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After four days of battle at the 154th Open Championship, Ryan Fox prevailed to claim his first Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale.
Fox recorded a birdie on the 72nd hole to reach 10-under par and defeat Cameron Young by one stroke. It caps a major championship year where each of the winners comes from four different countries. (Masters: Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; PGA: Aaron Rai, England; Wyndham Clark, U.S.; Open: Fox, New Zealand)
Here are 10 winners from the Open Championship.
Jul 16, 2026; Southport, ENG; Ryan Fox plays his tee shot on hole 1 during the first round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Ryan Fox never finished inside the top 10 at an Open Championship, let alone in any of the four majors. However, on the 72nd hole, Fox played it perfectly, driving the ball into the fairway, setting up a 175-yard approach to 11 feet. By making birdie, Fox, 39, becomes the second player from New Zealand to win the Claret Jug and the first since Bob Charles won in 1963 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Fox shot an opening round 2-over 72 before getting back to even par before the cut line. Then on moving day, Fox tied a major championship record, shooting a 62 to move up the leaderboard before the final round.
Jul 18, 2026; Southport, ENG; Sam Burns gets a drop on the 14th green during the third round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last year, Sam Burns held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open before faltering down the stretch at Oakmont. Entering Sunday at the Open Championship, Burns was in the same spot, holding the 54-hole lead. Despite making birdie on the par-4 second, Burns made three consecutive bogeys on holes No. 4-6. Burns was unable to respond, recording 12 straight pars to end his final round and come up short of hoisting his first major championship. Burns’ silver lining came on Friday when he tied a major championship record with a 62 in bogey-free fashion.
Related: John Daly Wants Role in 2027 Ryder Cup Alongside Captain Tiger Woods
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Cameron Young plays his shot from the ninth tee during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cameron Young entered Sunday seven strokes back of the lead. With the memories of four years ago at St. Andrews for that year’s Open Championship, finishing as the runner-up, he knew that he could get back in the hunt. And he delivered. Young recorded birdies on each of his first three holes before finishing a front nine 5-under 29. Then on the back, he recorded birdies on both of the par-5s, the 15th and the 17th, to get to 6-under 64 and get to 9-under par on the leaderboard.
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Scottie Scheffler plays a shot on the 18th hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Despite missing his first cut in four years last week at the Scottish Open, Scottie Scheffler bounced back this week. As the defending champion of the Claret Jug, Scheffler shot 7-under par and tied for fourth. Scheffler made a late charge, making birdies on the par-4 16th and the par-5 17th. At the time, that got him to one shot back of Young. The World No. 1 was unable to make it three straight birdies, falling just short of becoming the first back-to-back winner at the Open Championship in nearly 20 years.
Jun 11, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Matt Fitzpatrick reacts after hitting a shot from the rough on the ninth hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One of the favorites that missed the cut was Matt Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick recorded a 2-over 72 both on Thursday and Friday. That included recording just one birdie in the second round to try and make a weekend tee time. Fitzpatrick’s biggest struggle came on the putting surface, ranking 153rd with -1.67 strokes gained around the green. The Englishman recorded his first missed cut of the season after three top five finishes in his last five starts.
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Lucas Herbert lines up a putt on the 18th green during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Like Fox, Lucas Herbert never recorded a top 10 at a major championship. Herbert placed 13th and 15th at the PGA Championship and the Open Championship in 2022, respectively. Herbert joined Burns on Friday with a 62 to tie the major championship record. The best part of Herbert’s game was his putting, ranking ninth at 4.91 strokes gained putting. His sixth-place finish helped him guarantee a ticket to next year’s Open Championship at St. Andrews.
Jul 16, 2026; Southport, ENG; Jordan Spieth waits to play his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The last player to win the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale was unable to recreate that success. Jordan Spieth, who rallied nine years ago by shooting -5 over the final five holes, struggled this week in his return to Royal Birkdale. Only four others in the field through two rounds posted a worse score at 10-over par. Spieth, who missed the cut by nine strokes, imploded on the back nine of his second round. He double-bogeyed the par-5 14th after three-putting from three feet. Spieth then recorded a quadruple bogey on the par-5 17th after recording two different penalty shots. Although Spieth posted two top 20s at the Masters and the PGA Championship, the Texan faltered in his other two major starts with a T56 at the U.S. Open and now a missed cut this week.
Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Justin Rose reacts after playing his shot from the second tee during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Justin Rose put together a strong 2026 major resume before the Open Championship began with a T3 at the Masters, a T10 at the PGA Championship and a T11 at the U.S. Open. However, Rose made seven bogeys and a double bogey in his opening round Thursday. This year’s Open Championship had the chance to be a memorable week. A 17-year-old Rose finished in fourth place and as the low amateur at the Open Championship in 1998 at Royal Birkdale.
Jul 16, 2026; Southport, ENG; Wyndham Clark lines up a putt on the third green during the first round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The reigning U.S. Open Champion struggled throughout the first two round to miss the cut by two strokes. Wyndham Clark registered four bogeys compared to one birdie in the opening round. That includes adding a stroke on the first and 18th holes on Thursday. On Friday, Clark carded three birdies on his front nine. However, he also had two double bogeys and three bogeys for a 4-over 38 on the front nine. Those added strokes proved to be too much, despite a comeback falling short to make the weekend. He birdied the par-3 15th and the par-4 16th before an eagle on the par-5 17th.
Jul 18, 2026; Southport, ENG; Tommy Fleetwood putts on the first green during the third round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tommy Fleetwood playing in his hometown for a tournament is special, let alone a major championship. Growing up in Southport, just a couple of miles from Royal Birkdale, Fleetwood had to balance all the feels. Fleetwood had a strong showing, joining Scheffler in a tie for fourth place at 7-under. The reigning FedEx Cup winner recorded all four rounds under par, closing with back-to-back birdies for 2-under 68 in the final round.
Related: 2026 Open Championship: 10 major storylines to watch at Royal Birkdale
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Fox recorded a birdie on the 72nd hole to reach 10-under par and defeat Cameron Young by one stroke. It caps a major championship year where each of the winners comes from four different countries. (Masters: Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; PGA: Aaron Rai, England; Wyndham Clark, U.S.; Open: Fox, New Zealand)
Here are 10 winners from the Open Championship.
Winner: Ryan Fox, 2026 Open Championship winner
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Jul 16, 2026; Southport, ENG; Ryan Fox plays his tee shot on hole 1 during the first round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Ryan Fox never finished inside the top 10 at an Open Championship, let alone in any of the four majors. However, on the 72nd hole, Fox played it perfectly, driving the ball into the fairway, setting up a 175-yard approach to 11 feet. By making birdie, Fox, 39, becomes the second player from New Zealand to win the Claret Jug and the first since Bob Charles won in 1963 at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. Fox shot an opening round 2-over 72 before getting back to even par before the cut line. Then on moving day, Fox tied a major championship record, shooting a 62 to move up the leaderboard before the final round.
Loser: Sam Burns
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Jul 18, 2026; Southport, ENG; Sam Burns gets a drop on the 14th green during the third round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Last year, Sam Burns held the 54-hole lead at the U.S. Open before faltering down the stretch at Oakmont. Entering Sunday at the Open Championship, Burns was in the same spot, holding the 54-hole lead. Despite making birdie on the par-4 second, Burns made three consecutive bogeys on holes No. 4-6. Burns was unable to respond, recording 12 straight pars to end his final round and come up short of hoisting his first major championship. Burns’ silver lining came on Friday when he tied a major championship record with a 62 in bogey-free fashion.
Related: John Daly Wants Role in 2027 Ryder Cup Alongside Captain Tiger Woods
Winner: Cameron Young
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Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Cameron Young plays his shot from the ninth tee during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Cameron Young entered Sunday seven strokes back of the lead. With the memories of four years ago at St. Andrews for that year’s Open Championship, finishing as the runner-up, he knew that he could get back in the hunt. And he delivered. Young recorded birdies on each of his first three holes before finishing a front nine 5-under 29. Then on the back, he recorded birdies on both of the par-5s, the 15th and the 17th, to get to 6-under 64 and get to 9-under par on the leaderboard.
