World number one Scottie Scheffler is looking at Royal Birkdale's redesigned holes and saying they "look like they're not even on the same golf course," which tells you everything you need to know about how different this Open Championship is going to be. This isn't just another major; it's shaping up to be a wild, unpredictable ride, and even the top pros are bracing for it.
Birkdale's Playing Field Just Got Torched
Forget everything you know about past Opens at Birkdale. This week is shaping up to be a totally different beast. Historically, The Open here has been a brutal battle against heavy wind and rain. Think back to 2017 when play was briefly suspended, or 2008 when Padraig Harrington somehow won at three over par in horrendous weather. Not this time. Royal Birkdale is firm, fiery, and completely sun-baked, thanks to the recent dry conditions. Rory McIlroy, the 2014 Open champion, summed it up perfectly: "It's as linksy as links gets." He's seen this course recently for a practice round, and even he's shocked. It's not as green, and while the fescue rough is still long, it's thinner because it's been "burnt out" by the sun. What does that mean for the six-time major winner, who just finished tied seventh at the Scottish Open? McIlroy's ready to go on the attack! He thinks he "can play the course a little more aggressively" now. He's excited by the possibility and thinks the changes will make it a "great golf tournament that tests all aspects of the game." He should know, he finished joint fourth here in 2017.Chaos on the Greens: Scheffler Sees a Whole New Animal
Scottie Scheffler, the defending Open champion from Royal Portrush last year where he triumphed at 17 under, is also feeling upbeat about the course setup, even after a rare missed cut at the Scottish Open. He's expecting "extreme conditions" and a shifting wind direction. Scheffler knows this won't be easy, saying there's "a lot of thinking off the tee and going into the greens." He added, "You're going to get some weird bounces, some weird stuff is going to happen." Talk about setting the stage for drama! Since Jordan Spieth's win in 2017, Birkdale has undergone some serious renovations, specifically on the fifth, seventh, 14th, and 15th holes. Scheffler pointed out just how obvious these changes are. "They look like they're not even on the same golf course," he stated, highlighting the "pretty severe and quite challenging" slopes on the green complexes at 14, 15, and 16, and similarly at the fifth and seventh. When two of the best golfers in the world,who, by the way, have collectively won four of the seven majors since the start of 2025,are talking about the course looking alien and expecting "weird stuff," you know we're in for something special. This isn't just another tournament, it's The Open, and with conditions this wild and redesigned holes ready to bite, we're in for an absolute show. Get ready for some serious drama this week as the world's best tackle a Birkdale like we've never seen before!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.