British Open 2026 field set as last-chance qualifier nears
The British Open 2026 field is nearly complete: 156 golfers will chase the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale when play begins July 16, with berths earned through 25 R&A exemption categories. One spot remains for the winner of a 12-player Last-Chance Qualifier on July 13, just days before the 154th Open gets underway. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler heads a star-studded lineup at the Southport links, while Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els and John Daly are among exempt players who opted out.
Key Takeaways
- 156 players will compete at Royal Birkdale, hosting its 11th Open, with rounds running July 16–19.
- Qualification spans 25 exemption paths, from past champions and world rankings to regional qualifiers.
- Twelve golfers battle Monday, July 13, in an 18-hole Last-Chance Qualifier for the final field spot.
- UK viewers can watch live on Sky Sports Golf; Scheffler opens as the +750 favorite per CBS Sports.
- A SportsLine model that has nailed 17 majors flags Ludvig Aberg as a top-three contender at +3000.
Who makes up the British Open 2026 field?
The 2026 Open Championship tees off Thursday, July 16, at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England, and runs through Sunday, July 19. When competition begins, 156 golfers will try to reach the weekend and hoist the Claret Jug at the links hosting its 11th Open.
Past Open winners on the tee sheet include Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry, Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele. Spieth won the last Open staged here in 2017. This year's first three major winners — McIlroy (Masters), Aaron Rai (PGA Championship) and Wyndham Clark (U.S. Open) — are all in the field, according to CBS Sports.
How did players qualify for Royal Birkdale?
The R&A uses 25 exemption categories for the 2026 British Open. Past champions are exempt until age 60, or 55 if their Claret Jug came after 2024 — a rule that keeps Scheffler and Schauffele in the field alongside legends like Padraig Harrington and Louis Oosthuizen.
Other routes include top-10 finishers from the 2025 Open, top-50 OWGR players as of May 24, recent major winners, FedExCup and Race to Dubai standouts, amateur champions and Open Qualifying Series events. Final Qualifying produced names such as Caleb Surratt, Peter Uihlein and Matthew Southgate, per USA Today.
Exempt players who declined or withdrew include Woods, Mickelson, Els, Daly, Zach Johnson and Paul Lawrie. USA Today reports spots were filled for exempt players who chose not to participate.
What is the last-chance qualifier?
One berth remains unsettled. On July 13, twelve players will contest an 18-hole stroke-play Last-Chance Qualifier at Royal Birkdale — three days before Thursday's opening tee shot. The low scorer earns the 156th and final start.
The format is a dramatic twist for players who narrowly missed other paths. For more offbeat sports drama, see our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage.
When and where can you watch the 2026 Open?
The championship runs July 16–19 at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. UK subscribers can catch every shot on Sky Sports Golf from 6:30 a.m. BST on Thursday and Friday, with BBC Two airing daily highlights. Weekend coverage starts at 9 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday on Sky Sports Golf, much of it simulcast on Sky Sports Main Event, per ESPN.
The R&A has not yet announced 2026 prize money; the 2025 winner's share was $3.1 million. Tee times will be confirmed during tournament week. CBS Sports lists Scheffler as the +750 favorite, with McIlroy at +850 and Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) and Matt Fitzpatrick (+2000) further back — though a model that simulated the event 10,000 times suggests fading Fleetwood and backing Aberg as a top-three sleeper.