The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale: the Saturday that shapes the final round
The Open Championship returns to Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, where the 154th edition will be held from 12 to 19 July 2026. The competitive rounds begin on Thursday, while a ticket for Saturday, 18 July, gives spectators access to the third round - the day after the cut, when the field is reduced and the battle for positions ahead of the final Sunday becomes more direct.
Saturday in tournament golf is often called "moving day". The leaders want to retain control, while players further down the leaderboard must assess where taking a risk is worthwhile. On a links course such as Royal Birkdale, position on the fairway, the angle towards the green and avoiding deep bunkers are often more important than the distance of the shot itself.
The gates open on Saturday at 7:00, while play is currently scheduled approximately from 8:00 to 19:00. Exact tee times depend on the standings after Friday and are confirmed during championship week. Tickets for this event are in demand, so it is worth coordinating transport, gate opening times and the groups you want to follow before arriving.
Why The Open is special in world golf
The Open has been played since 1860 and is one of the four men's major tournaments. Its identity is connected with links golf: firm ground, dunes, deep bunkers, changing angles of attack and wind that can completely alter the way the same hole is played. Players must adjust the height of the ball's flight, the landing point and their choice of club.
Royal Birkdale will host The Open for the eleventh time in 2026. The first edition on this course was held in 1954, when Peter Thomson won. The most recent return was in 2017, when Jordan Spieth claimed the title with a score of 12 under par, three shots ahead of Matt Kuchar. The course has since been modified, including a completely redesigned 5th hole, a new par-3 15th hole and an altered finishing hole.
Confirmed players and the tournament's main storylines
The announced field for Royal Birkdale includes a large number of major champions and former winners of The Open. Scottie Scheffler arrives as the defending champion from 2025. Rory McIlroy, winner of The Open in 2014, Xander Schauffele, the 2024 winner, and Jordan Spieth, the most recent winner on this course, have also been confirmed.
The list also includes Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, Collin Morikawa, Shane Lowry, Cameron Smith, Pádraig Harrington, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Viktor Hovland and Hideki Matsuyama. The final field may be expanded through the remaining qualification routes, so it is useful to check the updated list immediately before the championship.
For a spectator on Saturday, following only the leader is not enough. The third round may bring together the defending champion, former winners, players with experience on links courses and debutants who have made the cut. One option is to walk alongside a selected group for several holes. Another is to take up a position at a strategically important hole and compare the decisions of a larger number of players.
Royal Birkdale: a course among dunes and deep bunkers
Royal Birkdale is a classic links course laid out among sandy dunes on the coast of north-west England. The guide for the 2026 edition lists a length of 7,223 yards and a par of 70. The fairways extend through valleys between the dunes, providing spectators with naturally elevated viewing points in certain places, while requiring players to choose precise lines from the tee.
Essential visitor information:
- Location: Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Waterloo Road, Southport, PR8 2LX, UK
- Format of the day: third competitive round after the cut
- Gate opening: 7:00
- Estimated playing time: 8:00-19:00
- Nearest railway station: Hillside, approximately 300 metres from the main entrance
- Public parking is not available next to the course; Park & Ride locations are used
The 1st hole, a 447-yard par-4, already demands an accurate opening shot because of hazards on both sides. The boundary of the course runs along the right, while a bunker on the left further narrows the preferred area. It is a good location for the early part of the day because it immediately reveals how aggressively the players are prepared to play.
The completely redesigned 5th hole is a short 321-yard par-4. Some players will lay up to a safe distance and leave themselves a wedge shot towards the green, while others will attempt to attack the area around the putting surface. A mistake behind the green is severely punished because of the deep run-off areas.
The 6th hole, a 514-yard par-4, was the most difficult hole of the 2017 tournament. Bunkers on the right make positioning the ball more difficult, while the approach is played towards an elevated green. It is a hole where a score is often built through discipline rather than a spectacular attempt.
Holes that could change Saturday's leaderboard
The short 7th hole measures 151 yards, but the new elevated green is surrounded by deep bunkers and steep slopes. The small putting surface means that a very slight error in distance can turn a birdie opportunity into a demanding recovery.
On the 13th hole, a 502-yard par-4, the bunkers on the right and the channel along the left side must be avoided. The green is set among large dunes, and the hole entered tournament history because of Spieth's trouble from the tee in 2017. It demonstrates how quickly the situation can change after one missed shot.
The 14th hole is a 602-yard par-5 with bunkers along both sides of the fairway and a demanding green. It is followed by the new par-3 15th hole, which measures 241 yards. The narrow entrance makes the green appear visually smaller, while the slope from the front towards the back makes it difficult to stop the ball.
The 17th is a 566-yard par-5 between high dunes and may offer an opportunity to attack the green in two shots. The final hole is now a 508-yard par-4 with a new tee position and a series of fairway bunkers. The view towards the art deco clubhouse remains distinctive, but the route to the final green demands composure and precision.
