Nine things to know: Royal Birkdale, site of 2026 British Open Championship

The 154th Open Championship is being held at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, marking the 11th time the club has hosted golf's oldest major, with all previous editions coming since 1954. The course sits along a 20-mile stretch of Merseyside coastline on the Irish Sea, surrounded by several other world-class links courses including Hillside, Southport and Ainsdale, and Royal Liverpool. The area's neighboring Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club notably hosted the Ryder Cup in both 1933 and 1937.