World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has already warned that Royal Birkdale will be a stern test for the world’s best when The Open tees off on Thursday.
Scottie Scheffler played a practice round at Royal Birkdale on Tuesday and immediately flagged the course’s tough conditions. The classic links layout has undergone major renovations ahead of the 154th Open Championship, with five holes reshaped to add more slope and challenge.
What did Scheffler say about Royal Birkdale?
Scheffler called the course “really good” after his first look, but singled out the renovated holes for special attention. The 5th, 7th, 14th, 15th and 16th have been rebuilt, and Scheffler said the changes are “pretty obvious.”
“You look at 14, 15, 16, those green complexes and the amount of slope that they have off of them are pretty severe and quite challenging,” Scheffler said. “The 5th hole is kind of like that, and the 7th hole as well. It was pretty obvious, ‘Oh, these are the holes that got redone because they look like they’re on a different golf course.’”
Why the firm fairways change everything
Royal Birkdale is always tough, but the hot and dry English summer has turned the fairways rock-hard. Scheffler explained that the ball will run “for forever,” making it hard to hold greens or stay in the short stuff.
“There’s a lot of thinking off the tee on whether or not you want to just hit driver up there somewhere and kind of play from the rough most likely, or do you want to start hitting some irons,” Scheffler said. “On each hole there’s a good bit of strategy; there’s a decent amount of thinking.”
What comes next for Scheffler at The Open?
Scheffler arrives fresh off his 2025 Open win at Royal Portrush, where he handled firm links conditions better than anyone. He’ll need that experience this week, because Royal Birkdale’s new look and firm turf promise a stern test for the field.
The 154th Open Championship begins Thursday at Royal Birkdale, with Scheffler among the favorites after his practice round left him impressed—and wary.