The fourth and final major of 2025 is upon us, as the (British) Open Championship, also known as the 153rd Open, gets underway this week at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
The iconic golf course, which sits on the northern coast of the U.K. country, will host The Open for the third time, with the first edition played in 1951 and the second in 2019.
A field comprised of the game’s biggest names, including the season’s three major winners: Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun and home hero Rory McIlroy, will be teeing it up on the famed Dunluce Links course.
The trio of 2025 major champs will be joined by a bevy of superstars headlined by mulit-major winners Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, and defending champion Xander Schauffele.
Other marquee names, who are considered serious threats to hoist the Claret Jug, include Ludvig Aberg, Tyrrell Hatton, Viktor Hovland, Cam Smith, Robert MacIntyre, Joaquin Niemann, Tommy Fleetwood, and Shane Lowry, who won the 2019 edition at Portrush.
The Skinny
Tournament: The Open Championship
Event: Major (4 of 4)
Dates: July 17-21, 2025
Week: 29 of 34
TV Network: GOLF/NBC
Where: Portrush, County Antrim, NI, UK
Club: Royal Portrush
Club Born: 1888
Course: Dunluce Links
Architect: Harry Colt
Distance: Par 71, 7381 yards
Format: 72-hole stroke play (36 cut)
Field: 156 players
Purse: $17,000,000
Winning Share: $3,100,000
FedExCup/OWGR Points: 750/100
Defending Champion: Xander Schauffele
How to Follow The Open Championship
Television: Thu-Fri: 1:30-4 a.m. (Peacock), 4 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (USA); Sat: 5-7 a.m. (USA), 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (NBC); Sun: 4-7 a.m. (USA), 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (NBC)
Stream: Thu-Fri: 1:30-4 a.m. (Peacock), 4 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (NBC Sports App); Sat: 5-7 a.m. (NBC Sports App), 7 a.m.-3 p.m. (NBC Sports App); Sun: 4-7 a.m. (NBC Sports App), 7 a.m.-2 p.m. (NBC Sports App)
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Open Championship History
The oldest of the four majors, The Open Championship has humble roots that date all the way back to 1860. The inaugural tournament featured a small handful of professionals playing three 12-hole rounds in one day at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland.
That first Open was won by Willie Park Sr., who finished the event in 174 strokes (this was back even before pars were a thing).
The early winners were awarded a red belt, known as the Challenge Belt, but the event had to come up with something new after the legendary Young Tom Morris was able to invoke a myopic condition where a player with three consecutive Open victories gets to keep the belt.
The belt became a medal, and as the tournament increased in prestige and participation, the ultimate prize became the Claret Jug, one of the greatest symbols of achievement in the world of elite-level sports.
The Open Championship’s illustrious list of winners includes both of the Tom Morrises (Old and Young), Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Ernie Els, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, and Jordan Spieth, among others.
Vardon is the tournament’s all-time leader in wins with six, followed by James Braid, John Henry Taylor, Peter Thomson and Watson with five a piece. In all, 27 players have won multiple Open Championships.
Royal Portrush is the host venue of The Open for the third time – but for the second time in the last seven Opens (2019 and 2025). Irishman Shane Lowry won the 2019 edition, thrilling the home crowd.
History: Recent Winners
2024: Xander Schauffele (-9)
2023: Brian Harman (-13)
2022: Cam Smith (-20)
2021: Collin Morikawa (-15)
2020: COVID (-19)
2019: Shane Lowry (-15)
2018: Francesco Molinari (-8)
2017: Jordan Spieth (-12)
2016: Henrik Stenson (-20)
2015: Zach Johnson (-15)
2014: Rory McIlroy (-17)
2013: Phil Mickelson (-3)
2012: Ernie Els (-7)
2011: Darren Clarke (-5)
History: Records
72-HOLE SCORING
264 – Henrik Stenson (2016)
54-HOLE SCORING
197 – Shane Lowry (2019)
36 HOLE SCORING
130 – Nick Faldo (1992)
130 – Brandt Snedeker (2012)
LOWEST ROUND
62 – Branden Grace (2017)
TO-PAR SCORING
-20 – Henrik Stenson (2016), Cam Smith (2022)
AGE
Youngest – Young Tom Morris (17.5, 1868)
Oldest – Old Tom Morris (46.3, 1867)
WINS
6 – Harry Vardon (1896, 1898-99, 1903, 1911, 1914)
5 – James Braid (1901, 1905-06, 1908, 1910)
5 – John Henry Taylor (1894-95, 1900, 1909, 1913)
5 – Peter Thomson (1954-56, 1958, 1965)
5 – Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982-83)
CONSECUTIVE WINS
4 – Young Tom Morris (1868-70, 72)*
3 – Peter Thomson (1954-56)
3 – Bob Ferguson (1880-82)
3 – Jamie Anderson (1877-79)
* No tournament in 1871
WIRE TO WIRE WINNERS
1912 Ted Ray (+11)
1927 Bobby Jones (-3)
1932 Gene Sarazen (-5)
1934 Henry Cotton (+3)
1973 Tom Weiskopf (-12)
2005 Tiger Woods (-14)
2014 Rory McIlroy (-17)
Open Championship Power Rankings
The power rankings for the final major includes six LIV league golfers and 14 PGA Tour players, headlined by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm.
Rahm, a two-time major winner, enters in top form having finished in the top-15 in his last four majors (7, 8, 14, 7), while Scheffler owns three PGA tour wins on the season including the PGA Championship.
The other five LIV Golf stars in our rankings include Brooks Koepka, Tyrrell Hatton, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, and Joaquin Niemann.
The PGA Tour’s top-5 players include Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood.
Power Rankings: Top 20
Power Rank-Player (World Rank)
20. Justin Thomas (4)
19. Robert MacIntyre (14)
18. Patrick Cantlay (20)
17. Matt Fitzpatrick (59)
16. Jordan Spieth (47)
15. Patrick Reed (61)
14. Ludvig Aberg (9)
13. Shane Lowry (18)
12. Viktor Hovland (11)
11. Justin Rose (21)
10. Brooks Koepka (282)
9. Joaquin Niemann (90)
8. Collin Morikawa (6)
7. Tyrrell Hatton (23)
6. Tommy Fleetwood (13)
5. Xander Schauffele (3)
4. Bryson DeChambeau (15)
3. Rory McIlroy (2)
2. Jon Rahm (72)
1. Scottie Scheffler (1)
Open Championship Odds
The favorite this week on the northern coast of Northern Ireland is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who is being offered at 6-1. The Texan enters amid another fantastic season, which includes three wins and another (third) major.
At 8-1, world No. 2 Rory McIlroy is basically a co-favorite. The Northern Irishman enters his home course in strong form, including a runner-up at the Scottish Open.
Jon Rahm is at 12-1, and the only other player with odds under 20-1. The Spaniard enters in typical strong form, with top-15 finishes in his last four major starts, including three top-10s.
Rounding out the top-5 favorites are Bryson DeChambeau (22-1) and Tommy Fleetwood (25-1), alongside defending champion Xander Schauffele (25-1).
Top-10 Betting Favorites
1. Scottie Scheffler (6-1)
2. Rory McIlroy (8-1)
3. Jon Rahm (12-1)
4. Bryson DeChambeau (22-1)
5. Tommy Fleetwood (25-1)
5. Xander Schauffele (25-1)
7. Ludvig Aberg (28-1)
7. Tyrrell Hatton (28-1)
9. Viktor Hovland (30-1)
10. Robert MacIntyre (35-1)
10. Shane Lowry (35-1)
Open Championship Full Field
Joel Cook contributed to this preview.
