From an out-of-sorts Scheffler to caddie nuptials: what to look out for at 2026 Open

Scheffler’s title defence

Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 Open by four strokes but the world No 1 arrives at Royal Birkdale having missed the cut at last week’s Scottish Open. The out-of-form American has claimed his fewest wins in a season since 2021, having claimed only one victory all year: January’s American Express, in his first start of the year. Since then, Scheffler has recorded four runner-up finishes, including at the Masters. “I didn’t really feel like I played that bad,” he said of his missed cut, his first in four years. “This golf course can be just tough at times.”

Scheffler has never played at Royal Birkdale, but the missed cut gave him the chance to take an early look at the links. “First impressions were really good. There’s some very, very challenging holes, especially the par-threes.”

All eyes on McIlroy

This will be Rory McIlroy’s first home major since defending his title by one stroke at the 2026 Masters and becoming only the fourth player to achieve the feat. The Northern Irishman is seeking to claim the Claret Jug that has eluded him since he first won it in 2014. To do so, he must stop Scheffler from becoming the first American to defend an Open title since the three-times winner Tiger Woods in 2006.

McIlroy tied for fourth at Royal Birkdale in 2017 but the course has undergone extensive renovation since then and been further affected by the summer’s heatwave. “When you give professional golfers options, that’s when things start to get fun, especially for the viewer,” he says. “Not so much for us, but that’s the sign of a good championship test.”

Other home hopes

Aaron Rai returns from his PGA Championship triumph in May to high expectations after becoming the first Englishman in more than a century to win that major. “I think it provides a lot of validation,” Rai said. “But every major provides such a different test and a different style of golf.”

The Southport-born Tommy Fleetwood is trying to become the first English winner of the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992 on a course he used to sneak on to with his father to play. Having finished no worse than 14th in his past five starts, the world No 9 will undoubtedly have the home crowd behind him, with a huge mural of his likeness splashed across the Southport & Birkdale Sports Club wall. “It’s an absolute dream to play here in my hometown,” he said.

His fellow Englishman Justin Rose, meanwhile, finished as runner-up at the 2024 Open. He is among only four players – and at 45, the youngest – to have played Royal Birkdale three times in the Open, dating to 1998, where he finished fourth as an amateur. “A links course is interesting because you never really get to know them that well,” Rose said. “It can play so differently decade to decade.”

Dealing with the hecklers

Recent events such as the 2025 Ryder Cup and 2026 US Open have highlighted golf’s heckling problem. Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, is not alone in believing the rise in sports betting has influenced crowd behaviour. He said: “For me, it’s becoming a problem and the issue is, particularly in golf, it would be very easy to influence a bet, whether it’s shouting on someone’s backswing or shouting on a putting stroke.”

The R&A is understandably eager to ensure the Open remains a “welcoming, respectful and unforgettable experience for all”. Fans attending the event have been asked to follow the Open commitment, a new code of conduct that asks fans to respect players and each other. Signs around the course will also remind spectators that recording play on their phones is banned.

Concrete surface

The heatwave has taken its toll on the Southport links, with the ground now in effect hard as concrete. That means even slightly off-target shots are at an increased risk of bouncing uncontrollably towards the sand dunes and bunkers. If the environmental effects weren’t enough, Royal Birkdale has undergone significant change since it last played host in 2017.

The par-three 14th has been removed, while the previous 15th hole is now the 14th. Jordan Spieth, who did some of his most memorable work on those holes, said: “Maybe the best shot and the best putt I’ve ever hit don’t exist any more, which is a little unusual.” Meanwhile, a smaller green has been added to the par-three 7th and the 18th hole tee box has been moved.

The miracle story

Among the 10 amateurs competing, David Howard has become the feelgood story. The Irishman, who negotiated final qualifying ranked 1,441st in the World Amateur Golf Rankings to reach Royal Birkdale, will be participating in his first major despite being diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at the age of seven. He still takes around 30 tablets a day to maintain his health.

Tim Wiedemeyer, the highest-ranked amateur, could be one to look out for after he won the 2026 European Amateur Championship. He plays his university golf at Texas Tech, the college that produced the Swedish star Ludvig Åberg. The German said it was a “dream come true to play a major”.

Marrying his caddie

Joe Dean provided the field’s underdog story when he clinched the 156th and final spot. Until 2024, Dean was delivering groceries for the supermarket Morrisons to fund his golf dream. As well as playing at Royal Birkdale, he will also be planning a wedding. Dean is set to get married on Tuesday 21 July and just to add to the chaos, his fiancee, Emily Lyle, is also his caddie. “A week off would have made the wedding a bit easier but the Open is a good excuse to liven things up a bit,” said Dean.

Other qualifiers include the local hero Matthew Jordan and the teen prodigy Tiger Christensen – named after Tiger Woods. Caleb Surratt, who was locked out of automatic entry after joining the Saudi-backed league LIV Golf, is eager to prove he belongs among the elite.