The British Open, the oldest championship in golf, returns to Royal Birkdale on July 16-19. This year’s tournament marks the last major on the calendar, with the next major not taking place for eight months.
Pressure to Perform
For the 153 players competing, the pressure to win is not necessarily greater, but the urgency to perform is palpable. As Justin Thomas noted, ‘every year you don’t is another year you haven’t’ won a major.
Scottie Scheffler, the current champion, is looking to make it three years in a row winning a major. He faces stiff competition from other top players, including Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
Course Changes
The Royal Birkdale course has undergone changes since the last British Open was held there in 2017. The most noticeable change is the par-4 fifth hole, which has been shortened to 321 yards with more bunkers and the green shifted to the left.
The 14th hole is now a par 5, measuring 602 yards, with 12 bunkers. The 15th hole is a newly created par 3, measuring 241 yards.
Players will need to navigate the challenging links course, which is known for its quirky bounces and changing conditions. As Harris English noted, ‘you’ve got to deal with playing in any weather, any conditions. You get some crap lies and bad breaks. You’re going to have a lot of stuff go against you in links golf.’
Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.
