The Open round one LIVE: Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood compete at Royal Birkdale

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Summary

Fox wins Open after birdieing final hole to post -10
New Zealander edges Young who had earlier shot -9
Home favourite Fleetwood finishes three back at -7
Selected others: -8 Burns (72); -7 Scheffler (67); -6 Kim (72), Herbert (71), Jarvis (66);
-4 DeChambeau (72); -2 Lowry (72), MacIntyre (71); -1 McIlroy (71)

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Live Reporting

Steve Sutcliffe, Matt Gault, Phil Cartwright and George Booth

'Total difference in the golf course'published at 17:36 BST 16 July
Graeme Storm
Two-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

You can see a total difference in the golf course this afternoon. We can see it is really hard, bouncy and fiery, whereas this morning the guys were able to get the ball to stop a lot quicker on the greens.
Morikawa into share of the leadpublished at 17:35 BST 16 July
Morikawa -4, Spaun E, N Hojgaard +2 (10)

Collin Morikawa is flying right now. Another birdie putt in the 10-12 foot range drops for the American, who is into a share of the lead alongside Dan Brown and Sungjae Im.
Image source, Getty Images

Gotterup breaks the streakpublished at 17:32 BST 16 July
Gotterup -1 (10), Spaun E (10)

Having told you that Chris Gotterup had started with nine straight pars, he then finds the cup with a 10-footer for birdie on the 10th.
'It is pure artistry'published at 17:30 BST 16 July
Oliver Wilson
Former Ryder Cup player on BBC Radio 5 Live

Image source, Getty Images
On playing links golf in the wind...
It is the art of playing golf. Being able to trust your start line and ball flight. Aim where you need to and get the wind to move it. It is pure artistry. That is why so many people love links golf.

Aberg drops another shotpublished at 17:30 BST 16 July
Young E, Clark +2, Aberg +2 (8)

A wayward tee shot on the par-four eighth proves costly for Ludvig Aberg, who is back to two over for his round.
Wallace in fine shapepublished at 17:28 BST 16 July
Wallace -1 (69)

Matt Wallace has never managed a top-25 finish in six previous Open appearances, but perhaps his fortunes are about to change.
The 36-year-old Englishman opens his tournament with a fine 69 which featured four birdies and three bogeys, including one on the last.

Birdie for Lowrypublished at 17:26 BST 16 July
Lowry -1, Koepka E, Rai E (9)

Image source, Getty Images
Shane Lowry finds the left of the ninth fairway from the tee box and now zips a wedge into six feet from 120 yards or so.
It's a beautiful shot and it helps the Irishman end the front nine with a birdie. His playing partners are unable to match him despite both reaching the putting surface in two.
Coody one off the leaderspublished at 17:26 BST 16 July
Coody -3 (13)

Open debutant Pierceson Coody has registered back-to-back birdies at the 12th and 13th holes to move to three under for his round, putting the American one shot behind Dan Brown and Sungjae Im.

What's happened so far today?published at 17:23 BST 16 July

Media caption,
'I didn't play well' - Fleetwood pleased with score but not performance
- England's Dan Brown and Sungjae Im of South Korea share the clubhouse lead at four under par after shooting rounds of 66.
- Bryson DeChambeau, Scotland's Robert MacIntyre and former champion Francesco Molinari are all a shot off the lead, while world number one Scottie Scheffler is in the group a shot further back at two under.
- England's Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood, playing in front of a home crowd at Birkdale, ended one under.
- Conditions appear tougher for the later starters, with Rory McIlroy, Aaron Rai, Shane Lowry and Matt Fitzpatrick among those currently on the course.
Brilliant from Brookspublished at 17:19 BST 16 July
Lowry E, Koepka E, Rai E (8)

What a save that is. Brooks Koepka looked like he had disappeared into a black hole when he entered the greenside bunker down the side of the eighth hole.
The American plopped his ball in there somewhere but he splashes out to four feet to save his par.

More trouble for Fitzpatrick and McIlroypublished at 17:18 BST 16 July
McIlroy +2, Schauffele E, M Fitzpatrick +2 (7)

Image source, Getty Images
It may only be 139 yards, but the par-three seventh was anything but straightforward for this group.
Xander Schauffele missed the green left and had to drain a 15-footer for par.
Matt Fitzpatrick found one of the pot bunkers that guard the green, and while he played a superb shot out of the sand, he misses his six-footer for par.
As for Rory McIlroy, his ball just about held the back of the green. From 53 feet, the Masters champion lags down to about four feet and he follows Fitzpatrick in missing a tiddler!
Deary me.
Morikawa one off the leadpublished at 17:18 BST 16 July
Morikawa -3 (9)

Playing alongside JJ Spaun, fellow American Collin Morikawa joins the big group of players on three under with a birdie at the ninth.
An excellent start by the 2021 champion.

