{"id":35987,"date":"2026-07-13T20:11:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T20:11:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/35987\/"},"modified":"2026-07-13T20:11:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T20:11:11","slug":"british-open-power-rankings-2026-the-entire-field-at-royal-birkdale-ranked-golf-news-and-tour-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/35987\/","title":{"rendered":"British Open power rankings 2026: The entire field at Royal Birkdale, ranked | Golf News and Tour Information"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 154th Open Championship will be visiting Southport and Royal Birkdale<\/a> for the 11th time in the past 72 years. Four men in the 156-man field have competed in the past three championships held on this heralded links (1998, 2008, 2017): Stewart Cink, David Duval, Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose. Some may have guessed Darren Clarke. Clarke missed the 2008 Open Championship, but he is the only player in the field who competed at Royal Birkdale in 1991!<\/p>\n

Rose is a key name in Birkdale history. Holing out on the 72nd hole, Justin was just 18 years old and finished fourth while Mark O\u2019Meara became the \u201cChampion Golfer of the Year.\u201d Many would have guessed Rose would have grabbed multiple claret jugs by now in his career after that inspiring start. A true testament to Rose\u2019s resolve, 23 years after that debut, Justin finished runner-up in 2024 and continues to be very competitive for the claret jug.<\/p>\n

RELATED: British Open 2026: The British Open has a nasty habit of breaking players’ golf swings. Here’s why<\/a><\/p>\n

Much will be made of the changes to the golf course, and I highly recommend you watch the video tour Golf Digest recently published<\/a>. A few holes have been redesigned. One hole has been eliminated, and a brand-new one was created! Quite significant changes when many critics consider Royal Birkdale as England\u2019s finest links layout.<\/p>\n

The final set of full-field power rankings for 2026 is below. We\u2019ve taken the course changes, weather, recent form and major championship mettle into account. The pressure to capture the claret jug is real. No other major challenges the elements like The Open. Though you might never become the Champion Golfer of the Year, you can sure head to your local Ladbrokes and pick him!<\/p>\n

Key:<\/p>\n

Age: We have another 18-year-old in the field. Ukrainian amateur Lev Grinberg qualified for his first DP World Tour start at 14!
\n Odds to win: These are the \u201cfutures odds\u201d listed for each player at DraftKings before Monday of tournament week.
\n Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) value: The posted price for each competitor on DraftKings.
\n Data Golf (OWGR): How do the \u201cofficial\u201d rankings compare to the Power Rankings?
\n Major Events this Year: Each player\u2019s finish in the biggest events of the season YTD.
\n The Open 2025: How did we fare last year at Royal Portrush?
\n The Open appearances\/cuts made: It takes a combination of performance and luck to earn a weekend tee time at The Open. Will the weather punish one of the tee time waves, success year after year is an important skill inn this championship.
\n Best Open finish: From David Duval (2001) to Scottie Scheffler (2025) we have 15 past champions in the field. Will one of them earn a second title like Padraig Harrinton did in 2008 at Royal Birkdale?
\n The Opens at Royal Birkdale: Who was here when Jordan Spieth won in 2017? How did they fare against this dramatic dune landscape.
\n Notes: A quick summary for each player to pique or deter your interest in their chances to win or contend in the 154th Open Championship. <\/p>\n

Nos. 126 and beyond<\/p>\n

We do not have all 156 golfers. For the first time in Open Championship history, there will be a Last-Chance Qualifier on Monday, July 13. It is the Monday of the Open Championship, and it will take place at our host venue, Royal Birkdale! A select group of golfers has been invited to fill the final spot. Where will they end up in the rankings? That will be for you to decide.<\/p>\n

Matthew Baldwin, Tiger Christensen, Darren Clarke, David Duval, Lev Grinberg (amateur, above), Jeongwoo Ham, Kazuki, Higa, Michael Hollick, David Howard (a), Cameron John, Naoyuki Kataoka, Kota Kaneko, Joakim Lagergren, Francesco Laporta, Jack McDonald, Francesco Molinari, Ryutaro Nagano, Shaun Norris, Marcus Plunkett, Mateo Pulcini (a), Nevill Ruiter (a), Taihei Sato, Baard Skogen, Tom Sloman, Travis Smyth, Matthew Southgate, Henrik Stenson, Austen Truslow, Jiho Yang, Ren Yonezawa<\/p>\n

