The Open 2026: Ryan Fox wins first major title after keeping cool in Birkdale heat

As the drama unfolded on the course, Young unpacked his locker in the Birkdale clubhouse.

The 29-year-old American had already done all he could on the links and set a target of nine under par, which he hoped the rest could not catch.

“I thought 10 [under par] had a decent chance,” he said after bogeying the final hole.”

Young did not fancy watching the action. Instead he said he would grab a bite to eat in the players’ restaurant before “packing up my locker just for efficiency’s sake”.

He might have had a Claret Jug – the prize given to the Open champion – to pack and take home, too.

But, as he prepared on the range for a potential play-off, he could hear exactly what Fox had done on the nearby 18th by the cacophony of celebratory cheers.

Young made the most of the scoreable early conditions in Sunday’s final round, shooting a six-under 64 which looked like it might be enough to finish clear of the chasing pack.

Young started his final round more than two hours before the final group went out and, playing in a lighter wind, threatened to shoot a fourth record-equalling round of 62 this week.

A poor bogey on the 18th – driving into a fairway bunker and hitting the lip of it with his second shot, finding the greenside sand with his third, before almost chipping in – ended his chances of adding to that history.

While it ultimately damaged his hopes of becoming a first-time major champion, Young pointed to a one-over 73 on Saturday as the reason why he fell short.

“I walk away feeling like I could have won with a C-plus day in there,” he said.

“Not that the golf was bad, but the first couple days were fine. If you give those a high B, a C-plus day, and really an A day today, I ended up feeling I had a chance to win with not everything I’ve got.”