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SportsLine Forecasts Scheffler, McIlroy as Open 2026 Leaders

7/16/2026

38 7 Full Breakdown

Summary

McIlroy Targets Open

SportsLine's model simulated the 2026 Open Championship 10,000 times to project the leaderboard.
The model has correctly forecast 17 majors, including five straight Masters predictions.
Rory McIlroy (+950) is aiming for a second Open win after his fourth-place finish at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
Scottie Scheffler (+750) could be the first back-to-back Open champion since 2005, leading the PGA Tour in strokes-gained scoring and birdie averages.

Summary

Scheffler Early Start

The Open Championship opens Thursday, July 16 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club, with tee times at 1:35 a.m. ET.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler tees off at 4:58 a.m. ET, the latest start.
A U.S. win would be the first four-straight American victories since 2003-06, after three recent titles.
The early U.S. start reflects the nine-hour time-zone gap between England and the Eastern United States.

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McIlroy Targets Open

SportsLine's model simulated the 2026 Open Championship 10,000 times to project the leaderboard.
The model has correctly forecast 17 majors, including five straight Masters predictions.
Rory McIlroy (+950) is aiming for a second Open win after his fourth-place finish at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
Scottie Scheffler (+750) could be the first back-to-back Open champion since 2005, leading the PGA Tour in strokes-gained scoring and birdie averages.

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