Spaun ends front nine with birdiepublished at 17:15 BST 16 July
Spaun +1 (9)

It's been a slow start for last year's US Open champion JJ Spaun, who finally adds a first birdie of the day to his card at the ninth with a nicely-judged 15-footer.
Spaun out in 35 - one over par.
get involved
Get Involved - your hometown heroespublished at 17:08 BST 16 July
Click 'Get Involved' on this page to have your say

Phillip Price and Jamie Donaldson - our Ryder Cup heroes
Nick, Pontypridd
Pretty obscure, but Paula Radcliffe and Matt Langridge.
Rory, Northwich

'McIlroy missed a good chance for birdie'published at 17:08 BST 16 July
McIlroy +1, Schauffele E, M Fitzpatrick +1 (6)
Iain Carter
BBC golf correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live at Royal Birkdale

Image source, Getty Images
It has not happened for Rory McIlroy so far. A dropped shot at the par three fourth where he struggled to get up and down on the green after missing his tee shot. He has just missed a good chance for birdie on the sixth.
'Major mistake from Young'published at 17:07 BST 16 July
Young E, Clark +2, Aberg +1 (7)
Graeme Storm
Two-time European Tour winner on BBC Radio 5 Live

That was a major mistake from Cameron Young. I'm very surprised to see him miss that one. It looked like an ordinary tap-in.

Bogey for Youngpublished at 17:06 BST 16 July
Young E, Clark +2, Aberg +1 (7)

Cameron Young almost holes a monster birdie putt on the seventh but his effort slides by the hole.
And oh my goodness - the three-footer for par is missed. Young back to level par.
Neither Wyndham Clark nor Ludvig Aberg have carded a birdie yet today and are over par for their rounds.
Postpublished at 17:04 BST 16 July
Lowry E, Koepka E, Rai E (7)

Image source, PA Media
Conditions have clearly got a little tougher as the day has gone on and when Brooks Koepka and Aaron Rai both just the miss the seventh, it's a case of getting up and down for par, which they manage comfortably.
While Shane Lowry did have a look at birdie it was from almost 30 feet and so he too can only card a three.

Fitzpatrick bogey as McIlroy misses chancepublished at 17:03 BST 16 July
McIlroy +1, Schauffele E, M Fitzpatrick +1 (6)

Rory McIlroy smokes a 352-yard drive down the sixth and curls a clever approach in, using the wind off the right to guide his ball back to the pin on the left edge of the green.
A 19-footer for a birdie...which doesn't come close. He hasn't got going yet, especially on the greens.
Matt Fitzpatrick missed the fairway and green in regulation and the par putt slips past on the left.
Still no birdies from this group.
All pars on front nine for Gotteruppublished at 17:01 BST 16 July
Gotterup E (9)

Image source, Getty Images
American Chris Gotterup has made as steady a start as it is possible to make at Royal Birkdale - making pars on each of his first nine holes.
Gotterup finished third on his Open debut at Royal Portrush last year, having only secured qualification by winning the Scottish Open a week earlier.

154th Open Championship

Date:: 16 - 19 July 2026
Course:: Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Par:: 70
Yards:: 7,223
Prize Money:: $17,750,000

