The Open

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Two-time champion Padraig Harrington has said he will be "very nervous" to hit the opening tee shot at the 153rd Open Championship on Thursday but that he does not want to be viewed as a "ceremonial golfer".

Irishman Harrington, who won the US Senior Open last month, will begin the championship at Royal Portrush at 06:35 BST.

"Look, my goal is to hit the first shot and the last shot this week. So, in my head, that's what I'm trying to do," said Harrington, who lifted the Claret Jug in 2007 and 2008 and also won the 2008 US PGA Championship.

"That's what I'm thinking. I'm sure the bookmakers will tell you that's not a reality, but I have to prepare.

"If I get there on Sunday and get myself in contention, I have to prepare to be ready for that moment and see how that goes."

Harrington said the first hole at Royal Portrush is "not a comfortable tee shot for anybody" in the field.

"I'll be definitely very nervous about that and I'll be very comfortable with anything in play," said the 53-year-old.

"I'll be doing a bit of posing after I hit. No matter how bad the shot is, I'll be holding my finish and pretending it's a good one."

When the championship was last held at Portrush in 2019, it was Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke who hit the opening shot.

Harrington, however, said he would not be taking advice from the 2011 Open champion.

"[Clarke] says, 'I was going to hit the little three iron down there' and he got so nervous, he took out the driver and bunted it down there because it was a bigger head," Harrington added.

"I'm saying, 'Darren, this isn't helping me'.

"I don't know what the conditions is going to be, but I really don't fancy hitting a driver off the first tee. Hopefully it will be the three iron."

Bryson DeChambeau enthusiastically played up to his persona as one of golf's greatest showmen during his practice round on Wednesday evening.

On the 18th green, DeChambeau urged the spectators in the grandstand to cheer him on as he made his final on-course preparations at Royal Portrush.

The two-time US Open champion begins his bid for a first Open title at 14:48 BST on Thursday.

After finishing up, the American LIV Golf star signed autographs for his vast legion of fans.

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

Image source, Callaway

Open champion Xander Schauffele popped into a local Portrush bar on Monday after a "rough" nine holes on the links. It was all pre-planned for a promotional event, of course, but that didn't stop the American sampling a pint.

"It was a rough day at work, hence the beer," he smiled as he let his guard down a little.

We learned Xander "used to wait for the rain to come in San Diego to go out and practice in it" because it rarely rained when he was growing up in the Californian city.

He's "happy" to have his Olympic gold medal but is a "traditionalist" and didn't think golf should have been in the Games.

He also revealed: "Every year my friends would bet on me for the majors, to win. I'm like, why… winning is tough. The PGA at Valhalla (which was his first major title, in 2024) was the first time the entire group stopped betting on me.

"They had been betting on me for six years straight years and that's when they stopped. I told them, you guys are never allowed to bet on me again."

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JJ Spaun said he is learning to "embrace" his elevated status in golf as he prepares for the Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

The 34-year-old won the US Open at Oakmont last month and is now ranked number 10 in the world having previously only won once on the PGA Tour.

Thirteen years after turning professional, the American's first major victory, as well as losing a play-off to Rory McIlroy at The Players Championship in March, have hugely lifted his profile and he has been paired in a group alongside two-time major champions Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele at Portrush.

"I never thought I would win a major - a few years ago I was just trying to get in them," he said.

"It's a big difference, having the spotlight on me now and the expectations, but all I can do is just rely on the experiences I've had - coming down the stretch at the US Open, getting myself in the play-off at The Players Championship.

"I've had way bigger challenges - whether it's life or golf or losing my card - than just being more in the spotlight, so I'm learning to embrace it."

The 153rd Open will be Spaun's debut at the championship, and he missed the cut at the Scottish Open last weekend as he becomes accustomed to the different "challenge" of links golf.

"You kind of want to play everything airborne in America," he added.

"Pick your number, try to fly it there, and hopefully it spins and stops near the hole.

"But links golf requires a lot more creativity, imagination, so learning to flight shots better and trying to guess bounces correctly is going to be sort of the challenge this week. Also, the elements."

Image source, Getty Images

We are edging closer and closer to the first round of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Here's a quick look at what to expect on Wednesday.

We'll hear from the R&A around 11:00 BST this morning and we'll bring you that press conference live on the BBC Sport website.

Also speaking to the media is Justin Rose. The 2013 US Open champion will be in the interview room around 12:30 BST and that'll be streamed live too.

Out on the course this morning getting in some final practice we have Padraig Harrington and Adam Scott with talk that Rory McIlroy may make an appearance again.

Image source, Getty Images

Let's have a quick look at some of the big names and when they are out on Thursday (all times BST):

Padraig Harrington, Nicolai Hojgaard and Tom McKibbin (06:35)

Phil Mickelson, Daniel van Tonder and Ryan Peake (07:19)

Xander Schauffele, JJ Spaun and Jon Rahm (09:58)

Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler (10:09)

Russell Henley, Tyrrell Hatton and Min Woo Lee (14:37)

Robert MacIntyre, Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau (14:48)

Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas (15:10)

You can get a full list of Thursday and Friday's tee times here

Peter Scrivener
BBC Sport senior journalist at Royal Portrush

Image source, Getty Images

It has been 37 years since a Spaniard won The Open - back in 1988 when the late Seve Ballesteros claimed his third title.

Jon Rahm is well aware. He's had three top-10s in his past four Opens and warmed up for this week with a runner-up finish at last week's LIV golf event in Andalucia, in his home country.

"The Open Championship is the most prestigious event you can win in golf," stated the 2021 US Open and 2023 Masters champion.

"For my understanding of the game and the history, the Claret Jug is the most special one.

"There's an order to it too because it changes venues, so if you can win it in St Andrews, I don't think anything in golf can come close to that.

"It's the home of golf. Golf started in this part of the world. It's the oldest championship we have, and that's what makes it so special - the type of golf we play, the links courses where in theory it is meant to be played, the elements, the weather, it's quite unique. I don't think there's a word to describe it, but all together it's what makes it so special."

The defending champion Xander Schauffele speaks to BBC Sport NI's Gavin Andrews about the conditions at Royal Portrush and his hopes on retaining his title.

Stephen Watson
BBC Sport NI at Royal Portrush

A lovely moment here at Royal Portrush as local teenager Lucia Heaney has her portrait of Rory McIlroy signed by the man himself.

The 15-year-old from Magherafelt won Tourism Northern Ireland's art competition with her portrait of the Grand Slam winner with Lucia's winning design featuring the Harland and Wolff Cranes and the Giant's Causeway.