Open Championship weather forecast could change Royal Birkdale tactics

The 2026 Open Championship is shaping up to be a strategic test rather than a battle against Mother Nature this year.

The weather forecast for the final major of the 2026 golf season looks promising for fans attending the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Dry conditions are predicted throughout the tournament, beginning with Round 1 on Thursday, July 16. This will change how the world's best golfers attack the Southport, England links course, with the tactics often employed during a PGA Tour stop shelved in order to best handle the shots necessary to win golf's only major contested outside the United States.