The Open Championship · 2026 · Royal Birkdale
The Open Championship
The oldest major in golf — The Open Championship is the only major played outside North America. Held on the traditional links courses of the UK and Ireland, it is golf at its most elemental: wind, rain, firm turf, and the Claret Jug.
The Open Championship 2026
Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, Lancashire, England
- BBC Sport — free-to-air coverage on BBC One/Two and BBC iPlayer; historically the home of The Open on UK TV
- Sky Sports Golf — full live coverage across all four rounds
About The Open Championship
The Open Championship is the oldest of the four men's major championships, first played in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Organised by The R&A, it predates all other majors by decades and is the only major contested outside North America.
The Open rotates around a rota of links courses on the coasts of Britain and Ireland — courses shaped by the sea wind, featuring firm running fairways, deep pot bunkers, and unpredictable weather. Links golf is fundamentally different from the tree-lined parkland courses of the US, demanding a more creative, ground-game approach. Bump-and-run shots, punched irons under the wind, and reading the bounce of the ground are all part of the Open's unique vocabulary.
The champion is presented with The Claret Jug — officially known as The Golf Champion Trophy — a silver-gilt trophy with a long, distinguished history. The winner's name is engraved on the jug before they lift it, continuing a tradition that stretches back to the 19th century.
The Open Rota
The Open Championship rotates around a select group of links courses — the Open rota. Each must meet The R&A's exacting standards for championship golf and links character. The current rota includes:
Known as the "Home of Golf," the Old Course is the most iconic golf course in the world. The Road Hole (17th) and the Valley of Sin in front of the 18th are among the most recognisable landmarks in the sport. Hosts The Open approximately every five years.
Host of the 2026 Open. One of England's finest links courses, renowned for its distinctive art deco clubhouse and the fairways carved through the towering sand dunes. Consistent and fair — widely regarded as the best Championship course in England.
The most southerly of the English Open venues. A classic links with towering sand hills, deep rough, and fast, undulating greens. Host most recently in 2021 (Collin Morikawa) and 2011 (Darren Clarke).
One of the oldest and most historic links courses in England. Tiger Woods won here in 2006 with a unique strategy of never using his driver. Most recently hosted The Open in 2023, when Brian Harman won convincingly.
Famous for its vast number of bunkers and the unusual opening hole — a par 3. Sandy Lyle (1988), Seve Ballesteros (1979, 1988), and Tony Jacklin (1969) are among its most celebrated champions.
Home of The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the world's oldest golf club. Muirfield's two concentric loops of nine holes — one clockwise, one anti-clockwise — make wind direction equally challenging from every angle.
Home to the famous Postage Stamp — the 8th hole, a tiny par 3 with a raised green that can reduce even the best players to bogey or worse. Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson staged one of The Open's greatest duels here in 2016.
Known as "Car-nasty" for its brutal reputation. The Barry Burn winds through the closing holes and has ended the dreams of many would-be champions. Francesco Molinari ended Italy's major drought here in 2018.
The only course outside Great Britain on the rota. The 2019 Open at Royal Portrush was the first in Northern Ireland since 1951, and Shane Lowry's emotional victory was one of the most celebrated in recent Open history.
Royal Birkdale — 2026 Venue
Royal Birkdale Golf Club is widely considered the finest links course in England and one of the best Championship venues in the world. Located in the dune country of Southport on the Lancashire coast, it is celebrated for its consistent, fair challenge — players feel that the best ball-striking will be rewarded, and mistakes will be punished without the random bounces that can occur at some other links.
The course's character is defined by its willow scrub-lined fairways, which funnel through the dunes and offer clear lines of sight to the flags. The greens are set in natural hollows in the sand hills, protected by deep bunkers, and the closing stretch provides a stern examination of nerve and technique in equal measure.
The clubhouse — a magnificent art deco building opened in 1935 — is one of the most distinctive landmarks in English golf and instantly recognisable as part of The Open's visual identity.
