'A special place'

Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth is relishing the return to the scene of his most “memorable” and “dramatic” victory as excitement grows for The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.

Next summer Spieth will once again tee off at Royal Birkdale, where the American emerged victorious to lift the Claret Jug in 2017 and become only the second player after Jack Nicklaus to win three of the men’s four majors before the age of 24.

That followed an enthralling duel with countryman Matt Kuchar, whom he trailed after dropping a shot on the 13th when his wayward drive famously led to a penalty drop on the driving range.

But Spieth impressively went on to win by three strokes after a thrilling five-under-par finish to add to his triumphs at the Masters Tournament and the US Open.

He is now excited for his return to Royal Birkdale from 12–19 July 2026 and competing in the “best golf tournament in the world” for “the greatest trophy in all of golf”.

Spieth said: “I’m very excited to see The 154th Open returning to Royal Birkdale next year. It’s obviously a special place for me. In some ways, it is the most memorable victory that I’ve ever had. It was probably the most dramatic.

“I remember many of the shots that I hit throughout the entire week, I remember the house I stayed in and I obviously remember walking onto the 18th green and being called ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’. To be able to walk around and really embrace what is the greatest 18th hole display in all of golf and receive golf’s most incredible trophy, it was a dream come true for me.

“In my opinion it’s the best golf tournament in the world – and the fans are a huge reason for that.”

With Spieth and a world-class field again set to tee off at the iconic Southport venue in July – including Scottie Scheffler after his victory at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush in July – huge demand for tickets has already seen the Ticket Ballot oversubscribed for next year’s Championship.

However, there are other ways for fans to guarantee their attendance at Royal Birkdale through Ticket Plus, Hospitality Experiences and Destination Packages.

The Open Experiences is a brand new set of ticket and hospitality products. They include Ticket Plus, giving course access with added extras, to high-end luxury hospitality with a Signature option. The experiences allow fans to witness the Championship like never before – and places can be secured from today.

After 278,000 fans attended Royal Portrush – a record for The Open held outside St Andrews – Spieth is now looking forward to playing in front of large galleries on England’s north-west coast.

“The crowds are amazing,” added the former world number one. “It’s great, especially coming off of Covid-19, that the Championship seems every year to just be getting bigger and better. They are the most knowledgeable fans in the world and then you have those massive grandstands where you get a great amphitheatre setting for links golf.

“Northern Ireland was unbelievable, the support that was there. It’s the most worldly tournament. What’s cool for us as players is that we’re very aware of where our ball is at all times. It’s incredible. The fans know when a shot is up to the calibre that it should be or when it’s not. And then there is nothing like that walk up the 18th every year.”

Also new for 2026 are ticket-inclusive accommodation options. The Destination Packages allow fans to secure their ticket or hospitality experience combined with accommodation and travel, plus added extras like tee-times on some of England’s best golf courses, to take the stress out of planning a trip to watch the world’s best players at The 154th Open.

For the victor, holding aloft the Claret Jug on the 18th green is one of the most iconic moments in sport and Spieth will never forget the memories.

The 32-year-old, a 13-time winner on the PGA TOUR, said: “I just found myself thinking ‘wow, this is the Claret Jug’. I had held it and celebrated with Zach (Johnson) two years prior (in St Andrews) and fortunately that wasn’t a curse!

“I think it’s the greatest trophy in all of golf. When you’re looking at the trophy and then you’re looking around at that spectacle of what The R&A creates on the 18th hole, that’s when I was like ‘wow, how many images and videos have I seen of some of the greats of the game holding this trophy on the 18th hole?’ It was a kind of pinch me moment, for sure.”