Ali Stafford

Tommy Fleetwood targets a maiden major victory as he competes in The Open at his hometown course, Royal Birkdale, buoyed by strong recent form and local support. Reflecting on past experiences and runner-up major finishes, he embraces the opportunity without letting expectations define his career, acknowledging the challenge of securing a major title while remaining focused on enjoying the pursuit.

Rory McIlroy will begin his Open Championship campaign in a late Thursday grouping alongside Xander Schauffele and Matt Fitzpatrick, while defending champion Scottie Scheffler starts early with Tyrrell Hatton and Bryson DeChambeau. Additional featured groups include Tommy Fleetwood with Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth, and Cameron Young with Wyndham Clark and Ludvig Åberg. Matt Baldwin will hit the opening tee shot after advancing through Final Qualifying. Sir Nick Faldo notes that weather variability on links courses can make either side of the draw advantageous. Sky Sports will broadcast extensive live coverage beginning Thursday morning.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy enter The Open with questions surrounding their approach play despite strong recent major performances. American contenders remain prominent, with players such as Chris Gotterup, Russell Henley, Wyndham Clark, Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa showing strong form. Bryson DeChambeau faces pressure to avoid missing all four major cuts this season amid ongoing scrutiny of his game. England seeks its first Open champion since 1992, with Tommy Fleetwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton and Aaron Rai among the main hopes. The tournament unfolds at Royal Birkdale with extensive live coverage throughout the week.