How best to follow the third round
Arriving early makes it possible to walk around the course before the largest crowds arrive and to follow the players who start first. Later, attention shifts towards the groups closer to the top of the leaderboard. It is more practical to choose two or three areas than to try to see every star.
For an all-day visit, three viewing methods can be combined:
- Follow one group from the 1st hole to several of the middle holes to experience the rhythm of play.
- Stay beside the 5th, 7th, 14th or 17th hole, where players' strategies may differ significantly.
- Watch the end of the day's play near the 18th green or on the large screens in the Spectator Village.
Public grandstands are located, among other places, beside the 1st hole and the 18th green, while seating is also provided at the Practice Ground. The most sought-after positions may fill up before the leading groups arrive. It is worth securing tickets in good time and reaching the course early enough for your preferred way of watching.
The Spectator Village offers food, drinks, a children's zone and large screens. Electronic scoreboards are positioned around the course, while Wi-Fi and mobile leaderboard information are available at the venue.
Golf etiquette and rules for spectators
When a player is preparing to make a shot, spectators must stand still, quieten their conversations and avoid moving within the player's field of vision. Movement may continue only after the shot or when the marshals permit passage. Spectators must remain outside the ropes and follow the instructions of marshals and staff.
Mobile devices must remain in silent mode at all times. Photography of play with mobile devices is not permitted during competitive days, and video recording is not allowed at any time. Additional restrictions apply to cameras, including bans on flash photography, video recording and lenses longer than 300 millimetres when fully extended.
Selfie sticks, tripods, folding chairs, portable speakers and drones are not permitted. Smaller backpacks may be brought inside but are subject to security inspection. There is no dress code in public areas, but the ground is uneven and a visit involves a great deal of walking.
Visitors may bring their own food and non-alcoholic drinks. A refillable bottle can be used at water stations, while payments at the venue are cashless.
Arrival by train, car and from the airports
There is no public car park at Royal Birkdale or in its immediate surroundings. Hillside is the nearest railway station, approximately 300 metres away, or about a four-to-five-minute walk from the main entrance.
For Saturday, Merseyrail has announced a service between Hillside and Liverpool Central or Moorfields at a basic interval of 20 minutes, increasing to approximately 10 minutes during the busiest periods towards the course from 6:00 to 11:00 and towards Liverpool from 15:30 to 20:30. Trains will be busier than usual, so additional travel time should be allowed.
Passengers arriving at Liverpool Lime Street can walk to Liverpool Central and continue towards Hillside. For arrivals through Liverpool John Lennon Airport, bus connections to Liverpool South Parkway are available, after which the journey continues by rail.
Park & Ride locations with transport to the course have been organised for cars and motorcycles. On Saturday, the first bus towards the course departs at 6:45, while the final return service is scheduled for 21:00. Visitors should follow the temporary black-and-yellow event signs rather than relying only on satellite navigation. Overnight parking is not permitted.
Taxis and private vehicles have a designated drop-off and pick-up zone close to the main entrance. For international visitors, the two main airports are Liverpool John Lennon Airport, approximately 45 kilometres away, and Manchester Airport, approximately 69 kilometres away.
Southport and a practical schedule for the day
Southport is a coastal town in Merseyside, with connections to Liverpool and the rest of north-west England. Royal Birkdale is located south of the town centre, between the Birkdale and Hillside areas. For a one-day visit, accommodation beside the railway line towards Hillside is practical.
Arriving between 7:00 and 8:00 leaves time for the security check, orientation and the walk towards the opening holes. The morning is suitable for following a moving group, the middle of the day for taking up a position beside a strategic hole, and the late afternoon for the final part of the course or the large screens.
The exact times of the leading groups should not be assumed in advance. They depend on the results after the second round, while the published playing times are still estimates. The digital ticket should be prepared before arrival. Leaving and re-entering on the same day is permitted only with a valid ticket and a wristband collected when leaving.
Royal Birkdale particularly rewards spectators who follow decisions rather than only the score. At the 5th hole, a safe lay-up can be compared with a direct attack, at the 6th precise positioning is essential, while at the 14th and 17th length and bunker control are tested. On the 18th hole, the same score may result from completely different strategies from the tee.
Places disappear quickly. For the third round, it is worth preparing transport, the digital ticket and a movement plan in advance, while leaving enough flexibility for changes in the leaderboard and the announcement of Saturday's tee times.
Sources:
- The Open - championship schedule, player list, Royal Birkdale course guide, previous editions and spectator information
- The R&A - the status of The Open in international golf and basic championship information
- Royal Birkdale Golf Club - club history, address and course characteristics
- Merseyrail - enhanced railway timetable and connections to Hillside station during the championship
- Visit Southport and Sefton Council - context about the town, the coast and local transport information