PGA TOUR - Open Championship Preview: Royal Portrush, July 17–20, 2025

Golf fans across the globe are turning their eyes to Northern Ireland as The 153rd Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush’s Dunluce Links from July 17–20, 2025. After a thrilling 2019 tournament won decisively by Shane Lowry, expectations are sky-high for another dramatic test of the links.

The Course: Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush

Set along the rugged Causeway Coast with views of Dunluce Castle and the Atlantic, Dunluce Links is demanding and visually breathtaking. Redesigned before the 2019 Open and refined further for 2025, the course features classic Colt architecture, dramatic green complexes, and massive dunes. Key challenges include:

• Calamity Corner (the 16th): a true spit-your-guts par‑3 over dunes.
• The newly designed 7th (par-5) and 8th (par-4) holes that reward strategic course management.
• Constant winds that can turn benign holes treacherous fairways are narrow, and bunkers catch errant shots.

Form Guide: Who’s Hot Heading into Portrush

• Scottie Scheffler solidified his dominance by winning both the 2025 Masters and PGA Championship and leads the betting on many sportsbooks. Scottie is the favorite at around +450 to +470 and enters riding a wave of major success. His calm under pressure could be the difference on Portrush’s brutal greens.
• Vikor Hovland, the 2023 FedEx Cup champion, is coming off a strong T3 at the U.S. Open and currently ranks in the top 10 for Strokes Gained: Approach, showing elite iron play, a key asset on challenging links courses.
• Tommy Fleetwood has an exceptional track record at major championships. He finished runner-up at Portrush in 2019 and has achieved three top-ten finishes in his last five Open appearances. His consistent results and familiarity with the Old Course lines make him a threat.
• Robert MacIntyre narrowly missed his first major title at the U.S. Open, finishing second at Oakmont. He is well-suited to links golf, having placed tied for sixth at Royal Portrush in 2019, and his current odds have shortened significantly thanks to his strong recent performances.
• Xander Schauffele, the defending Open champion, is always a contender in tough fields. He comes in at +1600 and is seeking back-to-back Open victories, no small feat, but experience on these grounds counts.
  

Key Player to Watch: Spotlight on Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland continues to build one of the best resumes among players yet to win a major. His recent iron play form is particularly strong, which will be crucial at Portrush, where wind and undulated greens punish imprecision. A podium finish at the U.S. Open shows he’s peaking at the right time. With his accuracy and ball-striking in check, Hovland is among the very few who can match Scheffler’s firepower.

Why It Could Get Exciting

• Weather volatility: Portrush’s coastal climate can turn calm mornings into blustery chaos by afternoon.
• Course setup: With slick greens and penal bunkering, course management wins over sheer distance.
• Momentum swings: The 2025 field is deep; anyone who sneaks into the final group after Saturday could ride a wave of momentum.

Royal Portrush offers one of the most thrilling major championship environments. With its coastal personality, severe bunkering, and cloudless potential, this year’s Open promises to be an epic weekend of unpredictable and high-stakes golf.