Nos. 101-125<\/p>\n

Haotong Li (above) is a name you are going to hear often in the pre-tournament coverage. Why? Li finished fourth in the Open Championship last year at Royal Portrush. Haotong\u2019s only other top five in his career at a major championship? The 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale where Li finished third! Before you go believing in Haotong\u2019s history, keep in mind he has missed 11 of his last 15 cuts on the PGA Tour.<\/p>\n

101. Grehan Stuart (a), 102. Fifa Laopakdee (a), 103. Lucas Herbert, 104. Caleb Surratt, 105. Rasmus Neergaard Petersen, 106. Hennie du Plessis, 107. Sami Valimaki, 108. Jesper Svensson, 109. Antoine Rozner, 110. Jayden Schaper, 111. Jose Luis Ballester Barrio, 112. Haotong Li, 113. Eric Cole, 114. Louis Oosthuizen, 115. Mason Howell (a), 116. Dan Bradbury, 117. Daniel Brown, 118. Martin Couvra, 119. Alejandro De Castro Piera (a), 120. Alistair Docherty, 121. Sam Bairstow, 122. Jack Buchanan (a), 123. MJ Daffue, 124. Kazuma Kobori, 125. Frederic Lacroix<\/p>\n

Nos. 71-100<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on Stewart Cink (above). The 2009 Champion Golfer of the Year has been burning up the leaderboards on the PGA Tour Champions. In 11 senior starts, Cink has captured four wins, two of which were majors, and has not finished outside the top six in any other event. Fresh off a runner-up finish in the U.S. Senior Open two weeks ago, Cink can challenge the young guns with his links experience and incredible form.<\/p>\n

71. Scott Vincent, 72. Ryan Fox, 73. Victor Perez, 74. Marco Penge, 75. Tom McKibbin, 76. Jackson Suber, 77. Sungjae Im, 78. Pierceson Coody, 79. Stewart Cink, 80. Keita Nakajima, 81. Max Greyserman, 82. Johnny Keefer, 83. Andrew Novak, 84. Nico Echavarria, 85. Sepp Straka, 86. Alex Smalley, 87. Tim Wiedemeyer (a), 88. Harry Hall, 89. Casey Jarvis, 90. Daniel Hillier, 91. Thomas Detry, 92. Matt McCarty, 93. Cameron Smith, 94. Laurie Canter, 95. Michael Thorbjornsen, 96. Matthew Jordan, 97. Adrien Saddier, 98. Peter Uihlein, 99. Jake Knapp, 100. Jason Day<\/p>\n

Ranking the top 70 (low 70 and ties make the cut)<\/p>\n

70: Padraig Harrington<\/p>\n

Age: 54
Odds to win: +50000
DFS Value: $5,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 356 (N\/A)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 28\/17
Best Open finish: Won (2007, 2008)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 1998 (MC), 2008 (Won), 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

69: James Nicholas<\/p>\n

Age: 29
Odds to win: +50000
DFS Value: $5,200
Data Golf (OWGR): 346 (284)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: DNP
\n U.S. Open: T-65 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

68: Ryo Hisatsune<\/p>\n

Age: 23
Odds to win: +20000
DFS Value: $6,100
Data Golf (OWGR): 70 (60)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-35
\n U.S. Open: T-43 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 1\/0
Best Open finish: MC (2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

67: Michael Kim<\/p>\n

Age: 32
Odds to win: +25000
DFS Value: $5,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 71 (51)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: T-44
\n U.S. Open: T-43 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 3\/1
Best Open finish: T-35 (2018)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

66: Max Homa<\/p>\n

Age: 35
Odds to win: +12500
DFS Value: $6,400
Data Golf (OWGR): 63 (73)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: T-9
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/3
Best Open finish: T-10 (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

65: Andy Sullivan<\/p>\n

Age: 39
Odds to win: +70000
DFS Value: $5,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 240 (127)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 6\/4
Best Open finish: T-12 (2016)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-70)<\/p>\n

64: Keith Mitchell<\/p>\n

Age: 34
Odds to win: +15500
DFS Value: $6,100
Data Golf (OWGR): 40 (68)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-46
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T65
\n U.S. Open: T-4 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 3\/0
Best Open finish: MC
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

63: Rasmus H\u00f8jgaard<\/p>\n

Age: 25
Odds to win: +23000
DFS Value: $6,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 118 (86)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: 53
\n PGA Championship: T-65
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-16
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 3\/2
Best Open finish: T-16 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

62: Daniel Berger<\/p>\n

Age: 33
Odds to win: +24000
DFS Value: $6,200
Data Golf (OWGR): 79 (49)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-66
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: T-35
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-30
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/3
Best Open finish: T-8 (2021)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-27)<\/p>\n

