The final golf major of 2026 is nearly here. So many golfers are hoping to etch their names into history with a win. You can feel the excitement in the air.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club in northern England is the site of the 2026 Open Championship, and the field seems extra thrilled about the prospect of playing on an unforgiving, unrelenting course as well.
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The world’s top-ranked golfer Scottie Scheffler told ESPN, “On each hole, there’s a good bit of strategy; there’s a decent amount of thinking.” Scheffler seemed excited about the level of strategy that will go into this weekend’s play. Hefty winds from the Irish Sea are expected to blow through throughout tournament play, but that isn’t stopping Scheffler from enjoying the weekend.
“This is the first forecast I remember seeing it had no rain in it for the week,” he said.
He isn’t the only golfer expecting difficult conditions and interesting strategies.
Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns and Adrien Saddier converge on the second fairway during a practice round for The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
Justin Rose said, “I think the rough is burning out, so there is an opportunity for players if they want to feel like they can sort of hit it over corners and potentially run through and just accept 60 to 80 yards out of the rough…you might see a varied bunch of strategies.”
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Scheffler compared the conditions at Royal Birkdale to another recent Open Championship – the 2022 tournament at the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland – but he believes this week will offer a bigger challenge and “a firmer golf course.” Cameron Smith won the 2022 Open Championship with a blistering 20-under-par.
Calling the conditions a “double-edged sword,” Rory McIlroy said golfers might attempt different strategies to manage the fast-playing course
“When you give professional golfers options and you can create a little bit of doubt in their minds in terms of ‘should I play this shot or that shot’ – that’s when things start to get fun, especially for the viewer,” McIlroy said. “(But) not so much for us.”
Of course, while golfers will attempt to play into the conditions presented each round, they are somewhat at the mercy of mother nature. Shifting winds could mean different strategies throughout the day, giving advantages to some and disadvantages to others. With that in mind, it’s important to look ahead at what to expect. Here is the weekend forecast at Royal Birkdale.
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TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Biggest storylines to watch at Royal Birkdale this week
BRITISH OPEN ODDS: Favorites to win the major at Royal Birkdale
Weekend forecast for 2026 Open Championship
*All weather information provided via AccuWeather
Round 1: Thursday, July 16
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Winds moving 9 mph NNE, gusts up to 22 mph
Round 2: Friday, July 17
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Winds moving 10 mph north, gusts up to 21 mph
Round 3, Saturday, July 18
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Winds moving 13 mph WNW, gusts up to 20 mph
Round 4: Sunday, July 19
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Winds moving 10 mph NW, gusts up to 18 mph
How to watch the 2026 Open Championship
All times Eastern
Thursday, July 16
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1:30-4 a.m.: Open Championship, Round 1 (Peacock)
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4 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: Open Championship, Round 1 (USA Sports/GC mobile)
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3:30-5:30 p.m.: Live From The Open
Friday, July 17
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1:30-4 a.m.: Open Championship, Round 2 (Peacock)
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4 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: Open Championship, Round 2 (USA Sports/GC mobile)
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3:30-5:30 p.m.: Live From The Open
Saturday, July 18
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5-7 a.m.: Open Championship, Round 3 (USA Sports/GC mobile)
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7 a.m.-3 p.m.: Open Championship, Round 3 (NBC/Peacock)
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3-5 p.m.: Live From The Open
Sunday, July 19
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4-7 a.m.: Open Championship, final round (USA Sports/GC mobile)
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7 a.m.-2 p.m.: Open Championship, final round (NBC/Peacock)
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2-4 p.m.: Live From The Open
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY Sports: Golfers expect firm, fast conditions for British Open at Royal Birkdale
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