The Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush Golf Club in July 2025, marking only the third time this storied venue has hosted golf’s oldest major. The Dunluce Links, renowned for its dramatic coastal setting and challenging layout, will once again test the world’s best golfers. With a field featuring top contenders and local favourites, anticipation is building for a tournament that promises excitement, drama, and unforgettable moments.
As the tournament approaches, discussions among fans and analysts are intensifying. Enthusiasts are examining player form, course conditions, and potential weather impacts. All of these factors play a role in shaping each player’s odds, although many betting sites not on GamStop UK currently have Scottie Scheffler as the 5/1 favourite. Not far behind him, Rory McIlroy enters the championship with a renewed sense of purpose. Having completed his career Grand Slam with a victory at The Masters earlier this year, McIlroy is now aiming to secure The Open title on home soil and is a 6/1 second-favourite. His familiarity with Royal Portrush, combined with his recent form, positions him as a leading contender. The local crowd will undoubtedly be behind him, hoping to witness a historic win.
Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open champion at Portrush, returns to the venue where he achieved one of his most significant career victories. His experience and comfort on the course could give him an edge, especially if weather conditions become challenging. Lowry’s ability to handle links golf and maintain composure under pressure makes him a player to watch, and his 25/1 odds would make a nice payout if he should win.
Jon Rahm, known for his powerful drives and precise iron play, is another golfer who will arrive with expectations. His success on links courses has grown in recent years, and he has shown the confidence and patience needed to thrive at Portrush. If Rahm can keep a steady hand, he will be in the mix and bookies are giving him a fair 15/1 chance.
The course itself is a gem of design and natural beauty. The Dunluce Links stretches over 7,300 yards and features undulating fairways, deep bunkers, and lightning-fast greens. One of the most memorable holes is the par-3 16th, “Calamity Corner.” With a dramatic drop-off to the right and ever-present winds, it can undo even the steadiest of rounds. Players must weigh their options carefully, as a single wayward shot here can spell the end of a championship bid.
The weather is always part of the story at The Open. Royal Portrush is known for shifting winds, misty mornings and sudden showers that can turn a round upside down. Players with the ability to adjust quickly and shape their shots to suit the day’s conditions tend to separate themselves. A morning tee time can bring easier scoring, while late starters might find the breeze up and scoring tougher. It’s part of what makes The Open so watchable.
The field promises deep and competitive, with major champions and rising stars sharing the fairways. Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Åberg, and Matt Fitzpatrick are all names who have grown in stature over recent seasons. Their ability to find fairways and keep the ball low will help them manage Portrush’s challenges. Others, like Tyrrell Hatton, will rely on sharp iron play and a fearless approach to attack pins even when conditions are tough.
The home crowd always brings a special atmosphere to Portrush. Their passion for the game and appreciation for shot-making will lift players who embrace the moment. Roars echo across the dunes when a birdie drops, and polite applause meets a deft save from a tricky lie. That energy can push a player forward when fatigue or nerves take hold.
Spectators will line the fairways, wrapped up against the wind, eyes fixed on every swing. At home, screens will flicker with images of bunkers, rolling greens and long putts that find the hole. The sense of history hangs over every shot, a reminder that the Claret Jug is not given it is earned, one precise shot at a time.
For golf lovers, The Open at Royal Portrush promises theatre at every turn. It is a chance to see how the best adapt to the landscape and to watch fresh names write new chapters in the sport’s story. It’s the sound of a perfect strike, the roll of a putt across a green and the collective breath of a gallery as a ball hangs in the wind. It’s The Open, back at Royal Portrush, where champions are forged under grey skies and in the golden light of a late summer afternoon.