61: Bernd Wiesberger<\/p>\n

Age: 40
Odds to win: +33000
DFS Value: $5,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 124 (154)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 8\/5
Best Open finish: T-32 (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-74)<\/p>\n

60: Matt Wallace<\/p>\n

Age: 36
Odds to win: +19500
DFS Value: $6,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 59 (69)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-44
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-45
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 6\/4
Best Open finish: T-40 (2021)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

59: Jordan Smith<\/p>\n

Age: 33
Odds to win: +19500
DFS Value: $6,100
Data Golf (OWGR): 98 (82)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-45
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/3
Best Open finish: T-41 (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

58: Eugenio Chacarra<\/p>\n

Age: 26
Odds to win: +13500
DFS Value: $6,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 47 (59)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: DNP
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

57: Bud Cauley<\/p>\n

Age: 36
Odds to win: +21000
DFS Value: $6,00
Data Golf (OWGR): 34 (38)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-26
\n U.S. Open: T-56 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 2\/1
Best Open finish: T-32 (2013)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

RELATED: The 15 best British Open Championships, ranked<\/a><\/p>\n

56: Rickie Fowler<\/p>\n

Age: 37
Odds to win: +12000
DFS Value: $6,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 45 (41)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-42
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-60
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-14
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 14\/13
Best Open finish: T-2 (2014)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: T-22<\/p>\n

55: Sahith Theegala<\/p>\n

Age: 28
Odds to win: +20000
DFS Value: $6,200
Data Golf (OWGR): 58 (76)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-60
\n U.S. Open: T-11 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/1
Best Open finish: T-34 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

54: Nick Taylor<\/p>\n

Age: 38
Odds to win: +24000
DFS Value: $5,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 49 (70)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-42
\n The Masters: T-41
\n PGA Championship: T-26
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 3\/0
Best Open finish: MC
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

53: Keegan Bradley<\/p>\n

Age: 40
Odds to win: +19500
DFS Value: $6,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 32 (40)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-50
\n The Masters: T-21
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-32 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-30
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 12\/6
Best Open finish: T-15 (2013)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

52: Nicolai H\u00f8jgaard<\/p>\n

Age: 25
Odds to win: +8800
DFS Value: $6,600
Data Golf (OWGR): 41 (34)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-27
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: T-44
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-14
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/4
Best Open finish: T-14 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

51: JT Poston<\/p>\n

Age: 33
Odds to win: +17500
DFS Value: $6,100
Data Golf (OWGR): 52 (32)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-50
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-4 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/1
Best Open finish: T-41 (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

50: Jacob Bridgeman<\/p>\n

Age: 26
Odds to win: +20000
DFS Value: $6,400
Data Golf (OWGR): 42 (27)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-5
\n The Masters: T-41
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-39 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

49: Kristoffer Reitan<\/p>\n

Age: 28
Odds to win: +25000
DFS Value: $6,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 36 (25)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-66
\n The Masters: T-41
\n PGA Championship: T-44
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-30
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 1\/1
Best Open finish: T30 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

48: Gary Woodland<\/p>\n

Age: 42
Odds to win: +14500
DFS Value: $6,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 60 (42)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: T-33
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-7 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 12\/9
Best Open finish: T-12 (2016)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-70)<\/p>\n

47: Michael Brennan<\/p>\n

Age: 24
Odds to win: +20000
DFS Value: $5,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 95 (61)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: 69
\n The Masters: T-24
\n PGA Championship: 81
\n U.S. Open: T-43 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

46: Alex Noren<\/p>\n

Age: 43
Odds to win: +12500
DFS Value: $6,400
Data Golf (OWGR): 38 (24)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: T-30
\n PGA Championship: T-26
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 12\/8
Best Open finish: T-6 (2017)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2008 (T-19), 2017 (T-6)<\/p>\n

45: David Puig<\/p>\n

Age: 24
Odds to win: +10500
DFS Value: $6,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 57 (64)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 1\/0
Best Open finish: MC (2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

44: Si Woo Kim<\/p>\n

Age: 31
Odds to win: +6600
DFS Value: $6,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 14 (22)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-50
\n The Masters: 47
\n PGA Championship: T-35
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 7\/3
Best Open finish: T-15 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

43: Ryan Gerard<\/p>\n

Age: 26
Odds to win: +16500
DFS Value: $6,400
Data Golf (OWGR): 33 (28)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-27
\n The Masters: T-38
\n PGA Championship: T-70
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

