Southport, England · Links
11 major championships hosted since 1954
Established
1889
Designer
George Lowe; Hawtree & Taylor (redesign)
Par
70
Championship Yardage
7,156 yds
Royal Birkdale, set among towering Lancashire dunes near Southport, is one of the most respected and best-conditioned links in the world. Its fairways run flat in the valleys between the dunes, giving players fair lies and a true test of ball-striking.
Birkdale has crowned a remarkable list of champions, from Peter Thomson and Arnold Palmer to Tom Watson, Mark O'Meara, Pádraig Harrington, Jordan Spieth — whose 2017 victory featured one of the great recovery holes in Open history — and Ryan Fox, who fired a record-tying 62 on Saturday en route to his 2026 title.
Lowest scoring marks recorded in major championship competition at Royal Birkdale.
Course Record (round)
62
Branden Grace (2017), Ryan Fox (2026)
Lowest 72-Hole Total
268 (−20)
Jordan Spieth, 2017 (12-under)
First Major Hosted
1954
Total Majors Hosted
11
Every major championship staged at Royal Birkdale, by championship and year.
| Championship | Times | Years |
|---|---|---|
| The Open | 11 | 1954, 1961, 1965, 1971, 1976, 1983, 1991, 1998, 2008, 2017, 2026 |
Defining rounds and championship moments in the history of Royal Birkdale.
Arnold Palmer won in a gale, hitting a famous recovery from rough beside the 16th; a plaque marks the spot.
A 19-year-old Severiano Ballesteros tied for second behind Johnny Miller, signaling a new star.
Ian Baker-Finch shot 29 on the front nine of the final round to win going away.
Pádraig Harrington won his second straight Open in brutal wind with a closing eagle on 17.
Jordan Spieth made bogey from the driving range right of the 13th, then played 5-under over the last five holes to beat Matt Kuchar.
Ryan Fox fired a third-round 62 — tying Branden Grace's record for the lowest single round in major history — then held on to birdie the 72nd hole and claim the 154th Open title at −10 (270). It was the first major won by a New Zealander since Bob Charles in 1963.
Ryan Fox of New Zealand won the 2026 Open at −10 (270), holing the winning birdie on the 72nd hole. Fox had fired a record-tying 62 in the third round.
Jordan Spieth won at 12-under, capped by a remarkable recovery on the 13th and a closing birdie-eagle-birdie-par run.
Its flat valley fairways between the dunes give fair bounces, making it widely considered one of the fairest and finest links.
Champions include Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tom Watson, Mark O'Meara, Pádraig Harrington, Jordan Spieth (2017) and Ryan Fox (2026).