The British Open — officially known as The Open Championship — is golf’s oldest and most historic major, closing out the men’s major season each July across iconic UK venues in England and Scotland. As the first major played outside the United States following the US Masters, PGA Championship, and US Open, The Open delivers a unique challenge defined by traditional links‑style courses, coastal winds, firm ground and natural conditions that shape scoring instead of manicured greens. With qualifying tournaments held across every continent and the winner’s name etched onto the legendary Claret Jug, The Open Championship carries unmatched prestige and betting interest. Ladbrokes gives punters a premium edge with the latest Open Championship odds, expert golf betting tips, detailed previews, and sharp The Open Championship predictions, with early markets often led by players who perform strongly in the US majors. Whether you’re chasing outright value, analysing course fit, comparing British Open odds, or locking in your best bets for Royal Birkdale, this page delivers everything you need to bet smarter on one of world golf’s most unpredictable and tradition‑rich tournaments.
2026 Open Championship Odds
The 2026 Open Championship odds market is already taking shape as punters lock onto the key contenders heading to Royal Birkdale, with Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood driving early interest across the major betting boards. As golf’s oldest championship and the final men’s major of the season, The Open delivers a unique blend of links‑style unpredictability, weather‑driven momentum swings and course‑fit volatility — all of which heavily influence outright prices, top‑finisher markets and round‑by‑round value. With 156 players qualifying globally and the Claret Jug on the line, punters can expect constant movement in the British Open odds, especially as form lines from the US majors settle and Birkdale’s coastal conditions come into focus. Whether you’re analysing outright favourites, chasing mid‑tier value or tracking market movers, the Open Championship betting landscape offers one of the most dynamic and opportunity‑rich setups on the Ladbrokes Australia golf calendar.
2026 The Open Championship Betting Preview & Predictions
The 2026 Open Championship lands at Royal Birkdale for the 154th edition of golf’s oldest major, delivering a pure links examination defined by coastal winds, firm ground and precision shot‑making on a historic par‑70 layout that has crowned legends from Peter Thomson and Arnold Palmer to Tom Watson, Padraig Harrington, Jordan Spieth and defending champion Scottie Scheffler. Birkdale’s reputation as a true test is backed by wildly contrasting winning scores — from Harrington’s gritty +3 in 2008 to Spieth’s ‑12 in 2017 — reinforcing the importance of scrambling, Strokes Gained: Around the Green, Strokes Gained: Approach, GIR, and elite putting under pressure. With form lines tied closely to the Alfred Dunhill Links and Scottish Open, punters can expect a wide‑open championship shaped by weather swings, course‑fit specialists and major‑season momentum as 156 players chase the Claret Jug. To save our punters the heartache of going over the entire 2026 Open Championship field, Ladbrokes have broken down the best bets, value plays, roughies and top international chances for Royal Birkdale in 2026 — your complete Ladbrokes Australia preview for one of the most strategic and opportunity‑rich tournaments in world golf.
COMPLETE 2026 THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW, BEST BETS & TIPS
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2026 – QUICK INFO
- 2026 The Open Championship Dates: July 16-19, 2026
- Location: Royal Birkdale Golf Club
- Edition: 154th
- Organised By: The R&A
- Field: 156 players
- 2026 Open Championship Winner: TBC
- 2026 Open Championship Winner’s Score: TBC
- Prize Money: US$17,000,000
- Winner’s Share: US$3,100,000
The 2026 Open Championship returns from 16–19 July at the iconic Royal Birkdale Golf Club, delivering golf’s oldest and most tradition‑rich major on a classic links layout shaped by coastal winds, firm ground and demanding shot‑making. Scottie Scheffler arrives as the defending champion after claiming the Claret Jug last year, leading a stacked field of 156 players that includes early favourites Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood in the latest Open Championship odds. With global qualifying events feeding into one of the sport’s most prestigious trophies, punters can expect a wide‑open major defined by course fit, weather swings and links‑style creativity. The best ways to bet The Open include outright markets, top‑10 and top‑20 plays, round‑by‑round tips and player‑prop angles, making it one of the most strategic and value‑rich tournaments on the Ladbrokes Australia golf betting calendar.
Course Details – Royal Birkdale
- Par: 70
- Length: 7,156 yards (6,543 m)
- Course rating: 76.5
Slope rating: 151 - Signature holes include:
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT
- Venue: Various locations across the United Kingdom
- Date: July
- Inauguration: 1860
- Par: 70 in 2026
- Length: 7,156 yards (6,543 m) in 2026
- Format: Stroke Play
- Tours: DP World Tour, PGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour
- Prize Money: US$17 million in 2026
- Current The Open Champion: Scottie Scheffler (2025)
The Open Championship, also referred to as the British Open or simply The Open, dates back until 1860 making it the oldest of the four golfing majors. Traditionally the event is a stroke play tournament that takes place across four days of play. The world’s best professional golfers make-up the British Open field that consists of 156 players in 2026. The Open Championship has been played from Thursday – Sunday since 1980 and the last major The Open Championship rule change occurred in 1996 when the “10-shot rule” was dropped. Among the 28 current exemption categories to make The Open Championship field are: the Top 50 players on the Official World Golf Ranking, Top 30 players from the past season’s European Tour Race to Dubai, all previous The Open Championship winners aged 60 or under and the Top 10 players from the previous year’s The Open Championships results.
