The 154th Open Championship: Who Might Win the Claret Jug?

SOUTHPORT, England — Jul 18, 2026, 06:15 PM ET

Imagine a big golf contest called The Open Championship. It’s like the oldest, most famous mini-golf tournament in the world — but on a huge grass field next to the ocean. This year it’s being played at a place called Royal Birkdale in England.

On Saturday (called "Moving Day" because players move up or down the scoreboard), a golfer named Sam Burns took the lead.

What Happened on Moving Day

• Sam Burns is now at the top of the leaderboard (the score list).
• He is trying to win his first major championship (one of the four biggest golf tournaments of the year).
• He is ahead by two strokes (two hits of the ball) over:
  • Ryan Fox from New Zealand
  • Si Woo Kim from South Korea

Important Point:
In the past 11 Open Championships, every winner was within 4 strokes of the lead before the final round. And in the past 25 Opens, every winner was in the top 10 before Sunday. So being near the top now is a good sign!

Burns almost won last month’s U.S. Open but didn’t. Now he wants to finish the job.

After his round on Saturday (where he scored 5 under 65 — meaning 5 shots better than the standard), he said:

“I can’t control what anyone else does. Someone’s going to play great tomorrow. I’ll just have to do the same and accept whatever happens.”

Top Contenders to Win on Sunday

Here are the golfers who could lift the Claret Jug (the special trophy you get for winning The Open).

Sam Burns (10 under)

Why he’ll win:

• He’s one of the best golfers who hasn’t won a major yet.
• Recently, he’s been playing great: top 10 in 4 of his last 9 big events.
• This week he’s hitting the ball super accurately — 17 of 18 greens on Saturday!
• He’s relaxed because his baby daughter Belle was just born (July 3). His wife Caroline told him to come play, and that made him happy.
• After a rough start, he shot an 8-under 62 (tied for the best ever in a major).

Why he won’t win:

• He’s been close before but didn’t finish.
• At last month’s U.S. Open, his putt on the last hole missed by half an inch.
• In 2024, he led going into Sunday but finished 7th in the rain.

Ryan Fox (8 under)

Why he’ll win:

• From New Zealand, he shot a 62 on Saturday (one of the lowest scores ever in a major).
• He needed only 25 putts and made 140 feet of putts!
• He has won 19 times worldwide and is good at finishing strong.

Why he won’t win:

• His great round was on a calm, windless morning.
• Sunday might be windy, and wind makes golf much harder.

Si Woo Kim (8 under)

Why he’ll win:

• He quietly moved up with two good rounds (67s).
• He’s ranked 21st in the world and playing some of his best golf.
• He’s awesome with iron shots (the clubs you use to get close to the hole).

Why he won’t win:

• His putting (using the flat stick to roll the ball in) was weak before this week.
• He hasn’t been good at links golf (ocean-side golf) until now.

Other Guys to Watch

Gerard (no score given in snippet)

• Why he’ll win: Nobody expects him to, so no pressure. He won a tournament in 2025 and was 2nd three times this year. Royal Birkdale feels right to him.
• Why he won’t win: History says only 10 people ever won The Open on their very first try.

Lucas Herbert

• Why he’ll win: Great putter; shot 62 on Friday. Made an amazing shot after a penalty on Saturday.
• Why he won’t win: He’s never finished top 10 in a major before.

Åberg (26 years old)

• Why he’ll win: Super talented, calm, and gaining strokes everywhere (driving, approach, putting).
• Why he won’t win: He struggled to close at the Players Championship in March. His short game is usually weak.

Bryson DeChambeau (6 under)

Why he’ll win:

• He’s mad at the rules folks (R&A) for giving him a 2-stroke penalty.
• Despite drama, he shot 69 on Saturday.
• He’d love to prove everyone wrong.

Why he won’t win:

• Too many distractions; his aggressive style might backfire.

Suber (underdog)

• Why he’ll win: Never been to Europe or played links golf until this week, yet led early!
• Why he won’t win: Same reasons — total newbie.

Fleetwood (from Southport, England)

• Why he’ll win: Local hero! England hasn’t won The Open since 1992. Everyone will cheer for him.
• Why he won’t win: Too far behind; too many good players ahead.

Important Point:
Fleetwood said he feels no pressure — only excitement — because his town believes in him.

Summary

Sam Burns leads the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale by two shots over Ryan Fox and Si Woo Kim. History shows that if you’re near the top now, you have a good chance to win on Sunday. Burns is playing great and relaxed after his daughter’s birth, but several others — like Fox, Kim, and even angry Bryson — could steal the Claret Jug. It’s going to be a fun final day!

FAQ

Q: What is the Claret Jug?
A: It’s the special trophy given to the winner of The Open Championship, like a gold cup for being the best.

Q: What does “10 under” mean?
A: It means the golfer scored 10 shots better than the expected number of hits for the course. Lower is better!

Q: Why is Saturday called Moving Day?
A: Because that’s when players often move up or down the leaderboard a lot before the final round.

Q: What is a major championship?
A: One of the four biggest and most important golf tournaments in the world, including The Open.

Q: What is links golf?
A: Golf played on coastal land with wind, sand, and long grass — like at Royal Birkdale.