Rank	Player	Total	Total	Thru	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 4	Strokes
1	Ryan Fox	10 under par	10 under par	finished	72	68	62	68	68	270
2	Cameron Young	9 under par	9 under par	finished	67	67	73	64	64	271
3	Sam Burns	8 under par	8 under par	finished	73	62	65	72	72	272
4	Scottie Scheffler	7 under par	7 under par	finished	68	68	70	67	67	273
4	Tommy Fleetwood	7 under par	7 under par	finished	69	67	69	68	68	273
6	Si-Woo Kim	6 under par	6 under par	finished	68	67	67	72	72	274
6	Casey Jarvis	6 under par	6 under par	finished	73	67	68	66	66	274
6	Lucas Herbert	6 under par	6 under par	finished	70	62	71	71	71	274
9	Adam Scott	5 under par	5 under par	finished	72	66	71	66	66	275
9	Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen	5 under par	5 under par	finished	72	66	67	70	70	275
9	Russell Henley	5 under par	5 under par	finished	70	71	68	66	66	275
9	Ryan Gerard	5 under par	5 under par	finished	67	67	69	72	72	275
9	Ludvig Aaberg	5 under par	5 under par	finished	71	66	67	71	71	275
14	Hideki Matsuyama	4 under par	4 under par	finished	72	67	67	70	70	276
14	Sung-Jae Im	4 under par	4 under par	finished	66	72	69	69	69	276
14	Bryson DeChambeau	4 under par	4 under par	finished	67	68	69	72	72	276
14	Corey Conners	4 under par	4 under par	finished	71	67	71	67	67	276
18	Jordan Smith	3 under par	3 under par	finished	68	70	70	69	69	277
18	Xander Schauffele	3 under par	3 under par	finished	71	69	66	71	71	277
18	Kristoffer Reitan	3 under par	3 under par	finished	69	71	68	69	69	277
18	Marco Penge	3 under par	3 under par	finished	72	68	69	68	68	277
18	Alexander Noren	3 under par	3 under par	finished	71	69	69	68	68	277
18	Collin Morikawa	3 under par	3 under par	finished	68	70	70	69	69	277
18	Chris Gotterup	3 under par	3 under par	finished	70	68	72	67	67	277
18	Rickie Fowler	3 under par	3 under par	finished	71	69	71	66	66	277
18	Bud Cauley	3 under par	3 under par	finished	68	68	73	68	68	277
18	Daniel Brown	3 under par	3 under par	finished	66	71	69	71	71	277
28	Victor Perez	2 under par	2 under par	finished	68	69	73	68	68	278
28	Jackson Suber	2 under par	2 under par	finished	65	69	70	74	74	278
28	John Parry	2 under par	2 under par	finished	71	68	73	66	66	278
28	Robert MacIntyre	2 under par	2 under par	finished	67	69	71	71	71	278
28	Shane Lowry	2 under par	2 under par	finished	69	68	69	72	72	278
28	Brooks Koepka	2 under par	2 under par	finished	70	71	69	68	68	278
28	Kazuma Kobori	2 under par	2 under par	finished	70	69	67	72	72	278
28	Cameron John	2 under par	2 under par	finished	70	67	69	72	72	278
28	Max Homa	2 under par	2 under par	finished	71	69	67	71	71	278
28	Pierceson Coody	2 under par	2 under par	finished	67	70	72	69	69	278
28	Patrick Cantlay	2 under par	2 under par	finished	71	68	71	68	68	278
28	Jacob Bridgeman	2 under par	2 under par	finished	70	69	68	71	71	278
40	Michael Thorbjornsen	1 under par	1 under par	finished	70	68	71	70	70	279
40	Matt Wallace	1 under par	1 under par	finished	69	67	72	71	71	279
40	J. J. Spaun	1 under par	1 under par	finished	70	67	73	69	69	279
40	Rory McIlroy	1 under par	1 under par	finished	72	67	69	71	71	279
40	Kurt Kitayama	1 under par	1 under par	finished	69	71	70	69	69	279
40	Thomas Detry	1 under par	1 under par	finished	67	69	74	69	69	279
46	Matthew Southgate	level par	level par	finished	69	69	76	66	66	280
46	Patrick Reed	level par	level par	finished	72	66	71	71	71	280
46	Jon Rahm	level par	level par	finished	69	67	70	74	74	280
46	Francesco Molinari	level par	level par	finished	67	69	72	72	72	280
46	Hennie Du Plessis	level par	level par	finished	70	69	69	72	72	280
46	Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra	level par	level par	finished	70	70	71	69	69	280
46	Jose Luis Ballester	level par	level par	finished	71	70	66	73	73	280
53	Sahith Theegala	1 over par	1 over par	finished	71	69	68	73	73	281
53	Alex Smalley	1 over par	1 over par	finished	67	73	67	74	74	281
53	Shaun Norris	1 over par	1 over par	finished	69	70	70	72	72	281
53	Ryo Hisatsune	1 over par	1 over par	finished	68	73	71	69	69	281
53	Eric Cole	1 over par	1 over par	finished	76	64	66	75	75	281
53	Michael Brennan	1 over par	1 over par	finished	72	68	70	71	71	281
59	Aldrich Potgieter	2 over par	2 over par	finished	69	72	71	70	70	282
59	Johnny Keefer	2 over par	2 over par	finished	70	68	71	73	73	282
59	Nick Taylor	2 over par	2 over par	finished	68	71	72	71	71	282
59	Min-Woo Lee	2 over par	2 over par	finished	70	71	71	70	70	282
59	Naoyuki Kataoka	2 over par	2 over par	finished	73	68	70	71	71	282
59	Ben Griffin	2 over par	2 over par	finished	69	70	74	69	69	282
65	Peter Uihlein	3 over par	3 over par	finished	73	68	72	70	70	283
65	Justin Thomas	3 over par	3 over par	finished	70	69	68	76	76	283
67	Sepp Straka	4 over par	4 over par	finished	68	70	74	72	72	284
67	Nicolas Echavarria	4 over par	4 over par	finished	71	67	69	77	77	284
69	Andy Sullivan	5 over par	5 over par	finished	70	69	73	73	73	285
69	Tyrrell Hatton	5 over par	5 over par	finished	69	68	74	74	74	285
71	Alex Fitzpatrick	6 over par	6 over par	finished	69	67	73	77	77	286
71	M. J. Daffue	6 over par	6 over par	finished	67	72	72	75	75	286
71	Laurie Canter	6 over par	6 over par	finished	69	71	74	72	72	286
74	Marcus Plunkett	7 over par	7 over par	finished	70	71	71	75	75	287
74	Kazuki Higa	7 over par	7 over par	finished	73	68	72	74	74	287
74	Keegan Bradley	7 over par	7 over par	finished	69	72	74	72	72	287
77	Jack McDonald	8 over par	8 over par	finished	70	71	73	74	74	288
78	Jesper Svensson	9 over par	9 over par	finished	73	66	77	73	73	289