About this episode

The episode previews the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, discussing course conditions, player strategies, and top contenders.

Andy and Brendan went LIVE on YouTube for this final major preview episode of 2026! Brendan is in high spirits after traveling across the pond to find a baked-out Royal Birkdale that he describes as "fiery, firm, and brown." The two get going on the course setup and the choices that players must make on a variety of holes throughout the round. This is a new-look Royal Birkdale following an extensive renovation ahead of this year's Open Championship, and reviews seem to be mixed on whether the course is better than it once was. Scottie Scheffler made some pointed comments about the course during his pre-tournament press conference, leading to a discussion about whether this venue is truly "forged by nature." Andy's 5 Guys to Monitor This Week highlights the two best players in the world, two hometown heroes looking for their first major, and a LIV defector who can lock up PGA Tour status for next year with a good showing. With a relatively wide-open field, it felt like a good time to re-rank the top five players in pro golf heading into the week, as well. Kevin Van Valkenburg joins in the fun to discuss Tuesday's press conferences getting deeply existential and shares some…

People in this episode

Hosts: Andy, Brendan

Guest: Kevin Van Valkenburg

Topics covered

• Open Championship preview
• Royal Birkdale
• course setup
• player performance
• golf rankings
• major championship

Keywords

• Open Championship
• Royal Birkdale
• Scottie Scheffler
• golf
• major championship
• course renovation
• player rankings
• golf podcast

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Royal Birkdale

More episodes of The Shotgun Start

• 2026 Open Championship Recap: Ryan Fox & Rules Drama Deliver Great Last Major · July 19, 2026 · 2h 5m
• Saturday at the 2026 Open Championship: Burns leads, Rory reacts to “performative” Bryson as penalty debate rages · July 18, 2026 · 1h 23m
• Bryson DeChambeau Penalty Controversy Erupts at Birkdale: 2026 Open Championship Round Two Recap · July 17, 2026 · 1h 37m
• Thursday at the 2026 Open Championship: Bryson Returns to the Ring · July 16, 2026 · 1h 5m
• Tom Kim’s Scottish crowning, Early Open thoughts, and Firestone’s farewell tour · July 13, 2026 · 1h 15m
• Revisiting the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale · July 11, 2026 · 1h 20m

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Shotgun Start podcast page.