As Royal Liverpool golf club in Hoylake gets ready to host this year’s Open Golf championship its revealed the event will return to Merseyside in 2026. Tony McDonough reports
Royal Birkdale golf club near Southport will host the 154th Open Golf championship in 2026.
This latest announcement comes as Royal Liverpool golf club in Hoylake gets ready to host this year’s championship. Royal Birkdale last hosted the sport’s premier tournament in 2017 when US golfer Jordan Spieth lifted the Claret Jug.
That was the 10th time the venue had hosted the Open. Previous winners included Peter Thomson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Ian Baker-Finch, Mark O’Meara and Padraig Harrington.
Martin Slumbers, chief executive of organisers The R&A, said, “Royal Birkdale is a world-class championship venue and its outstanding links will once again provide the world’s best men’s professional golfers with a tough but fair test.
“It has produced many memorable moments that are woven into the story of this historic championship, including a dramatic final round in 2017 when Jordan Spieth won for the first time.
“We look forward to another special occasion in three years and it will be fascinating to see which player will emerge to join a list of renowned Champion Golfers to have won at Royal Birkdale.”
Next week around 250,000 golf fans are expected from all over the world for the Open at Hoylake. The main four days of the tournament will take place from Thursday, July 20, to Sunday, July 23.
Last week LBN revealed that Merseyrail is to increase frequency of train services between Liverpool and Hoylake during the Open golf championship – but other routes will see a temporary reduction.
Speaking on the latest news about Royal Birkdale, Cllr Ian Maher, Leader of Sefton Council, said: “Fans from across the world will get the chance to see some golfing legends tee off from the fabulous setting of Royal Birkdale.
“Combining accommodation, food and drink, leisure facilities and transport links, millions of pounds will be spent in the local economy in the run up to and during the Championship which is hugely wonderful news.
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“The Open is very much a family event and we are expecting thousands of people of all ages to enjoy the Championship and all the excellent facilities Southport and Sefton have to offer.”
Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram added: “The Open is one of the sporting world’s crown jewels and to have the opportunity to play host to it not just once – but twice in three years – is an incredible achievement for our area.”