The 151st Open : Five things know presented by OCEANTEE

The DP World Tour returns to Royal Liverpool this week for the much-anticipated 151st Open Championship as the world's biggest stars gather at Hoylake. Here are your five things to know.

Rory's return

Fresh from a second Rolex Series victory of the year, Rory McIlroy heads back to Royal Liverpool nine years after he claimed his first and only Claret Jug.

When McIlroy arrived at Hoylake in 2014, he was already a proven Major champion, having captured the 2011 U.S. Open and 2012 US PGA Championship, and was widely viewed as the favourite. In an impressive front-running performance, the then 25-year-old lived up to that billing as he claimed a dominant wire-to-wire victory at Hoylake to clinch the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

McIlory finished two shots clear of Rickie Fowler and Garcia as he became the second Northern Irishman to be crowned Open champion in four years after Darren Clarke’s 2011 success.

He went on to win the PGA Championship that same year, but despite being in contention several times since - including at the 150th Open at St. Andrews before being beaten by Cameron Smith, he has yet to put his name on a Major championship since that year.

But this week he comes in with huge amounts of confidence.

The World Number Two comes to the final Major of the year following his victory at the Genesis Scottish Open, where he proved to himself with his birdie-birdie finish on two of the toughest holes on Sunday at The Renaissance Club that he can hold his nerve in those moments. They also included two of the best shots of his career, and McIlroy is hoping that his win will be a new jumping off point for his career.

"Obviously a huge confidence boost going into The Open next week," said McIlroy.

"I've had my chances over the last couple of months and been knocking on the door. Just haven't quite been able to get it done so hopefully this breaks the seal and we can go on from here."

It will be all new for him however, as he hasn't been back to Hoylake since his victory - and a few things have changed since then.

"I haven't done any early reconnaissance. I haven't seen the place since 2014. I'll get out there on the course tomorrow and try to figure it out and make sure I'm ready for Thursday."

A lot of change

There are quite a number of differences facing players this week than the one that they were tested by nine years ago, thanks to a new hole, differences in tee boxes, a different par, additional bunkers and a new orientation of the in-course out of bounds.

It will make for an incredibly exciting but formidable task, but what exactly is new?

A new fairway bunker awaits players at the first, while the green at the seventh hole has changed to showcase more subtle undulations. The 10th hole is a par four this year - usually a par five - while a more heavily mowed area has been done to encourage a more penal run-off for players down to the bottom of the gully at the same.

A big change comes to the 15th hole, which was the 16th hole in previous editions of The Open. It has been extended to over 600 yards, and has two new bunkers that should protect against players bombing it over the other bunkers like they did last time.

The much talked about 17th is the new par three, named 'Little eye', will grab the attention of plenty. At a140 yards, Hoylake's newest hole featured a significantly raised infinity green that has considerable undulations and looks out towards the ocean and Wales, which is just a few miles away. Multiple and vast bunkers lead up towards the green, which also features two either side. Couple with big fall-off areas to the sides, making the green is going to be imperative on this hole.

Lastly, the 18th is primed to provide a dramatic finish. Typically the 16th to members, the orientation of the Out of Bounds has been brought in by 20 yards on the left, while a new tee box 50 yards back is significantly further right than in past editions, making for a narrow fairway.

Fitzpatrick's and Hojgaard's make it a family affair

Matt Fitzpatrick and Rasmus Hojgaard are joined in the field this week by brothers Alex and Nicolai, who earned their spots in the field through Final Qualifying, and the Open Qualification Series respectively.

Ten years ago, Fitzpatrick made his first start in a Major at The Open at Muirfield after making it through Final Qualifying, and this week, Alex makes his own Major debut at Royal Liverpool alongside his now Major Champion brother, having come through the same route.

The elder Fitzpatrick was also on a golf course, his in New Jersey, when he found out the news, and said he was 'buzzing' for him.

"I was so happy," said Fitzpatrick

"I was buzzing. I was playing golf, and I was just refreshing the scores constantly. It was taking a while to update. My girlfriend was just literally like, put it down. It'll load in a minute. I was just constantly refreshing, texting my mom, what's he doing, where is he hitting it. I was so happy for him.

" I think it's amazing, if you would've said to be 10 years ago when I played at Muirfield, you'd play The Open in 2023, you'd have won a major and your brother would be playing in one, I think we'd both be like, what?

