British Open 2026 to Return to Royal Birkdale

Venue and Location

The 2026 Open Championship lands in Southport, England, at the storied Royal Birkdale Golf Club. This marks the course’s 11th time hosting golf’s oldest major, with the inaugural event taking place in 1954. After two years away—Scotland and Ireland featured the last two editions—the links are once again welcoming the Claret Jug.

Course Layout and Design

Royal Birkdale will present a par‑70 challenge for the 2026 field, its fifth consecutive year set at that score. The layout features two par‑5 holes tucked into the back nine, a pair of short par‑4s each under 400 yards, and a longer par‑3 measuring 241 yards. The total yardage is 7,223, demanding both power and precision on the western England coast.

• 1 – Par 4, 447 yards
• 2 – Par 4, 441 yards
• 3 – Par 4, 450 yards
• 4 – Par 3, 219 yards
• 5 – Par 4, 321 yards
• 6 – Par 4, 514 yards
• 7 – Par 3, 151 yards
• 8 – Par 4, 459 yards
• 9 – Par 4, 414 yards
• 10 – Par 4, 397 yards
• 11 – Par 4, 434 yards
• 12 – Par 3, 186 yards
• 13 – Par 4, 502 yards
• 14 – Par 5, 602 yards
• 15 – Par 3, 241 yards
• 16 – Par 4, 393 yards
• 17 – Par 5, 566 yards
• 18 – Par 4, 508 yards

Historical Champions

Royal Birkdale’s roll call of Open winners reads like a golf hall of fame. The most recent champion at the club is Jordan Spieth (2017, –12), but legends such as Arnold Palmer (1961, –4), Lee Trevino (1971, –14), Johnny Miller (1976, –9), Tom Watson (1983, –9), Ian Baker‑Finch (1991, –8), Mark O’Meara (1998, E), and Padraig Harrington (2008, +3) also lifted the Claret Jug on the Southport links. The course first hosted the major in 1954, won by Peter Thomson (–9). In addition to the Open, Royal Birkdale has welcomed the Women’s Open five times, most recently in 2014, and has a history of hosting Ryder Cup events.

• 2017 – Jordan Spieth (‑12)
• 2008 – Padraig Harrington (+3)
• 1998 – Mark O’Meara (E)
• 1991 – Ian Baker‑Finch (‑8)
• 1983 – Tom Watson (‑9)
• 1976 – Johnny Miller (‑9)
• 1971 – Lee Trevino (‑14)
• 1965 – Peter Thomson (‑7)
• 1961 – Arnold Palmer (‑4)
• 1954 – Peter Thomson (‑9)

Future Open Championship Hosts

The rotation continues beyond 2026. In 2027 the iconic Old Course at St. Andrews in Fife, Scotland will stage the Open, followed by Royal Lytham & St. Annes in Lancashire, England for 2028—the first time the club has hosted since 2012.

What It Means for the 2026 Field

Reigning Open champion Scottie Scheffler returns as the favourite to retain the Claret Jug, but he will face a demanding links layout that rewards accurate iron play and strategic bunker navigation. As the fourth major of the season, the 2026 Open offers a different test from the United States‑based majors, making Royal Birkdale’s coastal winds and deep greens a critical factor for any serious contender.