Open Championship favorites check: Who will snatch the last Major title

With the Open Championship in Royal Portrush, Ireland, the last major tournament of the golf season is just around the corner. After Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler won the first two major titles in 2025, they fell short of expectations at the US Open, which was won by J.J. Spaun. It is now more open than ever as to whether the two will once again decide a major title between them, or whether the title race will be as unexpected as it was at the "Open American".

After his career Grand Slam at the US Masters, McIlroy spoke openly about motivation problems because he was missing his next goal. An Open in his home country of Ireland could be a "game changer". Where else would a victory by "Rors" be cheered more? But the latest results leave open the question of whether the 36-year-old is really back in form. Scheffler has shown much more consistency. Since mid-March, he has finished in the top ten at every tournament in nine appearances. But now it's onto a links course, where qualities other than long drives and wedges into the green are required. The 29-year-old world number one has already finished in the top ten twice at the Open Championship, but he has yet to win.

Open Championship defending champion plays tough season

After a two-month injury break, defending champion Xander Schauffele is not yet in the form of last year, when he won the PGA Championship as well as the Open Championship. The 31-year-old has not missed a cut in eleven starts on the PGA Tour, where he only really started the season in March, but he has yet to record more than one top ten result this year. Can that be enough to defend his title? Rather doubtful. Shane Lowry won the last Open Championship in Ireland six years ago. The Irishman is playing a solid season with ten top 25 results in 16 starts, including two second places.

A German and an Austrian at Royal Portrush

For a long time, there was only one German player in the field for the 153rd Open Championship: Stephan Jäger. However, the man from Munich, who recently became a father for the second time, is one of the outsiders in a field that brings together the world's elite. Matti Schmid qualified at the last minute at the Scottish Open, where he was able to book a ticket to Royal Portrush with a top ten finish. But even the 27-year-old only has an outside chance. Sepp Straka can have more hope. The Viennese is tenth in the world rankings, third in the FedEx Cup and, after two victories on the PGA Tour this year, is ready for his first Major win. However, his record in the tournaments already played this year for the really big titles is sobering. He missed the cut at the Masters, the PGA Championship and the US Open. Will he now break free?

What can the LIV golfers do at the Open Championship?

The door seems to be relatively wide open for someone nobody expects. Apart from Scottie Scheffler, all the pros who are among the favorites have had at least one weak phase this season. So is it all about the serial winners from Texas? Perhaps the LIV League players can give him a run for his money. But apart from Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Tyrell Hatton, hardly any of the Saudi Arabia-financed Tour played a major role in the few clashes between the two camps. However, the three mentioned should be rated all the higher, as they are particularly keen to take advantage of the rare opportunity to go head-to-head with their former colleagues.