Open Championship 2026 Top 5 and Top 10 Tips: Dave Tindall rates the favourites

Scottie Scheffler - World No.1 aims to defend

Scheffler had a decent Open record heading to Portrush last year but, in a spell where he could no wrong, the Texan cashed in on the hot form to secure his first Claret Jug.

It's not quite the same story in 2026. Despite winning his opening event of the season in January, The American Express, the World No.1 hasn't added to it and last week he missed his first cut in four years after crashing out at halfway in the Scottish Open.

A reminder though, Scheffler has a second (Masters) and a fourth (US Open) in two of this year's majors while he's finished in the top five in five of the last seven (7th and 14th his other two results).

Last four events: MC-2-4-12
Open form: 1-7-23-21-8
Royal Birkdale form: -

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Rory McIlroy - Masters winner eyes second claret jug

After finishes of 1st (Masters), 7th (US PGA) and 32nd (US Open) this year, the Northern Irishman now has an exact 50% strike-rate when it comes to top 10s in the majors: 35 in 70 starts. Twenty of those are top fives.

His Open record mirrors that 50% - eight top 10s in 16 starts - although he's rattled off his top fives at an even more impressive rate having banked six (37.5%).

One of those top fives came via fourth at Birkdale in 2017 and McIlroy warmed up for his return to the Lancashire links with a fast-finishing (R4 64) seventh place at the Scottish Open.

Last four events: 7-32-12-7
Open form: 7-MC-6-3-46-MC-2-4-5-1-MC-60-25-3-47-42
Royal Birkdale form: 4

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Tommy Fleetwood - Local star eyes first major

Fleetwood grew up nearby and came to the Open here as a 7-year-old to watch the 1998 edtiton. If you love a local angle, 'Tommy lad' is your man.

He played the 2017 Open here and although only 27th, a Saturday 66 gave the crowds plenty to cheer. Since then he's made the top 10 in three of the last six, finishing runner-up at Portrush in 2019 and fourth at St Andrews in 2022.

Still looking for a first win in 2026, Fleetwood has posted three top fives although he's frustrated top 10 backers in recent weeks with a run of 13-14-11-11. No top 10s in his last 11 majors is a concern, the positive spin being he's 'due'.

Last four events: 13-14-11-11
Open form: 16-MC-10-4-33-2-12-27-MC-MC-MC
Royal Birkdale form: 27

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Matt Fitzpatrick - In-form Englishman ready to thrive

Fitzpatrick has been in brilliant form in 2026, winning the Valspar Championship, the RBC Heritage and the Zurich Classic pairs event with brother Alex. It's therefore a frustration that he hasn't quite brought that elite form into the majors, finishing 18th in the US Masters, 14th at the US PGA and 22nd in the US Open.

The hot form continues though and third place at last week's Scottish Open was his third top five in the last four events.

Despite winning the Silver Medal for leading amateur on his debut in 2013, the Sheffield star didn't manage anything better than 20th in his first nine Opens. He put that right with fourth place at Portrush last year.

Last four events: 3-4-22-2
Open form: 4-50-41-21-26-20-MC-44-MC-44
Royal Birkdale form: 44

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Jon Rahm - Spaniard still showing mixed form

From being a reliable powerhouse who would be a great bet in every major he teed it up in, Rahm has become much harder to predict since his move to LIV.

LIV wins this season in March (Hong Kong) and April (Mexico) along with a second place on home turf in LIV Andalucia are hard to assess in terms of value but it's easy to see the negatives: a missed cut at the US Open and a modest 36th in last week's Scottish Open.

Rahm has made the top 10 in four of the 10 majors he's played since moving to LIV and was runner-up at the US PGA in May. He has a second, a third and a seventh in the last five Opens so there are plenty of good signs still.

Last four events: 36-MC-2-16
Open form: 34-7-2-34-3-11-MC-44-59
Royal Birkdale form: 44

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Xander Schauffele - 2024 champ still a marvel in the majors

The Californian has had a fairly flat season given his usual high standards. Certainly it seems that way after his 2024 campaign when he won both the US PGA and The Open at Royal Troon.

