TROON, Scotland — The 152nd Open, the last major championship of the season in men’s golf, tees off Thursday at Royal Troon Golf Course on Scotland’s west coast.
It’s the last chance this season to win a major championship — the tournaments that separate legendary golfers from everyone elsFor Masters winner Scottie Scheffler, PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele and U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, it’s a chance to add a second title to an already remarkable season.
For Rory McIlroy, it’s one more opportunity to end a nearly decade-long drought without a victory in the big four.
“It’s hard to explain and it sounds negative, but it’s like, ‘If I don’t win this, it’s another year without a major,'” said two-time PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas. “It’s just the unfortunate reality. We only get four tries in a year. And then once it’s done, all right, got to wait until next year.”
Here is a closer look at the golfers in The Open field, from the legitimate contenders, dark horses, past champions and amateurs.e.