New R&A statement shares strict ‘zero tolerance’ rules for The Open
Golf fans going to The Open at Royal Birkdale will need to follow a new code of conduct set by the event organisers. The R&A, which runs The Open, will be in charge of the 2026 tournament at this Merseyside club.
There will be 156 players competing from July 16 to July 19. American Scottie Scheffler, the defending champion, is looking to win a major again this year after his big wins at the PGA Championship and The Open in 2025.
With just a week to go until the 11th time The Open is held at Birkdale, the R&A shared some new rules for fans enjoying the golf next weekend. They want to avoid problems like those seen at Royal Liverpool in 2023 when Brian Harman, who ended up winning, faced distractions from some fans who were jeering and a few who were clearly drunk.
The R&A asks fans to respect the players, the course, each other, stay aware of their surroundings, and drink responsibly. This means keeping quiet and still when players are preparing and taking their shots, and not asking for autographs except in the special areas set aside for that.
There are also guidelines on what kind of flags, clothing, or signs fans can bring. Everything should suit the spirit of The Open, not block anyone’s view or disturb the game, and fans should be mindful of local people when travelling to and from the event.
The code is very clear that any threatening behavior—like bad language, sexual harassment, or discrimination based on gender, age, race, disability, sexuality, or religion—is not allowed at all.
Royal Birkdale will host the last major of the 2026 PGA Tour season. The Open is one of the sport’s biggest events and always has a strong group of players.
So far this year, no one has won two majors. Rory McIlroy won the Masters in April for his sixth major, and England’s Aaron Rai had a surprise win at the PGA Championship. June’s US Open was won by America’s Wyndham Clark, who also won the same tournament in 2023.
With just six days before the first tee-off, Scottie Scheffler is the favourite to win again, followed by McIlroy, Jon Rahm from the US, and another American, Xander Schauffele.