In 2026, Royal Birkdale will host the Open Championship for the ninth time.
The Open was most recently held at the English club in 2017, when Jordan Spieth won his third major title.
“Royal Birkdale is a world-class Championship venue, and its outstanding links will once again provide the world’s best men’s professional golfers with a tough but fair test of their talents and capabilities as they compete for the Claret Jug,” stated Martin Slumbers, CEO of the R&A.
“Many great memories that are intertwined with the history of this Championship have come from it, including the thrilling final round in 2017 when Jordan Spieth became the first player to win.
We eagerly anticipate another momentous occasion, and it will be interesting to watch which golfer succeeds in joining a distinguished group of champions who have triumphed at Royal Birkdale.
Spieth’s final round did indeed provide a lot of drama, particularly at the 13th hole where the three-time major champion pulled off an incredible bogey five.
Due to the fact that some of golf’s biggest stars have won the Claret Jug at the English course, Royal Birkdale appears to manufacture drama each time it hosts The Open.
In 1961, Arnold Palmer captured his first Open Championship there. Ten years later, Lee Trevino achieved the same thing.
The most of any player who was born in the United States, Tom Watson won his fifth Claret Jug in 1983.
The United Kingdom’s SOUTHPORT — On July 19, 2008, at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Greg Norman of Australia switched clubs with his caddie Linn Strickler on the 18th hole during the third round of the 137th Open Championship.
Then, in 2008, Greg Norman retained the 54-hole lead at 2-over par despite the difficult scoring conditions brought on by strong winds. However, the Australian tied for third place with Henrik Stenson on Sunday after shooting a 7-over 77.
With a final-round score of 1-under 69 and a 3-over total for the championship, Padraig Harrington won the Claret Jug for the second consecutive year.
Since Royal Birkdale is located by the Irish Sea, the course is frequently exposed to the weather.
The club is situated 18 miles north of Liverpool, the site of The Open in 2023, in Southport, Merseyside, England.
