Open Eve at Royal Birkdale arrived with a firm, fast golf course, one big-name withdrawal and a genuine split-screen problem for England’s leading players — balancing the biggest week of their golfing year against a World Cup semi-final kicking off a few hundred miles away. By the time the gates closed on Wednesday’s practice, the storylines feeding into Thursday’s opening tee shot had multiplied well beyond the leaderboard.
None of it changes the size of the prize. The Claret Jug is still decided the same way it always has been, over four rounds on a links course that has turned brown and quick in a heatwave — but this year the build-up has had an unusually busy supporting cast, from a South African great pulling out with a bad back to an 18-year-old making Open history before he has even enrolled at university.
The pace of the week has been relentless: Last-Chance Qualifying on 12 July, the Heroes Classic and a fresh course verdict on 14 July, and by Wednesday 15 July, a confirmed withdrawal, a headline equipment change and three separate England-World Cup storylines inside 24 hours. With Thursday’s 6:35am opening tee shot now hours away, the question hanging over Royal Birkdale is simple: how many of this week’s subplots survive contact with the actual golf?
What happened on Open Eve at Royal Birkdale?
Louis Oosthuizen withdrew from the Championship on Monday with a back injury, and Wednesday brought the final verdict on a course baked hard by a week of sunshine. Royal Birkdale member Matthew Baldwin, who qualified through Final Qualifying, was confirmed for the honour of striking Thursday’s opening tee shot in front of a home crowd. The full breakdown of the withdrawal, Baldwin’s send-off and the conditions call is in ReadGolf’s Open Eve briefing.
How are England’s Open contenders juggling the World Cup semi-final?
Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick both went public with their tee time hopes as England’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina collided with Open week, with Fitzpatrick pushing organisers for a schedule that lets the “English lads” follow both. Rose tees off at 9:36am on Thursday, while Fitzpatrick is out in the afternoon wave alongside Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. The full story is in Rose and Fitzpatrick’s tee time plans.
What did Mateo Pulcini say about an Argentina party at the R&A?
On the other side of the same story, Argentina’s Mateo Pulcini plotted a celebration at Royal Birkdale if his country knock England out in the World Cup semi-final — a cheeky sub-plot to a week the R&A insists will not see its own schedule moved regardless of the result. Read the full account in Pulcini’s Argentina party plan.
Who is Lev Grinberg and why does his Open debut matter?
Amid the bigger names, 18-year-old Lev Grinberg’s appearance in the field carries its own weight — a milestone debut for the teenager before he heads to the University of Arkansas as a college freshman next month. The background is covered in ReadGolf’s profile of Grinberg’s Open bow.
What has Bryson DeChambeau changed in his bag for Thursday?
Bryson DeChambeau heads into a major he cannot afford to miss again with a genuinely new tool: a full set of 3D-printed irons, cleared by the USGA and spotted in his bag during Monday’s practice session. It is his first time carrying a complete printed set into a major, after using a single printed 5-iron at the Masters. The detail on the build process and what is riding on it is in DeChambeau’s 3D-printed irons story, which also revisits Nick Faldo’s rough slam warning from Tuesday.
When do this week’s marquee groups tee off?
Thursday’s groupings, confirmed earlier this week, pair the biggest names together from the first morning. According to the tournament’s own report, Tuesday’s Heroes Classic exhibition — Scottie Scheffler, Justin Rose and Paula Martín Sampedro against a field of past champions and guests — was won by Team Scheffler by two points from Team Yamashita, a curtain-raiser that fits neatly alongside the group Scheffler tees off with proper on Thursday.
| Group | Players | Round 1 (Thu) | Round 2 (Fri) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening tee shot | Matthew Baldwin, Thomas Detry, James Nicholas | 6:35am | – |
| Defending champion group | Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton | 9:58am | 3:04pm |
| Home favourite group | Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Jordan Spieth | 10:09am | 3:15pm |
| Marquee afternoon group | Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick | 3:15pm | 10:09am |
Golf Talking Points Facts: 15th July 2026
Is Louis Oosthuizen playing in the 2026 Open? No. As of 15th July 2026, Oosthuizen has withdrawn from Royal Birkdale with a back injury.
What time is Thursday’s opening tee shot at the 154th Open? 6:35am BST on 16th July, struck by Royal Birkdale member Matthew Baldwin.
Has England reached the World Cup final? Not yet. As of 15th July 2026, England are still to play their World Cup semi-final against Argentina, with the result unknown at the time of writing.
Who won Royal Birkdale’s Heroes Classic? Team Scheffler — Scottie Scheffler, Justin Rose and Paula Martín Sampedro — beat Team Yamashita by two points on Tuesday 14th July, per the tournament’s own report.
