While Florida is sound asleep (we hope), the action in England gets underway at the 2026 Open Championship, the last of the golf year’s major tournaments. And there are plenty of questions swirling around Royal Birkdale.
Rory McIlroy is the two-time reigning Masters champion, but despite top-10 finishes in three of the past five years, he hasn’t won the British Open since 2014. Can he break the streak this year and supplant Scottie Scheffler as the world’s top-ranked golfer? Speaking of which, can Scheffler, the favorite coming into The Open, shake off his first missed cut in four years to defend the claret jug?
Can Jon Rahm give LIV Golf a much-needed lift? He did come in second at the PGA Championship to Englishman Aaron Rai. Will Bryson DeChambeau look like his old self and at least make the cut, something he hasn’t done at any of the majors this year? Do Matt Fitzpatrick or Tommy Fleetwood have what it takes to take out the field of 156 and win in their home country?
Watch British Open live on Sling
The Open leaderboard
Keep up with all the latest scores on our updating Open Championship leaderboard.
Where to watch The Open: TV schedule, streaming info
Round 1 of the 2026 British Open will broadcast via streaming on Peacock starting at 1:30 a.m. before TV coverage kicks in on USA at 4 a.m. The TV broadcast is available to stream via Sling, which carries USA. Featured group and hole streaming is available on Peacock, NBCUniversal’s subscription streaming service, throughout the day.
British Open favorites and odds
Latest odds according to BetMGM:
Open Championship tee times
All times Eastern.
Where is the Open Championship being played?
For the 11th time, the Open Championship will take place at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, about 17 miles north of Liverpool. Established in 1889 and settling into its current course in 1897, Royal Birkdale last hosted the Open in 2017 when Jordan Spieth won. It also has hosted six AIG Women’s Opens and two Ryder Cups.
British Open winners: Who won last year?
Scottie Scheffler ran away with last year’s Open Championship, winning by four strokes over Harris English. In winning his fourth major title and first British Open, Scheffler shot 17 under par at Royal Portrush. It was his second major win of the year after taking the Wanamaker Trophy at the PGA Championship.
Open Championship weather update: Royal Birkdale forecast for Thursday
AccuWeather predicts a high of 80 degrees with partly sunny skies in the forecast today in Southport, England. Winds are expected to blow out of the north at 5-10 mph with gusts up to 21 mph. There is a 1% chance of rain.
Open Championship purse: How much does British Open winner get?
The R&A announced the total prize purse for the 2026 Open was a record $17.5 million with the winner taking home $3.2 million. Last year, Scottie Scheffler won $3.1 million out of a $17 million purse, both matching record totals from 2024.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Open Championship leaderboard, live updates from British Open Round 1
Reporting by Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida | USA TODAY Network
