Final thoughts on the 153rd Open Championship

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

Three players won the majors this year. Which top player leaves Royal Portrush most disappointed not to have added a major championship to his resume in 2025?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): Many would be disappointed… Rahm, Schauffele, Morikawa, Fleetwood, Aberg, Lowry, Rose, but I’m guessing the most frustrated would be DeChambeau, who’s played pretty brilliantly: T-5 Masters, T-2 PGA, MC – US Open, T-10 – The Open.  Much as I’m not a big fan, I give the guy credit for being a dominant force in the game, and I expect he’s got major victories in his future.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): Bryson feels the most disappointed, he’s been right there in several Majors (T2, T5, T10), second to only an impressive Scheffler: (1, 1, 4th, and T7). Bryson is playing some world class golf. But you could argue Justin Rose may be the most disappointed (heartbroken/borderline devasted really) losing in a playoff to Rory at the Masters.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: I want to say Harris English, but Scottie won by so much that English has to be pleased with his result. So, instead of English, I think Fleetwood can hear voices in the background.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I think Bryson will be disappointed not to win one.  He’s the one LIV player that still seems to care enough about the majors to put in the effort and truly is passionate about those events.  Bar his first round at Royal Portrush, he would have been right in the mix.  I think he’s driven to win another major and will be gunning for one in 2026, after playing the Ryder Cup of course!

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Well, may seem an odd choice, but Justin Rose must be feeling that this was very probably the last real chance to cap an illustrious career. He had been playing so well, especially for a guy who will be 45 at the end of the month. How to define frustration? How about coming second, as Rose did in this year’s Masters (his 3rd second), second twice at the US Open, which he won way back in 2013. He’s won the Fed Ex (well, who cares) and the Euro Tour, was world number one in 2018, and has 25 worldwide wins. This was probably the last real run at major number two and that reality must be crushing.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine (@FairwaysMag): While he’s a good sport and a gentleman, and appears to shrug off disappointing finishes with grace, Justin Rose must hear the clock ticking. He’s played very well this year and despite that devastating playoff loss at Augusta, continues to contend at majors—albeit without success. Most would take Rose’s 2025 finishes as a sign of good things to come but for an aging competitor, it’s just another year of frustrating near misses.

Apart from Scheffler’s win, what was the best or most compelling story to come out of Royal Portrush last week?

Deeks: I’d say two things: McIlroy’s class and aplomb at not being able to fulfill the fantasy of an entire country, and the fact that there were no major controversies or meltdowns the way there can be at major tournaments… notwithstanding Sergio’s broken driver, or the ridiculous two-stroke penalty on Lowry for his ball moving 1/16 of an inch in the rough. It was a wonderful tournament on one of the world’s great golf courses, and the best man won. What more can you ask for?

Loughry: Lots of good small side stories this week at the Open, Mickelson making the cut, top 10 was peppered with international flags, Rory’s homecoming so to speak, poor sportsmanship from Lowry and Garcia on display. But I think the venue itself was likely the second story everyone just raving about the course.

Schurman: Two stories were fun to follow. The first is Gotterup’s fine play, and the second is H.T. Li. Before the event, a comment was made about the number of players who appeared from around the world, many of whom we had never heard of. These two finished well and put on a great show. Sadly, if you took Scheffler out of the equation, many Americans would have turned the TV off.

Rule: I think two things.  I was watching on Sunday and thinking if Scottie wasn’t playing, what an incredible event it would have been, so much movement in the 2-10 spots on the leaderboard throughout the day, it would have been an exciting finish.  I was also very impressed with Chris Gotterup.  He won seemingly out of nowhere at Renaissance the week before, besting Rory on Sunday, and played solidly all weekend to finish third at The Open.  Perhaps he’s the next great American player?

Quinn: Thanks to climate change, the big winner last week was the Chamber of Commerce of Portrush. What a four-day commercial — greatly aided by drone cameras. While European capitals and other tourism meccas are doing everything they can to limit the descending hoards, Portrush just threw down a welcome map. Like all commercials, there is a fair share of illusion — for one, the wondrous TV perspective is never available to the common visitors on foot or in righthand drive conveyances — as the weather is very likely not going to be anything like what they saw during The Open (except for those deluges opening day). Still, the golf will be great and as they fill the coffers of the locals, the wealthy ramblers will be ‘spoiled for choice’ as they decide which pub to visit.

Mumford: The golf course is always the story at Open Championships and even more so with Royal Portrush. The unpredictability of links golf framed by Dunluce Castle and the North Atlantic Ocean is as good as it gets. Sadly, the wind didn’t blow, but the course fought hard regardless and commanded the players to try shots they never see on this side of the pond. Open courses offer a week of relief from the relentless monotony of pristine, over-manicured golfscapes regularly served up by the PGA Tour.

The Ryder Cup is just two months away. Which player or players not already in the mix caught your attention at the Open as someone the captains should be considering for a spot on their team?

Deeks: Harris English.  Steady, plodding, no discernible personality, just solid performance all year. He’d be on my team, anytime.

Loughry: Sounds like DeChambeau will be on the team judging by Keegan Bradley’s comments (rightfully so) as he’s likely to be passed by some PGA Tour players who get points (where Bryson can’t earn any). As mentioned, his play has been probably second or third best this year of any player, and he deserves to be at the Ryder Cup.

Schurman: Chris Gotterup sure has gained some consideration, and not choosing Brian Harmon wouldn’t make sense. On the other side, Niklas Norgaard and Marco Penge are coming into stride. Penge might be too far back without a top finish. On paper, once again, the USA looks incredibly strong, but we say that every time.

Rule: Aside from Gotterup, who should get a look if he keeps up his hot form, I would have to say Maverick McNealy on the US side.  He seems to always be hanging around leaderboards.  On the European side it is the Hojgaard brothers, they are supremely talented, played well at Portrush and it would be a great story if they both played at Bethpage.

Quinn: Hmmm; what struck a depressing chord during the sun-bleached Open was the awful thought that Keegan Bradley is not only Captain of team USA, USA, USA, but that he might play. Then, of course, it followed that the nightmare continue with him pairing himself with Brian Harman. Should those two play together it would cure any potential golf fan of ever caring about the game or ever watching again. Unfortunately, the leather-lung mouth-breathers outside the ropes (mercifully) at Bethpage will not be attuned to the game’s gentlemen’s rules and decorum, and pace of play.

Mumford: Patrick Reed surely put to rest any notion of having Captain America on the team again. Likewise, say goodbye to No-Hat Pat (Cantlay). Maverick McNealy and Brian Harman secured their positions as Captain’s picks as did the Captain himself. And Wyndham Clark and Chris Gotterup should make Bradley’s final picks an even tougher decision. On the European side, Matt Fitzpatrick surely played himself onto the team. The big question for Luke Donald will be who does he bump out of the top 12 to accommodate Jon Rahm, who didn’t distinguish himself at Royal Portrush but you know is going to be on the team?