How to Bet on the Open Championship
Betting on the Open Championship is all about understanding links‑style golf, shifting weather and player profiles that thrive under major‑pressure conditions. Punters can start with outright betting, backing the tournament winner based on course fit, recent form and major‑season momentum. Top‑5, Top‑10 and Top‑20 markets offer safer value for consistent performers who regularly contend without always converting. For those chasing round‑specific edges, round‑by‑round betting lets you target players suited to early‑morning conditions, late‑day winds or momentum swings across the four rounds. Punters can also explore player‑prop markets such as birdie totals, bogey‑free rounds and group betting, which often deliver strong value at links venues like Royal Birkdale. With weather, course setup and historical trends playing a major role, analysing Open Championship odds early — and tracking market movers throughout the week — is the smartest way to find value and bet with confidence with Ladbrokes Australia.
FUTURE OPEN CHAMPIONISHIP VENUES
| Year | Venue | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Royal Birkdale | Southport, England | 11th time hosting; last held in 2017 |
| 2027 | St Andrews (Old Course) | Fife, Scotland | 31st time hosting; iconic venue, last held in 2022 |
| 2028 | TBD (Speculated: Portmarnock or Turnberry) | Dublin, Ireland / Ayrshire, Scotland | Portmarnock would be first Open outside UK; Turnberry under speculation |
PAST THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS
Below is a table of the past winners of The Open Championship dating back to the year 2000 to current.
| Year | Country | Champion | Course | Location | Total score | To par |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | United States | Tiger Woods | St Andrews | St Andrews, Scotland | 269 | −19 |
| 2001 | United States | David Duval | Royal Lytham & St Annes | Lytham St Annes, England | 274 | −10 |
| 2002 | South Africa | Ernie Els Tournament won in a playoff | Muirfield | Gullane, Scotland | 278 | −6 |
| 2003 | United States | Ben Curtis | Royal St George’s | Sandwich, England | 283 | −1 |
| 2004 | United States | Todd Hamilton Tournament won in a playoff | Royal Troon | Troon, Scotland | 274 | −10 |
| 2005 | United States | Tiger Woods | St Andrews | St Andrews, Scotland | 274 | −14 |
| 2006 | United States | Tiger Woods | Royal Liverpool | Hoylake, England | 270 | −18 |
| 2007 | Ireland | Pádraig Harrington Tournament won in a playoff | Carnoustie | Carnoustie, Scotland | 277 | −7 |
| 2008 | Ireland | Pádraig Harrington | Royal Birkdale | Southport, England | 283 | +3 |
| 2009 | United States | Stewart Cink Tournament won in a playoff | Turnberry | South Ayrshire, Scotland | 278 | −2 |
| 2010 | South Africa | Louis Oosthuizen | St Andrews | St Andrews, Scotland | 272 | −16 |
| 2011 | Northern Ireland | Darren Clarke | Royal St George’s | Sandwich, England | 275 | −5 |
| 2012 | South Africa | Ernie Els | Royal Lytham & St Annes | Lytham St Annes, England | 273 | −7 |
| 2013 | United States | Phil Mickelson | Muirfield | Gullane, Scotland | 281 | −3 |
| 2014 | Northern Ireland | Rory McIlroy | Royal Liverpool | Hoylake, England | 271 | −17 |
| 2015 | United States | Zach Johnson Tournament won in a playoff | St Andrews | St Andrews, Scotland | 273 | −15 |
| 2016 | Sweden | Henrik Stenson | Royal Troon | Troon, Scotland | 264 | −20 |
| 2017 | United States | Jordan Spieth | Royal Birkdale | Southport, England | 268 | −12 |
| 2018 | Italy | Francesco Molinari | Carnoustie Golf Links | Angus, Scotland | 276 | -8 |
| 2019 | Ireland | Shane Lowry | Royal Portrush Golf Club Dunluce Links |
Portrush, County Antrim, Northern Ireland | 269 | -15 |
| 2020 Event Cancelled due to COVID-19 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2021 | United States | Collin Morikawa | Royal St George’s Golf Club | Sandwich, England | 265 | -15 |
| 2022 | Australia | Cameron Smith | Old Course | St Andrews, Scotland | 268 | -20 |
| 2023 | United States | Brian Harman | Royal Liverpool Golf Club | Hoylake, Merseyside, England | 271 | -13 |
| 2024 | United States | Xander Schauffele | Royal Troon Golf Club | South Ayrshire, Scotland | 275 | -9 |
| 2025 | United States | Scottie Scheffler | Royal Portrush Golf Club | County Antrim, Northern Ireland | 267 | -17 |
Open Championship FAQs
What is the Open Championship?
The Open Championship — often called The Open or the British Open — is golf’s oldest major, played annually on historic links courses across the UK and renowned for its weather‑shaped difficulty and tradition.
When is the 2026 Open Championship?
The 2026 Open Championship runs from 16–19 July at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England.
Where is the Open Championship played?
The tournament rotates between iconic UK links venues including St Andrews, Royal Birkdale, Royal St George’s, Royal Liverpool and Muirfield.
How many players compete in the Open Championship?
The field traditionally features 156 players, made up of exempt golfers and qualifiers from global events.
What makes links golf different?
Links golf is defined by coastal winds, firm turf, natural dunes, pot bunkers and weather‑driven scoring conditions — demanding creativity, trajectory control and elite scrambling.
What are the key stats for betting on The Open?
Punters typically focus on Scrambling, Strokes Gained: Around the Green, Strokes Gained: Approach, GIR, and Putting Average, all crucial on links courses.
How do I bet on the Open Championship?
Popular markets include outrights, top‑10/20 finishes, round‑by‑round betting, group betting, and player props such as birdie totals or bogey‑free rounds.
What tournaments correlate with Open Championship form?
The Scottish Open and Alfred Dunhill Links are strong indicators of links‑golf performance and often shape early betting markets.
What does the Open Championship winner receive?
The champion earns the iconic Claret Jug, a multi‑year exemption on major tours, and significant world‑ranking points.
Who are the most successful Open Championship players?
Legends include Old Tom Morris, Harry Vardon, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tiger Woods, and modern stars like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.