The Open returns to Royal Birkdale for the first time since 2017, and there have been a number of changes to the course and its layout that fans will get to see for the first time in the 154th edition of golf's oldest Major.
Work was conducted by renowned architects Mackenzie and Ebert, who, along with the club, were seeking to take the course to the next level. Birkdale ranks 6th in Golf Monthly's Top 100 Courses list and is considered to be the best golf course in England.
A number of holes have been redesigned, 19 bunkers have been removed, 67 yards has been added, five new tees have been built and there's also a new practice area, among many other tweaks, with the biggest being the introduction of a brand new par 3.
It's the latest new short hole added to The Open rota after Royal Liverpool's new 'Little Eye' Par 3 17th was introduced ahead of the 2023 championship.
Birkdale's old par 3 14th has been removed and replaced with a short game area, with the old par 5 15th now playing as the 14th.
It has allowed for the introduction of the Southport links' brand new 15th hole, which is the longest par 3 on the course and is set to test the world's best to the extreme. It also means all four of the course's par 3s play in different directions.
The 15th plays a mammoth 241 yards from the tips to a green that is well guarded with bunkers to the left and a huge run-off area to the right. It's at an exposed part of the course, too, so crosswinds could play a big factor.
The par 3 plays directly towards a big hospitality unit which will also likely alter wind conditions.
“Although it is the biggest green on the golf course, it doesn’t look like it from the tee,” Royal Birkdale Head Professional Gregg Pettersen told TheOpen.com.
“A front pin can be very narrow and intimidating with two bunkers to the left and a large run-off to the right side.
“Getting the ball to stop on the green could be difficult as the wind gets up. It does want to run away from you.
“There could be big moments here – it could really go either way."
It is set to make for a fascinating watch all week during the 154th Open and it could well decide the championship.
I recently played Royal Birkdale leading up to The Open and wrote in the July issue of Golf Monthly magazine that the 15th "will play as one of the hardest holes on the course and I suspect the Champion Golfer of the Year will make a stoic par on his way to the Claret Jug while his rivals drop shots here."
Its challenge could well divide players, and one of the biggest names in the sport admits he is "undecided" on the new hole. Rory McIlroy recently made a scouting trip to Birkdale, where he got to see the new 15th for the first time.
"Undecided. I'll have to play it a bit more. I only played it once," 2014 Open champion McIlroy said.
"There may be a couple of holes locations on the green where the hole is a little bit too long for those hole locations. Like it's maybe a little bit silly to be hitting a 3-iron into some of them.
"But if they moved up the tee box where you're hitting like a 6- or 7-iron in, it's good. But it's going to be an interesting hole. I think it's going to be a big talking point during the week."
Jon Rahm has no doubt that the new 15th has made the course tougher.
"If you're on the back tee and it's not downwind, it's a very narrow target. Even with no wind, you're hitting 4-irons into a very small green that is firm. You could easily hit a good shot and end up off the green and struggling for par," he said.
"So it's a little bit different [to the new par 3 at Royal Liverpool]. This one, I would say, is obviously much, much harder.
"If I remember correctly with the wind we've had in the past, it's probably going to be some sort of left-to-right wind. So it's going to play very, very difficult for sure in that regard.
"That's from the back tee, at least 240-odd yards to the middle. If you're on the up tee, it'll be a little bit easier. Still, a very tricky hole. They've clearly wanted to make the golf course harder, and they've done that."
If you want to see more of the new 15th, it's well worth watching Padraig Harrington take it on recently during a practice round, where he revealed what his optimal strategy will likely be during the championship:
