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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 — golf’s oldest major and the only one played on links — heads to Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, from Thursday 16 July to Sunday 19 July 2026. It is the 11th Open staged at Birkdale, widely rated the finest links in England, and a course that rewards flight control in the wind, sharp long-iron play and patience. Below: our pre-tournament outright tips, the contender board, the Australian contingent, Royal Birkdale course intel, and the markets you need to know.
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The Open 2026 — Tournament Snapshot
🏆 Event: 154th Open Championship
📅 Dates: Thursday 16 – Sunday 19 July 2026
🏌️ Venue: Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England (11th Open at the club)
⛳ Field: 156 players
👑 Defending champion: Scottie Scheffler (won 2025 at Royal Portrush)
🇦🇺 Australians: Cameron Smith, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Lucas Herbert, Cameron John, Travis Smyth
📺 Broadcast (AU): Fox Sports / Kayo Sports — coverage from mid-afternoon AEST into the early hours each day
The Open 2026 Best Bet
Best Bet: Scottie Scheffler each-way at around $6-$6.50 with bet365 (1/4 odds to T8).
- Scheffler is the world No.1, the defending Open champion, and the most complete ball-striker in the game — exactly the profile links golf rewards
- He has been inside the top 10 in the overwhelming majority of his major starts since 2023; the each-way place leg cashes on a top-eight finish
- Birkdale’s premium on control over power suits Scheffler far more than a bomber’s track — he can flight it down and grind pars in the wind
- For value beneath him, Tommy Fleetwood ($15-$17) is the obvious play — a Southport native who grew up on these links and has a superb Open record
- Of the Australians, Cameron Smith (2022 Open champion) is the most credible links threat if his form holds
The Open 2026 Outright Odds (pre-tournament)
| Player | Outright Price | Angle |
|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler (USA) | $6-$6.50 | World No.1, defending champion |
| Rory McIlroy (NIR) | $8-$10 | Elite links pedigree; back-to-back Masters holder |
| Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) | $15-$17 | Southport local — grew up on Birkdale |
| Jon Rahm (ESP) | $19-$23 | Wind player; overdue a second Open tilt |
| Xander Schauffele (USA) | $21-$26 | 2024 Open champion; big-moment player |
| Matt Fitzpatrick (ENG) | $21-$26 | Precision game tailor-made for links |
| Ludvig Åberg (SWE) | $23-$26 | Rising star chasing a maiden major |
| Collin Morikawa (USA) | $26-$31 | 2021 Open champion; elite iron play |
| Viktor Hovland (NOR) | $31-$41 | Ball-striking upside if the putter warms |
| Bryson DeChambeau (USA) | $41-$51 | Power, but links wind is the great leveller |
| Cameron Smith (AUS) | $71-$81 | 2022 Open champion — the Aussie hope |
Prices indicative, pre-tournament week — markets firm up once the field and weather sharpen. Always check the current price in-app.
Australian Players to Watch
Australians have a proud Royal Birkdale record: Peter Thomson won two of his five Opens here (1954 and 1965) and Ian Baker-Finch lifted the Claret Jug at Birkdale in 1991. Seven Australians tee it up in 2026.
Cameron Smith
The 2022 Open champion at St Andrews is the country’s standout links player and enters as a past champion. Smith’s wedge play and short game travel to any surface; if he arrives in form, he is the Australian most capable of contending on the weekend. Top-Australian favourite.
Min Woo Lee
Long, aggressive and increasingly comfortable in majors, Lee has the firepower and touch to post a low one. Consistency over four rounds is the question, but the ceiling is genuinely high — a strong each-way and top-20 option.
Adam Scott
The veteran former Masters champion remains one of the purest strikers in the game and rarely misses a major. Birkdale’s demand for controlled iron play suits him; a top-Australian and top-finish contender rather than an outright play at his age.
Jason Day
A former world No.1 and major winner, Day’s links form has been mixed but his talent and big-week pedigree keep him relevant in the top-Australian and each-way markets.
Lucas Herbert
Qualified via his New Zealand Open finish, Herbert is a streaky ball-striker who can catch fire. An outsider for the outright, but live in the top-Australian and made-cut markets.
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.
The Pre-Tournament Picture
Scheffler and McIlroy head the market as expected, and both have the game to control Birkdale. But links golf is the great leveller in major championship betting, and the each-way value sits in the $15-$40 band — Fleetwood (local knowledge), Fitzpatrick (precision), Morikawa and Schauffele (both past Open champions) all make sense at those prices. The weather forecast in the days before Thursday will move the market sharply; a windy week widens the field, a calm week tightens it toward the favourites.
Verdict
Scottie Scheffler each-way is the anchor play — the best player in the world defending on a course that suits him. For a bigger price, Tommy Fleetwood at $15-$17 is the standout each-way value given his Southport roots and Open record, and Cameron Smith is the pick of the Australians. Stagger stakes across an outright favourite and one or two each-way value plays, and lean on the top-Australian market for a shorter-priced angle.
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.
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Exclusive 365AUCODE referral code: bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers.18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
FAQ
When is the 2026 Open Championship?
Thursday 16 July – Sunday 19 July 2026 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England. It is the 154th Open Championship.
Who won the 2025 Open Championship?
Scottie Scheffler won the 2025 Open at Royal Portrush — his maiden Claret Jug. Scheffler returns as defending champion at Birkdale.
How many times has Royal Birkdale hosted The Open?
2026 is the 11th Open at Royal Birkdale. Jordan Spieth won the most recent one there in 2017. Australians Peter Thomson (1954, 1965) and Ian Baker-Finch (1991) are among past Birkdale champions.
Who is favourite for the 2026 Open Championship?
Scottie Scheffler ($6-$6.50) is the clear favourite, with Rory McIlroy ($8-$10) next and Tommy Fleetwood ($15-$17) the pick of the value plays. Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick head the next tier.
Who is favourite for top Australian at the 2026 Open?
Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open champion, is the top-Australian favourite ahead of Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott and Jason Day.
How can I watch the 2026 Open in Australia?
Fox Sports and Kayo Sports have broadcast rights in Australia. Coverage runs from mid-afternoon AEST into the early hours across all four days, with the final round finishing early Monday morning AEST.