Padraig Harrington struck the first tee shot as the 153rd British Open started in cloudy conditions at Royal Portrush on Thursday. Ireland's Harrington, twice the Open champion, was playing with Denmark's Nicolai Hojgaard and Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin.

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The simplest one is to wager on the in-form golfers, a list led by Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler. McIlroy may get the nod over Scheffler in some circles this week because he's playing on home soil at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

The crowds following Rory McIlroy for three days at Royal Portrush have been enormous, a reminder of the expectations. On banners and flags and buntings of grandstands there are images of the claret jug,

McIlroy, despite his uneven performances in the P.G.A. Championship and U.S. Open, will be among the favorites this week in his native country, as will Xander Schauffele, the defending champion, and Scottie Scheffler, the top-ranked golfer in the world. Here are five other players to watch.

The R&A announced this week that the Spidercam be a "world-first for golf" that will bring TV viewers closer to the action that before.

Here's a capsule look at key anniversaries for the British Open this year. This is golf's oldest championship, so it dates back to the 19th century.

A half century has passed since Tom Watson captured the first of his five British Opens, defeating Jack Newton by one in an 18-hole playoff at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland.

The final major of the season is here. Follow along for live updates, scores, highlights and more from the first round of the 2025 British Open.