Jordan Spieth 2026 Open Championship: Royal Birkdale Return
BetspertsGolf
a month ago
Jordan Spieth heads back to the scene of one of his greatest days. The 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale from July 16 to 19 is the first time golf’s oldest major has returned to the Southport links since Spieth won here in 2017, and sportsbooks list him as a longshot at around +5000. His form is nothing like it was that summer, but few players in the field own a stronger memory of this golf course.
That 2017 week is the whole hook. Spieth arrived at Birkdale as the best young player in the world and left with the Claret Jug after a Sunday that still gets replayed every Open week.
Jordan Spieth‘s 2017 Open win at Royal Birkdale
Spieth won the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale by three shots over Matt Kuchar, and the way he did it is what people remember. He led for most of the week, then wobbled early on Sunday and let Kuchar draw level. The turning point was a mess of a 13th hole where his tee shot sailed so far right that he took a penalty drop from the driving range, and the ruling dragged on for close to half an hour.
Most players unravel after that. Spieth did the opposite. He saved bogey, then ripped off a run of birdie, eagle, birdie, and birdie across the closing stretch to blow the tournament open and close with a 69. It was the third leg of a possible career Grand Slam and, at the time, looked like the launch of a run of major titles.
Where Jordan Spieth stands entering the 2026 Open
The picture in 2026 is more complicated. Spieth has not added a major since that Birkdale week, and his form has swung between flashes of the old brilliance and long stretches of frustration. That is why the number sits around +5000 rather than anywhere near the favorites, and it is a fair price given how the season has gone.
Still, course history is a real edge at a links like this, and Birkdale is the kind of fair, ball-striking test where a player can lean on comfort and good memories. Spieth knows every tee shot and every bailout here, which counts for something when the wind comes up and nerves get tested down the stretch.
Jordan Spieth 2026 Open betting and DFS angle
At +5000, Spieth is not a confident outright play, and the honest read is that his ball-striking has to sharpen for him to seriously contend. The better way to use him is in matchups, a top-20 look, or as a contrarian DFS piece where his ownership stays low but his ceiling on a familiar course is higher than a typical longshot.
The key is his tee-to-green game. If the strokes gained numbers show his driving and approach trending up in the weeks before the Open, he becomes far more interesting than the price suggests. If they do not, he is a fade even with the 2017 nostalgia.
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Jordan Spieth 2026 Open Championship FAQ
What does Jordan Spieth need for the career Grand Slam?
Spieth needs the PGA Championship. He has already won the Masters and the U.S. Open in 2015 and the Open Championship in 2017, which leaves the PGA as the only major missing from his resume. Completing the set would make him just the sixth man to win all four professional majors.
When is the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale?
The 2026 Open Championship runs from Thursday, July 16, through Sunday, July 19, at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. It is the 154th playing of the championship and the 11th Open contested at Birkdale.
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