The final major championship of the season has arrived, and it is hard to believe we are already here. Four majors always seem like they take forever to get here, and then suddenly the Claret Jug is on the line before we know it.
This year’s Open Championship heads to one of the most historic venues in championship golf: Royal Birkdale Golf Club.
2026 Open Championship Preview and Picks
Royal Birkdale has been a staple on the Open rota for decades and boasts an incredible list of past champions. Most recently, we watched Jordan Spieth capture the Claret Jug here back in 2017, producing one of the most memorable finishes in Open Championship history.
However, I am not placing too much emphasis on the data from that championship.
The golf course has undergone routing changes since then, including the addition of new holes, making it a somewhat different test than the one Spieth conquered. More importantly, no two Open Championships are ever the same. Unlike most tournaments throughout the year, The Open is dictated almost entirely by the weather.
This week, the forecast appears remarkably steady.
That does not necessarily mean easy conditions, but it also doesn’t look like the brutal wind that can completely overwhelm a links course. Instead, we are expecting consistent breezes throughout the week that should keep Royal Birkdale firm, fast, and exactly what you would hope for from an Open Championship venue.
Accuracy Will Be Critical
When looking at the player profile this week, I continue to come back to two key areas:
Driving accuracy
Short game
Driving distance is always helpful, but I believe accuracy off the tee becomes even more important around Royal Birkdale.
The fairways are generous enough to reward quality drives, but once players find the thicker rough, the golf course becomes significantly more difficult. Missing fairways doesn’t simply cost birdie opportunities—it can quickly bring double bogeys into play.
Position is everything.
Players who consistently find the short grass will give themselves opportunities to attack, while those playing from the rough will spend the week simply trying to survive.
The Short Game Will Separate Players
Even perfect drives won’t solve every problem.
Royal Birkdale’s firm, undulating greens are notoriously difficult to hold, especially when the wind begins to influence ball flight. Players are going to miss greens throughout the week, and recovering from those misses will become one of the defining skills of the championship.
That makes short-game play far more valuable than it is during a typical PGA Tour event.
Whether it’s delicate bump-and-runs, creative pitch shots, or clutch par-saving putts, players who can consistently save pars will steadily climb the leaderboard while others fall away.
The Picks
Cameron Young Top 10 (+260)
Cameron Young has gone through a frustrating stretch recently, but almost all of his struggles have come with the putter.
From a tee-to-green perspective, his game remains in outstanding shape. He continues to drive the ball beautifully, and his ball striking has been among the best in the field throughout much of 2026.
Young has also proven he is comfortable on this side of the Atlantic, with several strong performances in links-style conditions throughout his career.
I trust the putter to regress closer to his baseline this week, and if it does, another top-10 finish in a major championship would surprise absolutely no one.
Harris English Top 20 (+260)
Harris English has quietly become one of the most reliable major championship performers over the past several seasons.
He thrives when golf courses demand patience and discipline, and Royal Birkdale should reward exactly that style of play.
At his best, English is one of the elite total drivers in professional golf. He combines above-average distance with excellent accuracy, a combination that should prove invaluable this week.
His short game can be streaky from week to week, but it has consistently elevated itself when conditions become difficult.
Those are exactly the traits I want to back at an Open Championship, making Harris English one of my favorite top-20 wagers on the board.