"It's my little brother. I've almost wanted to give Francesco and Edoardo a call and ask them what it's like, what's the dynamic like between you? Is it weird? People ask, what would you do if you were in the final group on Sunday, and I said, well, that would be kind of my worst nightmare, to be honest.

"It's an exciting week, and I'm just so pleased for him. I think it's great, gives him a good boost of confidence qualifying, and there's no reason why he can't do well this week. It's a golf course in 2006 that required really good accuracy off the tee and great iron play. He can definitely do that."

They are joined in the field by fellow brothers Rasmus and Nicolai, who played their first Major together just two months ago at the US PGA Championship.

Nicolai grabbed the third and final place in the Open field after finishing inside the top ten at the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday. The Dane, whose brother won the Made in Himmerland just over a week ago, had said he had been inspired by his brother ahead of the week and it showed as he went on to book his place in his fifth Major start.

Rasmus, who is making his Open Championship debut, had qualified through his finish on the Race to Dubai Rankings in 2022 but injury doubts had plagued much of his season before he recorded his fourth DP World Tour victory in front of home fans. He will now be hoping to best Nicolai too, who beat him at Oak Hill: Rasmus missed the cut, while Nicolai finished 50th.

Home game for Matthew Jordan

A lot of eyes will be on Matthew Jordan this week, who has the honour of hitting the first tee shot at his home course after making it through Final Qualifying two weeks ago.

There's no-one in the field who will know the course as well as he does. He grew up playing here and the multiple club championship titles attest to his skills around this course, which include a personal best of 62. He still plays it regularly since the changes, and it's no surprise he's already had a few players asking his advice this week.

For Jordan, who has memories of watching in both 2006 and 2014, it's all about enjoying the occasion while trying to temper his own emotions so that he can play the course like he knows he can.

"It's an amazing honour," said Jordan.

"I'm sure the first tee, no matter what was going to be special, but obviously to have this as a kid growing up, I used to wake up early, 6:30, and that was The Open commencing. So I've got fond memories, so to have this honour is brilliant."

"Ultimately I want to perform. That is my main goal.I think in terms of me doing that, when I come away from this next week I just want to play the golf course like I know I can, like I do in practice, like I normally will if I'm here preparing for any other events.

"And if I feel like I can do that, then I know that I can do well around here. For me it's not letting the occasion dictate what I exactly do. It's just me playing the golf course."

As for his game plan this week? He doesn't want to give too much away.

"I'm just looking at certain spots that you can hit it in terms of like I want to see where the rough is in certain places. I'm not going to reveal where because I don't want to give away too many tips. There's been a couple [asking] so far, but as I say, I've only just arrived. I might pick and choose what I tell person people.

"Then I just want to see exactly how firm it is in terms of like hitting shots towards bunkers, how big the bounce is, how big the bounce is on greens. Yeah, just more so being able to -- instead of looking at the course, being able to actually feel it and see the bounces and everything like that."

Internal out of bounds

Having an internal out of bounds isn't something that happens too often, yet this is the second time we've seen it this Major season, and the third and 18th holes at Hoylake.

Following on from the US PGA Championship, Royal Liverpool's internal out of bounds returns at both the third at the 18th holes this year - and one of those has a big change.

The internal out of bounds at runs down the entire right-hand side of the third hole, as it doglegs sharply to the right, which means it comes in to play on both the drive and approach hot..

On the other side (with some grandstands in between) is the 18th hole, which comes with an even narrower landing spot than in previous editions.

The Championship tee has been moved significant right and 50 yards further back, while the internal out of bounds has been moved 20 yards left.

Here's what Head Pro John Heggarty had to say on The Open course guide.

“Eighteen has a brand new tee, we’ve changed the orientation of the out of bounds, so it has come in 20 yards from the right-hand side, which actually sets up better I think from the tee shot, as the tee shot is now parallel to the out of bounds so that gives you a better perspective, but the fact it has come in 20 yards does mean that the fairway’s narrower.

"Bunkers off the tee are a no-no on the that hole, because you literally just have to get it out and then you’re left with a very long third shot. Players again in previous Opens have been able to hit long irons down there and just chase the ball. If we get fast running fairways they’ll do the same, but the reality is they’ll probably be a little further back than they were in 2014, which then brings more of the out of bounds in for the second shot. So it would favour an aggressive play from the tee, which will again leave just a 4-iron or 5-iron onto the green. But circumstances, an 18th hole, 72nd hole, an aggressive play doesn’t always work hand in glove. So it will be a case of this is what we must do, and perhaps this is what we mustn’t do.”