The Open Championship 2026 Tips, Odds & Australian Betting Guide

The 154th Open Championship heads to Royal Birkdale from 16-19 July 2026. Our pre-tournament guide: outright tips, the full contender board, the seven-strong Australian contingent led by Cameron Smith, Birkdale course intel and the best markets.

The 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale is complete, and Ryan Fox is the Champion Golfer of the Year. The New Zealander held off a fast-finishing home contingent to claim his maiden major on −10, and the full story sits in our Ryan Fox wins The Open 2026 — full report & leaderboard. Below: how the tournament was won, the final leaderboard, how the Australians fared, Royal Birkdale course intel, and the bookmakers to bet the golf.

The Open 2026 Result

Ryan Fox is the 2026 Champion Golfer of the Year. The 39-year-old New Zealander closed with a 68 at Royal Birkdale to finish on −10 (270), one clear of Cameron Young, who bogeyed the 72nd hole to miss out on a playoff. Fox lit up the back nine with four birdies in his last six holes, and rolled in a birdie at the 18th to seal it — a stunning finish for a maiden major.

The win carries real history: Fox is the first New Zealander to win The Open since Bob Charles in 1963, ending a 63-year drought for the Kiwis at golf’s oldest major. Sam Burns took third on −8 after setting the lowest 36-hole score in major championship history (127), while defending champion Scottie Scheffler and England’s Tommy Fleetwood shared fourth on −7. It was a low-scoring, birdie-rich week — three players carded a 62 (Herbert, Burns and Fox himself). The full report and leaderboard: Ryan Fox wins The Open 2026 — full report & leaderboard.

Final Leaderboard

Pos	Player	Score
1	Ryan Fox (NZL)	−10
2	Cameron Young (USA)	−9
3	Sam Burns (USA)	−8
T4	Scottie Scheffler (USA)	−7
T4	Tommy Fleetwood (ENG)	−7
T6	Lucas Herbert (AUS)	−6
T6	Si Woo Kim (KOR)	−6
T6	Casey Jarvis (RSA)	−6
T9	Adam Scott (AUS)	−5

How the Australians finished

Lucas Herbert was the top Australian, finishing T6 on −6 after a brilliant 62 in Round 2 that briefly put him in the thick of the contenders. Adam Scott rolled back the years for T9 on −5, another top-10 major result for the veteran. Min Woo Lee made the cut but never got going on the weekend, ending T59 on +2. Former Open champion Cameron Smith and former world No.1 Jason Day both missed the cut.

Royal Birkdale — Course Intel

A Storied Open Venue

2026 is the 11th Open at Royal Birkdale. Recent champions here include Jordan Spieth (2017), Padraig Harrington (2008) and Mark O’Meara (1998), with Tom Watson (1983) and Johnny Miller (1976) earlier. The roll of honour skews toward elite ball-strikers and shot-makers rather than pure power.

Course Characteristics

Birkdale is a classic links laid through towering dunes, with fairways that sit in valleys and greens that demand precise approach control. Since 2017 the back nine has been reshaped — the old par-3 14th was removed, the par-5 15th relocated to become the 14th, and a new par-3 15th inserted. Wind direction off the Irish Sea is the defining variable; when it blows, par is a strong score.

Player Profiles That Suit Birkdale

Look for flight control, strong long-iron and fairway-wood play, links experience and a calm temperament in the wind. Bombers who rely on wedge distances into greens lose their edge here; precision iron players and creative shot-makers thrive.

Looking for the best bookmakers to bet on The Open?

Major championship golf is one of the most-bet events on the Australian calendar, with outright markets open weeks out and huge each-way value on second-tier players. Our team has reviewed every major Australian sportsbook for golf outright depth, top-finish and top-Australian markets, live betting and round-leader options — see our best golf betting sites in Australia guide, or check the newest betting sites in Australia for fresh signup offers.

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Open Championship?

Ryan Fox of New Zealand won the 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale, finishing on −10 (270) for his maiden major. He won by one shot from Cameron Young and became the first Kiwi to win The Open since Bob Charles in 1963.

Where did the Australians finish at the 2026 Open?

Lucas Herbert was the top Australian, tied 6th on −6, with Adam Scott tied 9th on −5. Min Woo Lee made the cut and finished T59 on +2, while Cameron Smith and Jason Day both missed the cut.

Was there a playoff at the 2026 Open?

No. Cameron Young needed a birdie at the 72nd hole to force a playoff but made a bogey, handing Ryan Fox a one-shot victory and the outright title.

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