After last week’s warm-up in Scotland, all the top players in the sport will head to the final major championship of the season at The Open Championship. Like three of the four majors, The Open Championship uses a rotation of venues, and the 2025 edition will take place July 17-20 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, at Royal Portrush Golf Club. Let’s take a quick look at the history of this storied event and the course that will host the event this week for the third time.
The History of The Open Championship
Entire books cannot contain the history of The Open, which dates back to 1860. The Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world and remains one of the most prestigious titles handed out each year. The winner each year receives the title, “The Champion Golfer of the Year,” which dates back to the first Open in 1860, along with the famous Claret Jug, which was first awarded in 1872.
Since the PGA Championship moved up in the calendar in 2019, The Open has been the final major championship played each calendar year, with the exception of the rescheduled 2020 Masters.
All of the biggest names in golf history have played at The Open, and many have done very well on the historic courses that test players’ games in a variety of ways. The venues are some of the most unusual and unique on the schedule each year, and usually, the event has plenty of drama down the stretch in the Final Round.
The Open is almost always played on a coastal golf course that uses a “links” layout. Links golf dates back to the games origins in Scotland and usually features open terrain with few trees, undulating fairways and greens and a sandy base. Another common factor at The Open is that weather and wind usually play a key role in determining the strategy and overall scoring for the event.
Last year, Xander Schauffele won the 152nd Open Championship, which was held at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. He closed with a 65 to finish two strokes ahead of Billy Horschel and Justin Rose, who held the overnight lead coming into Sunday. Thriston Lawrence and Russell Henley rounded out last year’s top five.
This year, The Open Championship will have a $17 million total purse with $3.1 million awarded to the winner along with the Claret Jug. The purse matches last year’s, and this will be the first time since 2012 the purse has not increased year-over-year.
Since it is an “Open,” there are multiple ways to qualify for the event. It brings an outstanding field with the top players from the PGA TOUR and LIV Golf. Here’s a look at the full field and the odds to win this week on DraftKings Sportsbook.
A Closer Look at the Course
Royal Portrush first hosted The Open Championship in 1951, when English golfer Max Faulkner claimed his only major championship. It returned in 2019 after a 68-year absence, and Shane Lowry claimed the win by six strokes over Tommy Fleetwood. Tony Finau, Brooks Koepka and Lee Westwood rounded out the top five.
The Dunluce Links course draws its name from the ruins of Dunluce Castle that overlooks the triangle of land that is part of the giant sand hills. The course regularly appears on lists of the best courses in the world, and it will provide a great backdrop this week.
Here’s a great overview of every hole at Royal Portrush this week:
Overall, the course demands outstanding approach play due to its dramatic elevation changes, undulating fairways and small, elevated greens. Players will be forced to be creative with gusting coastal winds and uneven lies, making holding the green and hitting it close extremely difficult.
Players with good history at majors, excellent form and particularly strong approach play coming into the week should be prioritized as you make your picks for this week’s betting card and fantasy lineups. Scrambling and Bogey Avoidance will also be at a premium this week, and we will likely end up with the top players in the world near the top of the leaderboard along with a few surprises like usual at The Open.
Get ready for another great week of golf and stay tuned to DraftKings Network throughout the week for full coverage of best bets and fantasy plays to consider.