42: Sam Stevens<\/p>\n

Age: 30
Odds to win: +30000
DFS Value: $5,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 81 (46)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: 58
\n The Masters: T-24
\n PGA Championship: T-65
\n U.S. Open: T-7 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

41: JJ Spaun<\/p>\n

Age: 35
Odds to win: +8600
DFS Value: $6,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 15 (12)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-24
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-23
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 1\/1
Best Open finish: T-23 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

40: Angel Ayora<\/p>\n

Age: 21
Odds to win: +16000
DFS Value: $6,200
Data Golf (OWGR): 72 (108)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: DNP <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: Rookie
Best Open finish: N\/A
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

39: John Parry<\/p>\n

Age: 39
Odds to win: +44000
DFS Value: $5,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 117 (88)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-70
\n U.S. Open: T-11 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-16
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 2\/2
Best Open finish: T-16 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

38: Min Woo Lee<\/p>\n

Age: 27
Odds to win: +7800
DFS Value: $6,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 44 (39)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/2
Best Open finish: T-21 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

37: Akshay Bhatia<\/p>\n

Age: 24
Odds to win: +11500
DFS Value: $6,600
Data Golf (OWGR): 25 (26)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-17 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-30
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 2\/1
Best Open finish: T-30 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

36: Kurt Kitayama<\/p>\n

Age: 33
Odds to win: +9200
DFS Value: $6,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 28 (33)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: 51
\n PGA Championship: T-10
\n U.S. Open: T-53 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/3
Best Open finish: T-41 (2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

35: Alex Fitzpatrick<\/p>\n

Age: 27
Odds to win: +10500
DFS Value: $7,400
Data Golf (OWGR): 24 (62)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-75
\n U.S. Open: T-23 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: DNP
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 1\/1
Best Open finish: T-17 (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

34: Harris English<\/p>\n

Age: 36
Odds to win: +10500
DFS Value: $6,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 22 (29)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: T-30
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: 2
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 10\/7
Best Open finish: 2 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

33: Brian Harman<\/p>\n

Age: 39
Odds to win: +12500
DFS Value: $6,600
Data Golf (OWGR): 53 (63)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-11
\n The Masters: T-33
\n PGA Championship: T-60
\n U.S. Open: T-32 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-10
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 10\/6
Best Open finish: Won (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

32: Adam Scott<\/p>\n

Age: 45
Odds to win: +9600
DFS Value: $6,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 39 (55)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-56
\n The Masters: T-24
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 25\/19
Best Open finish: 2 (2012)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2008 (T-16), 2017 (T-22)<\/p>\n

31: Tom Kim<\/p>\n

Age: 24
Odds to win: +10500
DFS Value: $6,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 69 (66)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: DNP
\n U.S. Open: 3 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/2
Best Open finish: T-2 (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

30: Ben Griffin<\/p>\n

Age: 30
Odds to win: +9400
DFS Value: $6,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 19 (15)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: T-33
\n PGA Championship: T-14
\n U.S. Open: T-17 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 3\/0
Best Open finish: MC
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

29: Patrick Cantlay<\/p>\n

Age: 34
Odds to win: +5600
DFS Value: $7,000
Data Golf (OWGR): 13 (36)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: T-12
\n PGA Championship: T-35
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 7\/5
Best Open finish: T-8 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

28: Corey Conners<\/p>\n

Age: 34
Odds to win: +14000
DFS Value: $6,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 55 (52)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: T-49
\n PGA Championship: T-55
\n U.S. Open: T-23 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-10
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 6\/5
Best Open finish: T-10 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

27: Bryson DeChambeau<\/p>\n

Age: 32
Odds to win: +4300
DFS Value: $8,400
Data Golf (OWGR): 26 (35)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-10
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 8\/5
Best Open finish: T-8 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

26: Robert MacIntyre<\/p>\n

Age: 29
Odds to win: +4200
DFS Value: $8,000
Data Golf (OWGR): 21 (20)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: 4
\n The Masters: MC
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-39 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-7
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 6\/6
Best Open finish: T-6 (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

25: Shane Lowry<\/p>\n

Age: 39
Odds to win: +7000
DFS Value: $7,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 27 (45)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: T-30
\n PGA Championship: T-44
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-40
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 13\/8
Best Open finish: Won (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

When it comes to navigating true links golf, Shane Lowry cannot be overlooked. Lowry\u2019s ball-striking would easily place him in the top 20 of these rankings. It\u2019s the putter holding him back. Figure out the flatstick, and I\u2019m all-in on the Irish Bear!<\/p>\n