But put him in a major and the spark returns. With tied ninth at Augusta and tied seventh in the US PGA earlier this year, Schauffele now has 19 top 10s in his 37 career majors (eight are top fives).

Since just failing to add to that with 11th at the US Open, he's finished 51st at the Travelers and missed the Scottish Open cut but it would be no surprise to see him tick off another Open top 10 here. He has three of those so far, including each of the last two.

Last four events: MC-51-11-29
Open form: 7-1-17-15-26-41-2-20
Royal Birkdale form: 20

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Collin Morikawa - 2021 champ due for another big Open

Morikawa achieved the incredible feat of winning The Open on his debut at Royal St George's in 2021. Then again, he'd also won the 2020 US PGA on his first start in that major so he's not your average golfer.

Since that 2021 triumph on the Kent coast, Morikawa has missed three of his four Open cuts although he did post 16th at Troon in 2024.

He's had a back issue this year but it didn't stop him finishing seventh at Augusta and 17th in the US Open while he warmed up for this with third place at the Travelers Championship last time. Morikawa has seven top fives in his 27 majors.

Last four events: 3-17-29-55
Open form: MC-16-MC-MC-1
Royal Birkdale form: -

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Chris Gotterup - Triple 2026 champ in hot form

Imagine being told at the start of 2026 that, heading into the Open, Chris Gotterup would have three times as many wins this season as Scottie Scheffler.

The American has victories at January's Sony Open, February's Phoenix Open and early July's John Deere Classic and that adds to previous PGA Tour wins at the Myrtle Beach Classic (2024) and last year's Scottish Open.

Gotterup followed that victory in Scotland 12 months ago by finishing third on his Open debut (Portrush). In other words, he has what it takes to thrive on the links and 11th when defending at the Renaissance Club last week sets up him nicely for this.

Last four events: 11-1-30-43
Open form: 3
Royal Birkdale form: -

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Robert MacIntyre - Scot a lover of the links

MacIntyre is proving a popular pick this week and he's one of the three picks in my outright preview.

The left-hander is a proven performer on the links and showed that again with third in last week's Scottish Open. He now has a first, a second and a third in that event while he also landed last October's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship played at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

A runner-up in last year's US Open, this has easily been MacIntyre's best major. He's played the event six times, ticking off a trio of top 10s including seventh at Portrush last year.

Last four events: 3-10-39-15
Open form: 7-50-71-34-8-6
Royal Birkdale form: -

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Justin Rose - Back at scene of breakthrough

This is where it all began for Rose and it's hard to believe it's 28 years ago that he first hit the headlines by finishing fourth at Birkdale as a 17-year-old amateur.

Since then he's had a storied career, winning the 2013 US Open and finishing runner-up at five other majors. That includes two second places in The Open.

Majors are his main focus now and that's shown up in his results this year: third at the US Masters, 10th at the US PGA and 11th in the US Open. He skipped the Scottish Open but you can be sure he'll have a masterplan for success this week.

Last four events: 25-11-MC-12
Open form: 16-2-MC-46-20-2-54-22-6-23-MC-MC-44-MC-13-70-12-MC-22-30-MC-4
Royal Birkdale form: 54-70-4

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Dave Tindall's Summary and Tips

It's been a sensational season so far for Chris Gotterup although he hasn't quite brought it to the majors with finishes of 24-10-43.

But that third place at Portrush on his Open debut last year makes him an enticing prospect for another top five at big odds.

Finishing 11th in last week's Scottish Open looks an ideal warm-up for another big week.

Use those bigger prices on the Betfair Exchange I think it's worth backing him for a Top 5 at 8.27/1.

Given that his true odds should be a shade of odds-on (19 top 10s in 37 majors), Xander Schauffele is virtually an autobet if offered at over 3/14.00.

That's the case here and a 20th here on his Open debut adds another layer of confidence.

A reminder that since the start of 2024 he's posted eight top 10s in his last 11 majors. Two of the other three were 11th and 12th.

Back Schauffele for a Top 10 at 4.131/10.

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Read Dave Tindall's 10-year trends piece here