PGA TOUR this week: The Open Championship facts and figures

Tournament setup

The headline fact is simple: the 2026 Open has not yet been decided, and the field is still preparing for opening day. The PGA Tour’s preview underscores the tournament’s schedule and confirms that the Claret Jug will be contested at Royal Birkdale over four rounds.

That makes this piece an important reference point for anyone tracking the event, even though it does not report a new champion.

Defending champion

Scheffler’s status as defending champion is central because it creates continuity from the 2025 edition and sets the benchmark for the rest of the field. Pre-tournament coverage like this tends to shape expectations by highlighting form, course conditions, and the prestige attached to the title.

The broader implication is that the eventual winner will need to navigate not just elite competition but also the pressures that come with a major championship contested on a historic links course.

Next updates

What follows this kind of preview is typically a wave of live scoring and round-by-round analysis once competition begins. Until then, the most relevant development is simply that the tournament is imminent and the reigning champion remains Scheffler.