As is always the case at golf’s marquee events, there are no shortage of tantalising storylines leading up to Thursday’s first tee shot. Here are five to keep an eye on as you relish the return of The Open.
The championship is part of the UK government’s “events research program”, which is designed to measure the level of transmission when large crowds gather and, in turn, hopefully open up events like Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix and The Open to more and more spectators.
The first Spaniard to win America’s national championship, Rahm is a good bet to be the first player since Tiger Woods to apex the US Open and the Open in the same season.
Hillier led the qualifiers at Hollinwell Golf Club after clinching a birdie on the final hole to edge out local member Jonathan Thomson with a 11-under-par total of 133.