The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale is just around the corner, and the 156-man field is filled with talented golfers vying for the coveted Claret Jug. As we take a closer look at the top 26 players in the field, it’s clear that this year’s championship will be a closely contested battle between some of the world’s best golfers.

1. Scottie Scheffler (Won 2025)

Scottie Scheffler is the current world No. 1 and a two-time major champion. Despite struggling with form over the past year, he remains one of the most dominant players in the game. With his exceptional ball-striking and clutch putting, Scheffler is always a threat to win, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Scheffler has been on the first page of the leaderboard at some point in all three majors this season, although he has yet to cross the finish line.

2. Rory McIlroy (Won 2014)

Rory McIlroy is a four-time major champion and one of the most consistent players in the world. Despite struggling with inconsistency over the past few months, McIlroy remains a force to be reckoned with. His impressive driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: McIlroy has a win and five other top-10 finishes in his last 10 Open appearances and drove it well at The Renaissance Club.

3. Matt Fitzpatrick (T4 in 2025)

Matt Fitzpatrick is a two-time major runner-up and one of the most consistent players in the world. His exceptional iron play and clutch putting make him a threat to win on any course, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Fitzpatrick has been exceptional with his iron play, and although the short game left a little to be desired, he is firmly in form.

4. Tommy Fleetwood (2nd in 2019)

Tommy Fleetwood is a two-time European Tour winner and one of the most consistent players in the world. His impressive driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Fleetwood has five top-15 finishes in a row since missing the cut at the PGA Championship, and his floor continues to put him in elite company.

• Key stats: In his last seven Opens, Fleetwood has five top-20 results, and this time should only improve on that mark as he improves throughout the bag and arrives with a much sharper short game than years past.

5. Jon Rahm (T2 in 2023)

Jon Rahm is a two-time major champion and one of the most dominant players in the game. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Rahm has been a factor in one of the three majors to date, which is light given his talent level and affinity for the moment.

• Key stats: The driver was a bright spot in Scotland, and his links golf pedigree is among the best in the game.

• Recent form: Rahm has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

6. Chris Gotterup (3rd in 2025)

Chris Gotterup is a three-time winner on the European Tour and one of the most exciting young players in the world. His exceptional ball-striking and clutch putting make him a threat to win on any course, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Gotterup has been in with a chance in his defense at the Scottish Open a week after a Sunday 62 put his name atop the leaderboard at the John Deere Classic.

• Key stats: Gotterup has made all three major cuts this season and is rounding into form at the exact right time for the second straight year at The Open.

• Recent form: Gotterup has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

7. Wyndham Clark (T4 in 2025)

Wyndham Clark is a two-time major champion and one of the most consistent players in the world. His exceptional ball-striking and clutch putting make him a threat to win on any course, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Clark has been exceptional with his iron play and clutch putting, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Key stats: For anyone else, that sentence would make them an auto-bet, but for whatever reason, Clark continues to lack the recognition some of his peers are garnering.

• Recent form: Clark has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

8. Viktor Hovland (T4 in 2022)

Viktor Hovland is a two-time major champion and one of the most dominant players in the game. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Hovland has been exceptional with his iron play, and although the short game left a little to be desired, he is firmly in form.

• Key stats: The ability to club down and pick and choose spots off the tee should help a thinker like Hovland, who remains one of the top iron players in the world.

• Recent form: Hovland has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

9. Justin Rose (T2 in 2018, 2024)

Justin Rose is a two-time major champion and one of the most consistent players in the world. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Rose has three top-11 finishes in the three major championships this season, and combine that with a good run at The Players Championship, and the Englishman has been present at each and every event one would want on the calendar.

• Key stats: Rose has been in exceptional form over the past few months, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent form: Rose has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

10. Xander Schauffele (Won 2024)

Xander Schauffele is a two-time major champion and one of the most dominant players in the game. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Schauffele has never missed the cut and rides a run of four straight top-20 finishes in this championship into this week.

• Key stats: The ceiling remains absent while the floor gets tested, and Schauffele has never missed the cut.

• Recent form: Schauffele has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

11. Collin Morikawa (Won 2021)

Collin Morikawa is a two-time major champion and one of the most dominant players in the game. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Morikawa has been exceptional with his iron play and clutch putting, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Key stats: Getting whispers of Morikawa given the execution heavy style test Royal Birkdale is combined with the firm, fast, fiery conditions.

• Recent form: Morikawa has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

12. Robert MacIntyre (T6 in 2019)

Robert MacIntyre is a two-time European Tour winner and one of the most exciting young players in the world. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: MacIntyre has been exceptional with his iron play and clutch putting, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Key stats: The big left-hander is rounding the corner, and MacIntyre was amiss for most of the spring, but once summer rolled around, so did his game with three top-15 finishes in his last four starts.

• Recent form: MacIntyre has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

13. Sam Burns (T31 in 2024)

Sam Burns is a two-time PGA Tour winner and one of the most exciting young players in the world. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Burns has been exceptional with his iron play and clutch putting, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Key stats: The U.S. Open runner-up is playing at a level he has not yet reached in his career, meaning a result in The Open he has not yet achieved could be in his future.

• Recent form: Burns has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

14. Cameron Young (2nd in 2022)

Cameron Young is a two-time PGA Tour winner and one of the most exciting young players in the world. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Young has been exceptional with his iron play and clutch putting, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Key stats: Young has struggled mightily on the greens over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent form: Young has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

15. Ludvig Åberg (T23 in 2025)

Ludvig Åberg is a two-time European Tour winner and one of the most exciting young players in the world. His exceptional driving distance and accuracy make him a threat on any course, and his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Recent performances: Åberg has been exceptional with his iron play and clutch putting, and his experience at Royal Birkdale will undoubtedly serve him well.

• Key stats: Åberg has taken his foot off the gas ever since the PGA Championship, where he was paired with Aaron Rai on the final day.

• Recent form: Åberg has been struggling to find his form over the past few months, but his experience at The Open will undoubtedly serve him well.