In Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, between the 17th and the 20th of July, the world’s greatest golfers will meet to challenge themselves for the world’s oldest Major: The Open Championship. This is the oldest of the 4 major tournaments in Golf, played since 1860 in different locations in Great Britain. Every year the tourney is organized in a different club. The first editions were held in Scotland, at Prestwick Golf Club. This is the third Open played in Royal Portrush, after the 1951 and 2019 editions.
A win in the Open means the difference between a good season and a bad one, for the professional golfer. A lot of players are hoping to write their name in the list of the winners, on the 20th of July.
Who will take part in the tournament?
Among the participants we find a lot of elite golfers: Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman will be on the green, as determined as ever.
Scheffler already said that he’s looking forward to playing his best golf in Northern Ireland. He is considered the favourite in the Open by the major bookmakers, listed at https://www.oddschecker.com/us/golf, who offers the lowest odds of all the golfers in the competition for the U.S. victory. The bettor who loves golf is encouraged to check the platform.
McIlroy and Schauffele are not far behind Scheffler and may very well lift the trophy, in the end. A lot will depend on who will start better, because in tournaments of this caliber the golfer staying over par is usually the one who can leave his competition behind. Obviously, the British Open counts 156 players (amateurs and professionals, thus the adjective open) so it is not easy to anticipate who is going to win before the tournament actually starts. McIlroy and Schauffele already won this trophy (in 2014 and 2024, respectively) while Scheffler never did.
Tickets and broadcasting
The Open Championship is a historical tournament and a lot of enthusiasts and curious people are keen on following it. Tickets are in high demand and not every fan can actually get one. The organization opens a ballot for everyone interested in taking part and awards the tickets only to the winners. The selection for this year has already been closed, however it is still possible to enter the ballot not only for the 2026 edition, but also for the 2027 Open. Who would like to attend this year can try his luck on the official tickets resale platform, available on the Open website.
It is also possible to watch the Open on tv, without any need to keep up with the ballot. R&A TV and Sky Sports will have live coverage of the event. Whoever would like to watch the tournament on live tv must buy a subscription. It is possible to watch the tournament without spending too much by choosing to buy the single event instead of subscribing to the full network’s schedule.
History and tradition in golf
On the list of winners in the Open it is possible to find all the legends of this sport. The British tournament is a matter of pride and determination, not only of ranking points. There are players coming from the United Kingdom who practice only to win this tournament’s prize, the Claret Jug. They master their swing and repeat their routine on the courses where the Open will be held.
History and tradition are important values in golf. Winning the Open means winning the oldest tournament on Earth, so there will be a lot of pride on the line at Royal Portrush.