24: Aaron Rai<\/p>\n

Age: 31
Odds to win: +10000
DFS Value: $7,100
Data Golf (OWGR): 31 (16)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: MC
\n The Masters: 48
\n PGA Championship: Won
\n U.S. Open: T-11 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-34
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/3
Best Open finish: T-19 (2021)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

The PGA champion will keep out of the fescue. That\u2019s going to be a serious edge this week. Aaron Rai probably won\u2019t win two major championships in a single season, but pick him head to head against less accurate players, and I bet you clean up.<\/p>\n

23: Jordan Spieth<\/p>\n

Age: 32
Odds to win: +6000
DFS Value: $7,200
Data Golf (OWGR): 66 (54)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: T-12
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: T-56 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-40
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 12\/12
Best Open finish: Won (2017)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (Won)<\/p>\n

Jordan Spieth has won twice since Royal Birkdale in 2017. That was 3,277 days ago. Spieth\u2019s record at The Open is perfect: 12 starts, 12 made cuts. Unfortunately, the ball-striking has been less than perfect in his past few starts. Another year comes and goes without another magical major run from the terrific Texan.<\/p>\n

22: Joaquin Niemann<\/p>\n

Age: 27
Odds to win: +5200
DFS Value: $7,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 30 (47)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: DNP
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: T-7 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 6\/3
Best Open finish: T-53 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

I believe Joaquin Niemann\u2019s positive major championship season continues. Niemann\u2019s trajectory control and scoring ability are a great fit for this well-rounded test. The patience Joaquin showed at Shinnecock Hills is a career moment that might finally prove he is a major contender.<\/p>\n

21: Hideki Matsuyama<\/p>\n

Age: 34
Odds to win: +8600
DFS Value: $6,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 37 (30)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-27
\n The Masters: T-12
\n PGA Championship: T-26
\n U.S. Open: T-65 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-16
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 11\/8
Best Open finish: T-6 (2013)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-14)<\/p>\n

A quiet T-14 at the Travelers and Hideki Matsuyama at 86-1 will catch your attention. Not to mention, the last time we visited Royal Birkdale, Matsuyama made a nice run and finished T-14 as well. Hideki always seems to surprise us when his odds drop. Hideki has gained with his putter in three of his past four starts. Make Matsuyama your sleeper pick in pools and tiers contests\u2014he\u2019ll be matched up against players he\u2019s much better than.<\/p>\n

20: Maverick McNealy<\/p>\n

Age: 30
Odds to win: +11000
DFS Value: $6,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 20 (37)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-32
\n The Masters: T-18
\n PGA Championship: T-18
\n U.S. Open: T-32 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-23
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 3\/1
Best Open finish: T-23 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

Maverick McNealy has made the cut in his past seven major championship starts! Look above. McNealy didn\u2019t finish outside the top 32 for the four \u201cmajor\u201d events this year. If you are looking for a deep middle tier player who is consistently performing, take this top gun.<\/p>\n

19: Patrick Reed<\/p>\n

Age: 35
Odds to win: +6400
DFS Value: $7,000
Data Golf (OWGR): 48 (31)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: T-12
\n PGA Championship: T-10
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 10\/6
Best Open finish: 10 (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

Patrick Reed has 13 starts in 2026. A missed cut at Shinnecock Hills, and maybe the lack of tournament reps has become a problem for Patrick Reed. Reed\u2019s also been inconsistent at The Open Championship. A couple of DP World Tour starts and a T-13 in Scotland give us hope, but in the end, your best bet on Reed will be when he comes back to the PGA Tour in the fall.<\/p>\n

18: Brooks Koepka<\/p>\n

Age: 36
Odds to win: +5200
DFS Value: $7,600
Data Golf (OWGR): 74 (115)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: T-12
\n PGA Championship: T-55
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 11\/8
Best Open finish: T-4 (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-6)<\/p>\n

The Brooks Koepka fans are going to focus on his T-6 finish at Royal Birkdale in 2017. I\u2019m more concerned with the missed cut at Shinnecock Hills and the Renaissance Club. Until we really know if Brooks is 100 percent healthy, those odds would need to be doubled before I\u2019m taking that ticket to the window.<\/p>\n

17: Viktor Hovland<\/p>\n

Age: 28
Odds to win: +4400
DFS Value: $8,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 17 (13)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: T-18
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-63
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/4
Best Open finish: T-4 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

Viktor Hovland is an enigma. He\u2019s a perfect fit for the ball-striking test at Royal Birkdale, but which Hovland will show up? A missed cut at the U.S. Open, a win and a Sunday 64 (T-13) at the Scottish Open sums him up perfectly right now. Based on this ranking, I love the bounce-back factor, but overall this Norwegian might have a similar fate as his soccer countrymen when he takes on England\u2019s links.<\/p>\n

