07/16/26 01:28:00
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07/16 01:26 CDT British Open returns to a new Royal Birkdale and an old chase
for the claret jug
British Open returns to a new Royal Birkdale and an old chase for the claret jug
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
SOUTHPORT, England (AP) --- Matthew Baldwin teed off at Royal Birkdale, just as
he has done countless times as a member of the century-old links who grew up a
short walk away. What made Thursday different was having a full grandstand
surrounding him and a shiny claret jug reminding him what's at stake.
Baldwin hit the opening tee shot at the 154th edition of the British Open, an
iron that split the middle of the brown fairway and was approved by a cheering
crowd.
James Nicholas was in the first group for the second straight major. The New
York native was first off at Shinnecock Hills last month in the U.S. Open,
hitting his opening tee shot in fog so thick he couldn't see it land in the
fairway. This shot at Birkdale didn't go so well, pulled into the thick grass
and leading to an opening bogey.
And with that began the longest day in golf, part of what makes this major
stand out from the others --- 15 hours of golf along the Irish sea, summer
daylight seemingly endless.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler was among those playing early, along with
Jordan Spieth, the last Open champion at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
But it's different now. The course was green and the rough was lush when Spieth
won. A heat wave across Europe, and a forecast of sunshine, has left the course
brown and baked, conditions that make for the best brand of links golf because
the ball rolls and tumbles and bounces.
"The ball is just going to run forever," Scheffler said.
The course also has an entirely new 15th hole, a par 3 at 241 yards, and four
other holes that have gone through significant changes.
Scheffler is coming off a missed cut at the Scottish Open --- his first in
nearly four years --- and will try to become the first repeat winner of the
British Open since Padraig Harrington in 2007-08. He also is trying to win for
the first time since January.
He will be alongside Bryson DeChambeau, who has missed the cut in every major
this year.
Baldwin is among 21 players from England in the field, and hopes have never
been higher for an English links to produce an English champion for the first
time since Tony Jacklin in 1969.
Tommy Fleetwood, the FedEx Cup champion, grew up in Southport. Justin Rose is
still among the top 10 in the world at age 45, having first made his mark at
Royal Birkdale when he tied for fourth as a 17-year-old amateur in 1998. Matt
Fitzpatrick is No. 3 in the world, and his three victories this year are more
than Scheffler and Masters champion Rory McIlroy combined.
McIlroy played in the afternoon, the back-to-back Masters champion who last won
the British Open in 2014 down the coast at Royal Liverpool.
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
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