SOUTHPORT, England – Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose are officially in the club.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club, that is.
The host site of this week’s 154th British Open on the northwest coast of England announced Spieth and Rose as honorary members on Tuesday.
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“We thank them both for their generous words and look forward to welcoming them back to Birkdale as Members for many years to come,” the club wrote on its social media channels and awarded the players a club tie.
Rose holed a 45-yard pitch shot at the final hole to finish as low amateur and win the Silver Medal, tying for fourth at the 1998 British Open, the best finish for an amateur since 1953 and the best finish for a 17-year-old since Young Tom Morris won the thing in 1868.
“Obviously, ’98 was a magical week,” said Rose.
Rose then turned professional the next day, as planned months earlier, and missed 21 straight cuts. He drove to Birkdale one fall day in 2000, but couldn’t bring himself to get out of the car after so much struggle. The Englishman, who went on to win the 2013 U.S. Open and 2016 Olympic gold as well as reach world No. 1, is making his 23rd Open Championship appearance, with runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2024. Rose is one of four players in the field who competed in the 1998, 2008 and 2017 Open Championships at Royal Birkdale (others: Stewart Cink, David Duval, Padraig Harrington).
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“There’s no bigger buzz I’ve ever experienced than that moment on the 18th green when that pitch shot went in,” Rose said. “There’s no doubt about it. I think I’ve had as satisfying moments on the golf course, but never quite that sort of — that same sort of buzz.”
SOUTHAMPTON, NEW YORK – JUNE 19: Jordan Spieth of the United States (L) and Justin Rose of England shake hands on the 18th green after finishing their round during the second round of the 126th U.S. OPEN at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 19, 2026 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Spieth won the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale, the last time the championship was played here and joined Jack Nicklaus in racking up his third major title at age 23. He did so with one of the great closing performances. After a miraculous bogey at 13, he went birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie to blow past Matt Kuchar and win by three.
“This is as much of a high as I’ve ever experienced in my golfing life,” Spieth said at the time.
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And now he can experience the high of playing at Birkdale whenever he likes.
Adam Schupak is a senior writer for Golfweek, covering the PGA Tour.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose named honorary members at Royal Birkdale
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