16: Ludvig \u00c5berg<\/p>\n

Age: 26
Odds to win: +3100
DFS Value: $9,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 11 (19)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-5
\n The Masters: T-21
\n PGA Championship: T-4
\n U.S. Open: T-17 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-23
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 2\/1
Best Open finish: T-23 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

Ludvig \u00c5berg had six top 10s in seven starts from API to the PGA Championship. The results in major championships also keep Ludvig \u00c5berg in the winner\u2019s conversation, but what really happened at TPC Sawgrass? \u00c5berg had The Players in his grasp and washed it away with two straight water balls. The kid is a generational ball-striker, but if he doesn\u2019t close one of these events soon, the media won\u2019t be the only ones questioning whether or not he can win.<\/p>\n

15: Sam Burns<\/p>\n

Age: 29
Odds to win: +4200
DFS Value: $7,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 6 (17)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: T-7
\n PGA Championship: T-26
\n U.S. Open: 2 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-45
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/4
Best Open finish: T-31 (2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

Sam Burns sat out the Scottish Open due to the impending birth of his second child. Will Burns be focused on Royal Birkdale or the baby? That\u2019s the big question. Sam\u2019s sensational run at the majors would place him in the top 10 of these British Open Power Rankings. Unfortunately, it\u2019s tough to recommend a star player for picks and pools when he might leave halfway through.<\/p>\n

14: Cameron Young<\/p>\n

Age: 29
Odds to win: +2800
DFS Value: $9,000
Data Golf (OWGR): 10 (3)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: Won
\n The Masters: T-3
\n PGA Championship: T-26
\n U.S. Open: T-43 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/3
Best Open finish: 2 (2022)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

There are two trends I don\u2019t love about Cameron Young heading into the Open Championship. Young\u2019s best finish in The Open was his first back in 2022. Since then, the results have declined, including a missed cut last year. He\u2019s on a similar trajectory this calendar year. The Players winner has four straight finishes outside the top 25 coming into Royal Birkdale.<\/p>\n

13: Justin Thomas<\/p>\n

Age: 33
Odds to win: +5400
DFS Value: $7,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 18 (18)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-8
\n The Masters: T-41
\n PGA Championship: T-4
\n U.S. Open: T-17 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-34
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 9\/6
Best Open finish: T-11 (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

Justin Thomas is one of a handful of players in the field who has made the cut in The Players and every major. Thomas only returned from back surgery in early March! It\u2019s been a pretty successful season with six top-20 finishes in his past seven events heading into The Open. JT will keep it going with that world-class short game and approach acumen. Watch Thomas make a run at this title similar to the PGA at Aronimink.<\/p>\n

12: Russell Henley<\/p>\n

Age: 37
Odds to win: +5400
DFS Value: $7,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 12 (5)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: T-3
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-65 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-10
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 11\/6
Best Open finish: 5 (2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-37)<\/p>\n

Russell Henley has been racking up top-10 results in major championships. Two of those top-10 finishes are in his past two Open Championship starts. Henley is accurate and good in challenging conditions. Royal Birkdale is a true ball-striker\u2019s test. If Russell were going to capture the claret jug, this venue would be a great fit for his skill set.<\/p>\n

11: Justin Rose<\/p>\n

Age: 45
Odds to win: +4700
DFS Value: $9,100
Data Golf (OWGR): 23 (10)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-13
\n The Masters: T-3
\n PGA Championship: T-10
\n U.S. Open: T-11 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-16
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 22\/16
Best Open finish: T-2 (2018, 2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 1998 (T-4), 2008 (T-70), 2017 (T-54)<\/p>\n

Justin Rose was 18 years old when he holed out on the 72nd hole in 1998 at Royal Birkdale to finish T-4. In the past three years, Rose has nine top-16 results in major championships. Justin\u2019s ability to raise his performance in the biggest events is amazing. No finish worse than T-11 in a major this year, Rose has three T-12 finishes in his past five starts.<\/p>\n

RELATED: The PGA Tour lost its way. So why are we feeling so bullish on its future now?<\/a><\/p>\n

10: Tyrrell Hatton<\/p>\n

Age: 34
Odds to win: +3700
DFS Value: $8,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 29 (21)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: T-3
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-7 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-16
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 13\/6
Best Open finish: T-5 (2016)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (MC)<\/p>\n

