Royal Birkdale Unveils 241-Yard 15th for 154th Open as Course Stretches to 7,223 Yards
Updated
Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 13
Royal Birkdale Unveils 241-Yard 15th for 154th Open as Course Stretches to 7,223 Yards
3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jul 13
Summary
156 players arrive at Royal Birkdale for the 154th Open with a redesigned layout headlined by a new par-3 15th and a course now 67 yards longer than in 2017.
The debuting 15th will play 241 yards, while the old 15th becomes a 602-yard par-5 14th in a Tom Mackenzie-led overhaul that reshapes the inward nine.
Dry weather, temperatures in the 70s and mostly moderate winds are forecast early, a setup closer to Jordan Spieth’s 12-under winning Open in 2017 than the punishing 2008 edition won at 3-over.
Royal Birkdale can still swing sharply with conditions: Branden Grace shot major history’s first 62 here in 2017, but the course also produced a 74.869 scoring average in 2008.
The stakes extend beyond the claret jug, with the top 10 earning spots in the 2027 Open at St Andrews and the winner securing major exemptions through 2031.