From an out-of-sorts Scheffler to caddie nuptials: what to look out for at 2026 Open

The 154th Open Championship begins at Royal Birkdale on Thursday, with defending champion Scottie Scheffler arriving in uncertain form after missing the cut at last week's Scottish Open. The world No 1 won the 2025 Open by four strokes but has managed only one victory in 2026, January's American Express, along with four runner-up finishes including at the Masters. Scheffler downplayed concerns about his missed cut — his first in four years — attributing it partly to the difficulty of the course.