Tyrrell Hatton continues to show up in major championships. Hatton has five top-16 finishes in his past seven major starts! The iron game is as impressive as ever, and coming off a LIV win, seventh at the U.S. Open, and a solid T-17 in Scotland, the time for Hatton may very well be right now!<\/p>\n

9: Chris Gotterup<\/p>\n

Age: 26
Odds to win: +2800
DFS Value: $8,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 16 (7)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-56
\n The Masters: T-24
\n PGA Championship: T-10
\n U.S. Open: T-43 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: 3
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 1\/1
Best Open finish: 3 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

One week after capturing his third win of the season at the John Deere Classic, Chris Gotterup proved once again why he is a force on the PGA Tour. A slow Sunday scorecard left him in T-11 at the Renaissance Club, but there\u2019s no doubt links golf is good for Gotterup. Chris finished the week 12th in strokes gained\/tee to green. Gotterup\u2019s left-to-right ball flight off the tee and iron trajectory are the perfect fit for Royal Birkdale. I expect another strong run at The Open by one of golf\u2019s rising young stars.<\/p>\n

8: Collin Morikawa<\/p>\n

Age: 29
Odds to win: +3100
DFS Value: $8,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 8 (6)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: WD
\n The Masters: T-7
\n PGA Championship: T-55
\n U.S. Open: T-17 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: MC
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/2
Best Open finish: Won (2021)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

It\u2019s feast or famine for Collin Morikawa at The Open Championship. Just made two cuts in five starts, when Morikawa makes the weekend, he contends or wins. After a controversial year in 2025, Collin has kept to himself in 2026. The quiet approach has led to a signature win and making the cut in three majors. With accuracy so important at Royal Birkdale, Morikawa might be your best option around 30-1. With a Sunday surge to a third place at the Travelers, Collin\u2019s iron game is on fire and will keep Morikawa backers well fed.<\/p>\n

7: Wyndham Clark<\/p>\n

Age: 32
Odds to win: +4200
DFS Value: $8,200
Data Golf (OWGR): 7 (8)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-42
\n The Masters: T-21
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: Won <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-4
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 4\/3
Best Open finish: T-4 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

The hottest player on the planet is not Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy. It is Wyndham Clark! Since the PGA Championship, Clark has two wins, a third, a fifth, an 11th and a T-13. Much like Shinnecock Hills, Royal Birkdale is framed by dunes and marred by wind. No trees, no problem! Keep an eye on Clark as his T-13 at the Scottish shows the superb scrambling and scoring is not stopping anytime soon.<\/p>\n

6: Jon Rahm<\/p>\n

Age: 31
Odds to win: +1550
DFS Value: $9,700
Data Golf (OWGR): 3 (11)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: DNP
\n The Masters: T-38
\n PGA Championship: T-2
\n U.S. Open: MC <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-34
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 9\/8
Best Open finish: T-2 (2023)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-44)<\/p>\n

Since 2024, Jon Rahm has had four top 10s in major championships. To put that in perspective, Russell Henley and Justin Rose have had five top 10s in that same time span. Rahm has been disappointing in golf\u2019s biggest events since leaving the PGA Tour. Unfortunately, the results speak for themselves. Look at last week, T-36 at the Scottish Open against a great field … and Rahm was ranked 121st in SG\/approach at the Renaissance Club. The talent and drive are there, but the question remains: Is the two-time major champion sharp enough to grab No. 3?<\/p>\n

5: Tommy Fleetwood<\/p>\n

Age: 35
Odds to win: +2100
DFS Value: $10,500
Data Golf (OWGR): 5 (9)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-8
\n The Masters: T-33
\n PGA Championship: MC
\n U.S. Open: T-11 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-16
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 11\/7
Best Open finish: 2 (2019)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-27)<\/p>\n

No player would be a more popular winner of the Open Championship than Tommy Fleetwood. Growing up around the corner from Royal Birkdale, making this Open Fleetwood\u2019s first major championship would be quite a story. A perfect fit for these links, let\u2019s push the narrative. Tommy has lost strokes to the field twice all season. His form is fantastic coming off four straight sensational starts (T-4-T-11-T-11-T-14). Keep calm Tommy, and carry on; all of golf will be pulling for you on Sunday.<\/p>\n

4: Xander Schauffele<\/p>\n

Age: 32
Odds to win: +2150
DFS Value: $9,800
Data Golf (OWGR): 9 (14)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: 3
\n The Masters: T-9
\n PGA Championship: T-7
\n U.S. Open: T-11 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-7
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 8\/8
Best Open finish: Won (2024)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-20)<\/p>\n

