The 144th edition of The Open Championship will be at Royal Birkdale this year. The oldest golf tournament in the world will be returning to Southport, England, for the first time since 2017. This will be the 11th time The Champion Golfer of the Year will be named at this venue.
As the final major of the year, the chase for the Claret Jug is the last opportunity for the world’s best golfers to add to their major championship legacy. It is also a chance to add to their resume.
Royal Changes to Birkdale
The land at Royal Birkdale has undergone substantial changes since the players last teed it up there in 2017. The par 70, 7223-yard links course changes are highlighted by the redesign of three of its current holes. In addition, there is a brand new par-3. The goals of these changes are to adapt to the skill of the players. These also add to the challenge while maintaining the tradition of the course.
The enhancement of the fifth and seventh holes is the highlight of the front nine renovations. Wider fairways and additional bunkers have been added to the par-4 fifth hole. This will make for a more creative tee shot with how firm the fairways will be. A new elevated green with deep bunkers all around has been added to the par-3 seventh hole. With a small green, precision will be important to keep the ball on the green.
The biggest of these new renovations comes at the brand-new par-3 15th hole. This hole will add more variety to the collection of par threes and showcase the iconic clubhouse in the background. With the addition of this brand-new hole, the previous 15th hole layout will be a new, 600-yard-long par-5 14th hole. The debut of these new holes will create new challenges that could potentially define the outcome of this major championship.
Defending Champ Scottie Scheffler’s Cut Streak Ended
After winning last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Scottie Scheffler will tee off this week to defend his title. The world’s top-ranked golfer is coming off his first missed cut since the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship. This snapped the longest active streak of 78 consecutive cuts. Since winning his first start of the season, Scheffler has struggled to push himself past the rest of the field. He’s put himself at the doorstep in multiple events, but hasn’t been able to seal the deal.
Coming off winning six times on tour last year, including two majors, Scheffler’s expectations to continue his dominance were high. With only one win so far, it’s been a disappointing campaign for the world No. 1. An Open Championship repeat at Royal Birkdale could put an end to all of the heartbreak he has been through this year. If he wants to contend this week, he will need to clean up a few pieces of his game.
Continuing to dominate in total strokes gained and strokes gained tee-to-green, where his game has stuttered at times, is on and around the greens. In the strokes-gained category, his lowest rankings are in approach and putting. Although he is first on tour in greens in regulation, he is below tour average in proximity to the hole. He is hitting greens, but isn’t setting himself up for high-percentage birdie putts. This is causing him to struggle on the greens at times. As a result, he can’t make moves up the leaderboard.
With the greens at Birkdale being relatively flat and rolling true, reading putts won’t be as difficult for the players this week. The main defense on these greens is the traps that surround them. If Scottie Scheffler can continue to hit the greens at the rate he has been and roll his shots to favorable areas, putts could begin to fall this week for him. Since he missed his first cut in four years, he will have two extra days to lock in on his struggles. He has time to adjust before teeing off Thursday.
Tommy Fleetwood Returns Home
Not every year does someone get to play a major championship in their backyard. For Tommy Fleetwood, this will be an opportunity to win one of the biggest tournaments of the year in his hometown. Growing up in Southport, England, he used to sneak onto Royal Birkdale with his father. In his first start at his home course, he finished T27. Now he is a top-10 player in the world this year, and peaked at No. 3 last season — the Englishman is soaring. As a result, Birkdale presents a pristine opportunity for him to play a course he’s familiar with in front of his family, friends and biggest supporters.
Finally capturing his first PGA victory last year at the Tour Championship, Fleetwood is returning to Southport with new feelings and expectations. Ranking top five in strokes gained total, tee-to-green, and around-the-green, Fleetwood is playing consistent golf that he is ready to show his home crowd. Only missing one cut this year, he will bring confidence to a place where he can use the support from the fans to create momentum. If he can handle the hometown pressure, Fleetwood could put himself in a good position this week.
As the major championship season comes to a close at Birkdale, new course changes and storylines are setting the stage for another unforgettable major. Whether the world No. 1 can find his best golf or the hometown favorite can use the crowd support as a boost, the race for the Claret Jug will deliver plenty of excitement.
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