The Open Championship is set to return to Royal Birkdale for the first time since 2017, and the 11th time in the tournament’s history.
Jordan Spieth won The Open last time it was held at Royal Birkdale nine years ago, and what he wouldn’t give to repeat that feat next week.
Scottie Scheffler will defend the title he won at Royal Portrush next week, and this year’s Open is expected to be one of the most exciting in recent history, with so many different players in with a genuine chance of winning.
In benign conditions, Birkdale has been fairly scoreable for the best players in the world during The Open Championship throughout the years.
However, when the wind blows, it becomes an extremely challenging golf course, just like every other links layout.
So, if the best players in the world have problems playing Royal Birkdale, one can only imagine how tough it might be for amateur golfers.
The score Peter Finch shot at Royal Birkdale ahead of the Open Championship
YouTube content creator Peter Finch is an extremely capable golfer.
Finch played Birkdale just weeks before The Open Championship takes center stage on the famous links.
Playing off a plus-two handicap, the Englishman clearly knows how to get his ball in the hole.
Finch played Birkdale as part of his ‘Break Par’ series on his YouTube channel.
He played from the forward tees and made five birdies, four bogeys and nine pars to shoot a round of one-under par 69.
It was the first time in seven attempts that Finch managed to break par on some of the world’s most famous golf courses.
Everything you need to know about Royal Birkdale ahead of The Open
More than 200 yards have been added to the golf course since Spieth’s win back in 2017.
From the back tees, Royal Birkdale now stretches out to more than 7,300 yards, and it should provide a really stern test for the players next week.
Birkdale arguably has the most prestigious list of Open champions, including the likes of Peter Thompson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Mark O’Meara, Padraig Harrington and Jordan Spieth.
The lowest score relative to par from an Open champion was 14-under par from Trevino in 1971.
However, the layout was a par 73 then. The lowest score for four rounds was Spieth’s 268 in 2017.
Royal Birkdale has two par-fives, four par-threes and 12 par-fours, with 123 bunkers scattered around the course.
This year’s Open Championship should be a thrilling tournament, with so many of the game’s best players coming into form ahead of the final major of the year.
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