Xander Schauffele always shows up in major championships. A missed cut at the Scottish Open might be a sign, as Xander also finished T-51 at the Travelers, but look at that major record this season! Schauffele has never missed a cut at the Open and comes off a win in 2024 and a T-7 at Royal Portrush last year. Royal Birkdale is a complete test, and the PGA Tour\u2019s most well-rounded major contender with 24 career top 15s in 37 major starts, X always marks the spot on golf\u2019s major stages.<\/p>\n

3: Matt Fitzpatrick<\/p>\n

Age: 31
Odds to win: +2100
DFS Value: $10,000
Data Golf (OWGR): 4 (4)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: 2
\n The Masters: T-18
\n PGA Championship: T-14
\n U.S. Open: 22 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-4
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 10\/8
Best Open finish: T-4 (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: 2017 (T-44)<\/p>\n

Matt Fitzpatrick is a player to watch this week. Fitzpatrick\u2019s iron play was exceptional at the Scottish Open. Accuracy is a huge component to contending at Royal Birkdale. Matt\u2019s confidence is high for a number of reasons. Fitzpatrick has three wins this season and another four top 10s. Consider his low trajectory and that he\u2019s a proven links putter. Matt has gained with his flatstick against the field in every measured Open Championship. Approach form and a hot flatstick, Fitz is primed to perform and capture the claret jug.<\/p>\n

2: Scottie Scheffler<\/p>\n

Age: 30
Odds to win: +590
DFS Value: $13,300
Data Golf (OWGR): 1 (1)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-22
\n The Masters: 2
\n PGA Championship: T-14
\n U.S. Open: T-4 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: Won
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 5\/5
Best Open finish: Won (2025)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: N\/A<\/p>\n

For the first time since August 2022, Scottie Scheffler missed the cut in a PGA Tour event. Scheffler did not hit his irons well in Scotland. Of 156 players in the field, Scottie was ranked 118th on approach after 36 holes. Scheffler usually struggles with his putter across the Atlantic. In nine combined starts between the Open and Scottish Open, Scottie has only gained strokes with his putter one time: last year\u2019s title at Royal Portrush. Scheffler is the best player in the world, but the combination of inconsistent approach off the links turf and an awful putting history, World No. 1 cannot be first in these rankings.<\/p>\n

1: Rory McIlroy<\/p>\n

Age: 29 (birthday is Sunday, June 21)
Odds to win: +500
DFS Value: $11,900
Data Golf (OWGR): 1 (1)
2026:<\/p>\n

The Players: T-46
\n The Masters: WIN
\n PGA Championship: T-7
\n U.S. Open: T-32 <\/p>\n

The Open 2025: T-7
The Open appearances\/cuts made: 16\/13
Best Open finish: Won (2014)
The Opens at Royal Birkdale: T-4 (2017)<\/p>\n

A smooth 64 on Sunday, and Rory McIlroy is your favorite heading into the Open Championship. The complaint all year has been the driver. McIlroy finished the week first in SG\/off the tee at the Scottish Open. On top of that, the Northern Irishman was third in SG\/tee to green. Of the players with the shortest odds, McIlroy makes the most sense. He has the experience and the links game to score with every club in his bag. Since winning the Open in 2014, McIlroy has six top 10s in nine starts. Outside of Matt Fitzpatrick, many of the world\u2019s best players have questions surrounding their campaigns. Not McIlroy. This is the best player playing his best heading into Royal Birkdale.<\/p>\n

Is it the British Open or the Open Championship? The name of the final men\u2019s major of the golf season is a subject of continued discussion. The event\u2019s official name, as explained in this op-ed by former R&A chairman Ian Pattinson<\/a>, is the Open Championship. But since many United States golf fans continue to refer to it as the British Open, and search news around the event accordingly, Golf Digest continues to utilize both names in its coverage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 154th Open Championship will be visiting Southport and Royal Birkdale for the 11th time in the past…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":35988,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[14682,14723,14722,14727,2363,1146,14724,2274,588,3414,14725,82,14726],"class_list":["post-35987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-justin-rose","tag-british-open-2026","tag-british-open-field-2026","tag-british-open-power-rankings-2026","tag-british-open-power-rankings-2026-the-entire-field-at-royal-birkdale-ranked","tag-gambling","tag-justin-rose","tag-open-championship-power-rankings-2026","tag-openchampionship2026","tag-plus","tag-readtheline2026","tag-royal-birkdale-2026","tag-story","tag-whos-playing-in-the-2026-british-open"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35987"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35987\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35988"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/golf\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}