Photo by Lo Sarno on Unsplash Statistical analysis of amateur golf performance consistently reveals a counterintuitive finding: distance control errors on approach shots cost recreational golfers more strokes than directional errors, even though most golfers practice and worry about direction far more. The Statistical Pattern Shot-tracking data from systems used across recreational and competitive golf shows that amateur golfers are typically far more likely to miss an approach shot short or long of their intended distance than they are to miss significantly left or right of their intended line. A shot that's 15 yards short or long frequently finds trouble — a bunker, water, or simply a much longer subsequent putt — in a way that a shot 10 yards left or right of the pin, but still on the green, does not. Why This Happens Directional misses are usually caused by face-to-path errors, covered in our ball flight laws article , which tend to be relatively consistent for an individual g...
The 154th Open Championship begins Thursday July 16 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England. Practice rounds are underway, the Last Chance Qualifier was played Monday, and the world's best players are making their final preparations for the final major of 2026. Here is the complete preview of everything to watch at the 2026 Open Championship.
The Field — Three Fresh Major Champions
The 2026 Open field includes three players who have won major championships this season: Rory McIlroy (Masters, April), Aaron Rai (PGA Championship, May), and Wyndham Clark (US Open, June). Scheffler defends having won the Open at Portrush twelve months ago. The concentration of recent major championship momentum in this field is unusually high — four players arriving at Birkdale having won or defended a major within the past three months.
Scheffler's Grand Slam Quest
Scheffler holds three of the four major championships — the Masters, the PGA Championship, and The Open. His career Grand Slam would require a US Open title, which Wyndham Clark took at Shinnecock Hills last week. That means Scheffler's Grand Slam pursuit continues beyond 2026. At Birkdale his focus is simply on defending the Claret Jug — something only a handful of players have done in the championship's modern era.
Clark's Back-to-Back Attempt
Clark's US Open victory at Shinnecock Hills nine days before The Open is historically unusual. Players winning consecutive majors in the same season is rare — the list is short and distinguished. If Clark can win at Birkdale, he joins a very small group of players who have won two majors in the same calendar year. His motivation coming off Shinnecock will be high and his confidence in major championship situations has never been higher.
McIlroy's Links Homecoming
McIlroy's links background, his 2014 Open title, his agonising Portrush second place in 2025, and his Grand Slam completion in April all combine to create a narrative that makes him one of the most compelling figures at Birkdale. If there is a player the galleries want to see win this week, it is likely McIlroy.
How to Watch
Peacock from 1:30 AM ET all four days. USA Network from 4:00 AM Thursday and Friday. NBC from 7:00 AM Saturday and Sunday — free over the air with a digital antenna. The Open Championship app provides free Featured Groups and live scoring. The championship begins Thursday morning at Royal Birkdale and runs through Sunday afternoon. If you watch nothing else in golf this year, the final round of The Open is the one to see.
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