Winner: Scottie Scheffler
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Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Scottie Scheffler plays a shot on the 18th hole during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Despite missing his first cut in four years last week at the Scottish Open, Scottie Scheffler bounced back this week. As the defending champion of the Claret Jug, Scheffler shot 7-under par and tied for fourth. Scheffler made a late charge, making birdies on the par-4 16th and the par-5 17th. At the time, that got him to one shot back of Young. The World No. 1 was unable to make it three straight birdies, falling just short of becoming the first back-to-back winner at the Open Championship in nearly 20 years.
Loser: Matt Fitzpatrick
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Jun 11, 2026; Caledon, Ontario, CAN; Matt Fitzpatrick reacts after hitting a shot from the rough on the ninth hole during the first round of the RBC Canadian Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
One of the favorites that missed the cut was Matt Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick recorded a 2-over 72 both on Thursday and Friday. That included recording just one birdie in the second round to try and make a weekend tee time. Fitzpatrick’s biggest struggle came on the putting surface, ranking 153rd with -1.67 strokes gained around the green. The Englishman recorded his first missed cut of the season after three top five finishes in his last five starts.
Winner: Lucas Herbert
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Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Lucas Herbert lines up a putt on the 18th green during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Like Fox, Lucas Herbert never recorded a top 10 at a major championship. Herbert placed 13th and 15th at the PGA Championship and the Open Championship in 2022, respectively. Herbert joined Burns on Friday with a 62 to tie the major championship record. The best part of Herbert’s game was his putting, ranking ninth at 4.91 strokes gained putting. His sixth-place finish helped him guarantee a ticket to next year’s Open Championship at St. Andrews.
Loser: Jordan Spieth
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Jul 16, 2026; Southport, ENG; Jordan Spieth waits to play his shot from the 14th tee during the first round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The last player to win the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale was unable to recreate that success. Jordan Spieth, who rallied nine years ago by shooting -5 over the final five holes, struggled this week in his return to Royal Birkdale. Only four others in the field through two rounds posted a worse score at 10-over par. Spieth, who missed the cut by nine strokes, imploded on the back nine of his second round. He double-bogeyed the par-5 14th after three-putting from three feet. Spieth then recorded a quadruple bogey on the par-5 17th after recording two different penalty shots. Although Spieth posted two top 20s at the Masters and the PGA Championship, the Texan faltered in his other two major starts with a T56 at the U.S. Open and now a missed cut this week.
Loser: Justin Rose
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Jul 17, 2026; Southport, ENG; Justin Rose reacts after playing his shot from the second tee during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Justin Rose put together a strong 2026 major resume before the Open Championship began with a T3 at the Masters, a T10 at the PGA Championship and a T11 at the U.S. Open. However, Rose made seven bogeys and a double bogey in his opening round Thursday. This year’s Open Championship had the chance to be a memorable week. A 17-year-old Rose finished in fourth place and as the low amateur at the Open Championship in 1998 at Royal Birkdale.
Loser: Wyndham Clark
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Jul 16, 2026; Southport, ENG; Wyndham Clark lines up a putt on the third green during the first round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The reigning U.S. Open Champion struggled throughout the first two round to miss the cut by two strokes. Wyndham Clark registered four bogeys compared to one birdie in the opening round. That includes adding a stroke on the first and 18th holes on Thursday. On Friday, Clark carded three birdies on his front nine. However, he also had two double bogeys and three bogeys for a 4-over 38 on the front nine. Those added strokes proved to be too much, despite a comeback falling short to make the weekend. He birdied the par-3 15th and the par-4 16th before an eagle on the par-5 17th.
Winner: Tommy Fleetwood
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Jul 18, 2026; Southport, ENG; Tommy Fleetwood putts on the first green during the third round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesCredit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Tommy Fleetwood playing in his hometown for a tournament is special, let alone a major championship. Growing up in Southport, just a couple of miles from Royal Birkdale, Fleetwood had to balance all the feels. Fleetwood had a strong showing, joining Scheffler in a tie for fourth place at 7-under. The reigning FedEx Cup winner recorded all four rounds under par, closing with back-to-back birdies for 2-under 68 in the final round.
Related: 2026 Open Championship: 10 major storylines to watch at Royal Birkdale
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