Avoiding blow-up holes isn’t glamorous, but it’s how you win. Whatever your trophy is, this is how you chase it – by turning big numbers into manageable ones.
Last week and this week represent at “14-day chunk” for McIlroy that will be the highlight of his northern summer. After that, it’s another reset, with the goal of peaking again for the Ryder Cup.
Ebert has spent the past 20 years, along with design partner Tom Mackenzie, refining his expertise as one of the most sought-after and visionary renovation specialists in the profession.
This year’s venue is a welcome diversion from the usual march of Open courses. The other championship venues are inarguably great, but Royal Portrush is unique.
Westwood, who has just one top-10 finish on the LIV Tour in 2025, shot rounds of 70 and 67, a seven-under total that was the lowest of anyone in the 68-player field.
It’s not the best look, but it’s also not uncommon in these kind of qualifying events; at last month’s US Open, more than a dozen tour pros failed to finish all 36 holes.
Golf’s oldest major will introduce a 12-player playoff for the final spot in the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, mirroring the Monday qualifier format traditionally used in PGA Tour events.
Australian Golf Digest
