Championship starts, Schauffele has never missed a cut and has only twice finished outside the top 20.
Chris Gotterup, known for his powerful hitting, has demonstrated an affinity for links golf. He followed his 2025 win at Renaissance Club with a T11 finish, gaining 6.97 strokes ball-striking. This came after a round of 62 in his Sunday comeback for his fifth PGA Tour win at TPC Deere Run.
Viktor Hovland has shown a resurgence in form, with his biggest win since the 2023 TOUR Championship coming at the Travelers, where he defeated Scottie Scheffler in a playoff. This win was followed by a 3rd-place finish in Canada and a T13 in Scotland, where he closed his week with a Sunday 64, tied for the best round of the entire field.
Trends and top contenders
A notable trend suggests that the last 12 Champion Golfers of the Year shared specific characteristics. These included a previous top-two finish in a major, at least three top-15 finishes in their last five starts, a world ranking inside the top 40, a top-three PGA TOUR finish that season, and a prior top-20 finish at The Open if they had played in one before. In the previous year, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Keegan Bradley, and J.J. Spaun met these criteria, with Scheffler ultimately winning at Royal Portrush.
For the 2026 event at Royal Birkdale, eight players fit these criteria:
- Scottie Scheffler
- Rory McIlroy
- Matt Fitzpatrick
- Wyndham Clark
- Justin Rose
- Viktor Hovland
- Robert MacIntyre
- Tom Kim
These players are considered strong contenders based on historical trends. Rory McIlroy is seen as having a significant chance, with Royal Birkdale considered a good fit for his game due to his power, controlled ball striking, and iron play. He won the 2025 Masters.
Wyndham Clark has also regained strong form this season, winning the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and a second US Open title. His ball striking has been exceptional, and he is regarded as one of the mentally strongest players in the game. Scottie Scheffler remains a benchmark in world golf, known for his consistent tee-to-green play. He has previously won The Open Championship on links courses. Matt Fitzpatrick, a US Open champion, has rediscovered his best form, reaching world number four. His ability to control the ball and navigate difficult courses is well-suited for Royal Birkdale.
Tommy Fleetwood, with his local knowledge of Royal Birkdale, is considered well-suited for the course. He closed with a 63 when The Open was last played there in 2017. Xander Schauffele, a consistent performer, has a game that aligns well with the demands of Royal Birkdale, having won The Open Championship in 2024. Viktor Hovland‘s recent victory at the Travelers Championship indicates a return to peak form, making him another strong candidate for the tournament.
The 2026 Open Championship is scheduled to conclude on Sunday afternoon.
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Source: rotoballer.com
