The Open Championship is the oldest and one of the most prestigious tournaments in golf. Held annually since 1860, it forms one of the four majors in men’s professional golf, and it is currently the final major of the season, being played from July 17 – 20. While the Open has seen several venues in the past, including the iconic Old Course at St. Andrews, this year, it returns to Royal Portrush for the third time in the tournament’s history.
The last time the major was held at Portrush in 2019, it was the first time it had been held outside of England or Scotland since 1951. Royal Portrush, which is located in Northern Ireland, is known to be one of the most demanding and challenging links golf courses in the world. Being hosted at the Dunluce course, the Open Championship is organised by the R&A, and is also a part of the calendars on the DP World Tour and Japan Golf Tour, apart from the PGA Tour. This year, R&A announced that the total prize purse for The Open will be $17 million, the same as last year, where Xander Schauffele took home a share of $3.1 million from the purse.
While the prize purse has increased over the years, the format of The 153rd Open remains consistent with tradition. It is a 72-hole stroke play event played over four days, from Thursday to Sunday. The tournament begins with a field of 156 players, all vying for the Claret Jug and a share of the substantial prize purse. But like every major, the tournament will have a cut after the first two rounds. Only the top 70 players and ties will move into the weekend, effectively narrowing the field for the final two rounds.
This mid-tournament cut ensures that only those performing at the highest level continue, intensifying competition and keeping it engaging even for fans and broadcasters alike. In the event of a tie after 72 holes, The Open uses a three-hole aggregate playoff, followed by sudden death if needed, to determine the champion. This format upholds the tournament’s legacy of fairness and drama, maintaining its status as one of golf’s greatest tests.
Ready for Thursday.
Full draw here: https://t.co/Jb42j7JIzQ@ROLEX | #ReachForTheCrown
(1/2) pic.twitter.com/mIBS1goMXO
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 15, 2025
The tournament will be played on the Par 71 Dunluce Links course, which will be played at 7,381 yards. The last time it was hosted at Dunluce, Shane Lowry had a commanding 6-shot victory over Tommy Fleetwood to claim his first major title. While Lowry scored an impressive 15-under par over four days, 72.17 was the average score made by players on the par 71 layout. As Royal Portrush prepares to challenge the world’s best once again, let’s take a look at some of the big names who have failed to make it to the weekend at the Open in the past.
Big Names Who Have Missed the Cut at the Open in the Past
The cut at The Open Championship has a long history of claiming big names, serving as a reminder that links golf spares no one, no matter how decorated their résumé. In 2019, perhaps the most memorable example came at Royal Portrush itself, when Rory McIlroy, playing in front of a home crowd in Northern Ireland, shot an opening-round 79 and ultimately missed the cut by a single stroke despite a spirited second-round 65. It was an emotional moment, and one that captured how quickly things can unravel under the unique pressures of The Open. Last year, too, McIlroy missed the cut when it was hosted at the Royal Troon.
Even Tiger Woods, a three-time Open champion, has also fallen victim to missing the cut at the 2009 & the 2015 Open. While Woods has been struggling with injuries over the last few years, the last time he played in the major was in 2024, where he failed to make it to the weekend. Other major champions like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson have also found themselves on the wrong side of the cut line in recent editions. Mickelson, who won the 2013 Open when it was held at Muirfield Golf course, has missed the cut nine times at the Open. His last missed cut was in 2023, and his tied 60th finish last year wasn’t too far from disappointing either. Johnson, who has been on a career low since his move to LIV, missed the cut in 2023 and had a disappointing tied 31st finish last year.
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