The scene is set, the golf course is primed and players are positioned for competition to get underway at the 154th Open. Serving as the championship’s host for the 11th time, Royal Birkdale has an uncanny ability to award the Claret Jug to some of the biggest names in the game.
Peter Thomson won here twice, while another Australian, Ian Baker-Finch, claimed his lone Claret Jug as well. In between, there were a slew of Americans in Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson. Then came Mark O’Meara and Padraig Harrington before Jordan Spieth’s crowning in 2017, the last time Royal Birkdale took center stage.
This time around, something similar may be expected. Many of the world’s best have raised their games ahead of this championship, as the final major of the 2026 season gets underway. Only four rounds separate them from a successful campaign, a Claret Jug, the Champion Golfer of the Year title and a substantial check.
From a field of 156 players, including open qualifiers, feel-good stories, past champions hoping to capture some magic and the elite of the elite, let’s whittle it down to the nine who have the best chance of winning. One of these nine will almost surely emerge as Champion Golfer of the Year, a title they will be able to hold for a full year until July 2027.
2026 Open predictions, favorites to win
Odds via BetMGM
Who will win the 2026 Open Championship, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out.