The Open Championship 2026

The 154th Open Championship is held from **Thursday 16 July to Sunday 19 July 2026** at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Round 1 tees off on July 16 and the final round is on Sunday July 19. Sources: TheOpen.com, PGA Tour.

The 2026 Open is held at **Royal Birkdale Golf Club** in Southport, Merseyside, England. It is the 11th time the club has hosted The Open Championship, making it one of the most storied venues on the rota. Southport is in north-west England, about 20 miles north of Liverpool. Sources: TheOpen.com, PGA Tour.

**Ryan Fox** (New Zealand) won the 154th Open Championship on Sunday July 19, 2026, at Royal Birkdale. He finished 10-under par (270 total) over four rounds, birdying the 72nd hole to edge **Cameron Young** (USA) by one shot. It was Fox's first major championship title and he became only the second male New Zealander to win The Open, after **Bob Charles** 63 years earlier in 1963. Sources: PGA Tour, Golf Channel, Golf Digest.

**Scottie Scheffler** entered as the defending champion, having won the 2025 Open Championship. He was attempting to become the first player to successfully defend the Claret Jug since **Padraig Harrington** (2007 and 2008), but did not win the 2026 title, which went to Ryan Fox of New Zealand. Sources: PGA Tour, TheOpen.com.

Yes. **Aaron Rai** won the 2026 PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in May, becoming the first Englishman in more than a century to win that major. He arrives at Birkdale seeking his second major of the season and, if he wins, would become the first Englishman since Sir Nick Faldo in 1992 to lift the Claret Jug. He is playing in front of home-country fans and has significant momentum. Sources: Golf Digest, Yahoo Sports.

Yes. Tommy Fleetwood was born and raised in **Southport**, the same town where Royal Birkdale is located. That local connection means he will receive enormous home support at the 2026 Open, his 'home' major. Fleetwood won his first PGA Tour title at the Tour Championship in 2025 and is firmly in contention for his first major at a venue he knows intimately. Sources: Golf Digest, PGA Tour.

In the **UK**, The Open Championship is broadcast on **Sky Sports Golf** (full live coverage). A free-to-air highlights package is available on the BBC. In the **USA**, coverage is on **NBC/Peacock** (NBC Sports). In **Ireland**, Sky Sports and RTÉ provide coverage. Check local broadcaster schedules for exact tee times and channel details. Sources: NBC Sports, Sky Sports, TheOpen.com.

The 2026 edition is the **11th Open Championship** held at Royal Birkdale. The course first hosted The Open in 1954 and has since become one of the most celebrated links venues in the world, with several memorable moments in major championship history. Sources: TheOpen.com, PGA Tour.

They are the same tournament. 'The Open Championship' is the official name; it is the world's oldest golf major, first played in 1860. 'The British Open' is the informal colloquial name used particularly in the United States. Outside the UK, calling it 'The British Open' is common; within the UK, it's almost always just 'The Open.' Sources: TheOpen.com.

The total prize fund for the 2026 Open Championship was **$17.75 million (USD)**. Winner Ryan Fox received **$3.2 million**. Runner-up Cameron Young took second place and earned a correspondingly large share of the purse. Sources: TheOpen.com, Golf Digest, thegolfnewsnet.com.

**Jordan Spieth** (USA) won the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, holding off Matt Kuchar for his third major title. The 2017 edition is famous for Spieth's extraordinary recovery from a wayward drive at the 13th hole in the final round, one of the most memorable passages of play in recent major championship history. Sources: TheOpen.com.