Previous Opens at Royal Birkdale
| Year | Champion | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth (USA) | -12 |
| 2008 | Padraig Harrington (Ireland) | -3 |
| 1998 | Mark O'Meara (USA) | -9 |
| 1991 | Ian Baker-Finch (Australia) | -8 |
| 1983 | Tom Watson (USA) | -9 |
Recent Open Champions
| Year | Champion | Score | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | To be confirmed | — | Royal Portrush, N. Ireland | Verify at theopen.com |
| 2024 | Xander Schauffele | -9 | Royal Troon, Scotland | His second major of 2024 (also won PGA Championship) |
| 2023 | Brian Harman | -13 | Royal Liverpool, Hoylake | Wire-to-wire win; dominant performance |
| 2022 | Cameron Smith | -20 | St Andrews (Old Course) | Final round 64; overhauled Rory McIlroy |
| 2021 | Collin Morikawa | -15 | Royal St George's, Kent | Won on debut at The Open |
| 2020 | Not played | — | — | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019 | Shane Lowry | -15 | Royal Portrush, N. Ireland | First Open at Portrush since 1951; emotional Irish win |
| 2018 | Francesco Molinari | -8 | Carnoustie, Angus | First Italian to win a major |
| 2017 | Jordan Spieth | -12 | Royal Birkdale, Southport | Dramatic comeback; lost ball on 13th then birdied in |
| 2016 | Henrik Stenson | -20 | Royal Troon, Scotland | Epic duel with Mickelson; record-breaking final round |
British & Irish Champions — The Home Major
For UK and Irish golf fans, The Open Championship holds a special significance — it is the only major played at home, on courses that British and Irish players have grown up watching and admiring. Several memorable victories have come from these shores in recent decades:
One of the most emotional wins in Open Championship history. Lowry led by six shots going into the final round and, despite a few nervous moments, held on to win the Claret Jug in front of a roaring home crowd in Northern Ireland. The scenes of celebration were unlike anything seen at a major for years.
Three Open Championship titles make Faldo the most successful British player in The Open in the modern era. His 1987 win at Muirfield — where he played all 18 final-round holes in par to overhaul Paul Azinger — remains one of the most disciplined performances in major history.
Jacklin's 1969 Open win at Royal Lytham was the first time a British player had won The Open since Max Faulkner in 1951. It sparked a renaissance in British golf. Combined with his 1970 US Open victory, Jacklin was briefly the most dominant player in the world.
Sandy Lyle became the first British winner of The Open in 16 years when he claimed the Claret Jug at Royal St George's in 1985. He also won The Masters three years later, becoming the first Briton to win at Augusta.
McIlroy has come desperately close to winning The Open on several occasions — most notably at St Andrews in 2022, when he was overhauled by Cameron Smith's brilliant final round. Having completed his Career Grand Slam with a Masters win in 2025, he remains one of the great attractions whenever The Open is played.
The Claret Jug
The Claret Jug — formally known as The Golf Champion Trophy — is the oldest trophy in professional golf and one of the most recognisable symbols in sport. It is a silver-gilt jug with a lid, standing approximately 43cm tall, and bears the names of every Open champion since 1872 engraved around its body.
The original trophy dates from 1873 (the 1872 champion, Tom Morris Jr, was presented with a challenge belt which he kept as the outright winner having won three consecutive Opens). The current jug has been used since 1873, with each champion's name engraved before the trophy is presented on the 18th green.
The champion gets to keep the Claret Jug for a year before returning it to The R&A, at which point they are presented with a replica to keep permanently. The tradition of kissing the jug on the 18th green — and the moment the winner's name is read out — is one of the most cherished ceremonies in the game.
How to Watch The Open in the UK
The Open Championship has a long relationship with free-to-air television in the UK, making it the most accessible major for British and Irish fans. For 2026 at Royal Birkdale, coverage will be available on:
The BBC has broadcast The Open Championship for many decades and continues to hold free-to-air rights in the UK. Coverage airs on BBC Two and BBC One, with all four competitive rounds available live. The BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer offer streaming for those unable to watch on television. Free for all UK licence fee payers.
Sky Sports Golf also carries full coverage of The Open Championship across all four days, including extensive pre- and post-round analysis, featured group coverage, and additional camera angles. Available via Sky subscription or a NOW TV pass.
The R&A's official website and app offer supplemental streaming, including featured hole coverage, player trackers, and additional live feeds. A useful companion to broadcast coverage, especially for fans who want to follow specific pairings or stay on one part of the course.