British Open commences at Royal Birkdale as final major of 2026 season begins

The 2026 British Open golf tournament commenced on Thursday at Royal Birkdale in England, initiating the final major championship of the calendar year. The event concludes a nine-month cycle of major championships, with the next season not scheduled to begin until later in the year. The tournament field includes 15 members of LIV Golf, with Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau identified as prominent figures whose participation is viewed as significant for the league’s standing as it appears to be winding down its current operational cycle.

Top-ranked Scottie Scheffler enters the tournament as the betting favourite, despite entering following a missed cut at the previous week’s Genesis Scottish Open. This result marked Scheffler’s first missed cut since 2022. Rory McIlroy is also positioned as a key contender, having achieved a top-10 finish at the same Scottish event earlier in the week. Both players had expressed pessimistic outlooks regarding their performance prospects earlier in the week, though they remain central to the competitive narrative.

Tee times for the opening round have been released, with Matthew Baldwin, Thomas Detry, and James Nicholas scheduled to start the day. Scheffler and DeChambeau are paired together in the early morning wave, scheduled to tee off around 4:58 a.m. ET. McIlroy is set to play in the afternoon wave at 10:15 a.m. ET, alongside Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick. Other notable groupings include Russell Henley, Justin Rose, and Viktor Hovland at 4:36 a.m., and Jordan Spieth, Tommy Fleetwood, and Jon Rahm at 5:09 a.m.

The participation of LIV Golf members is seen as a critical test for the league, with a strong performance potentially helping to close out 2026 on a significant note. While specific outcomes remain uncertain, the presence of these players adds a layer of institutional complexity to the traditional major championship structure. The tournament serves as the last opportunity for players to compete for the Claret Jug in the current cycle.

Broadcast coverage for the opening day is managed by Peacock, airing from 1:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. ET, followed by USA Network from 4 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET. The event marks the end of a roughly 100-day sprint in the golf world, after which there will be a nine-month hiatus before the next major championship race begins.