Ryan Fox Wins The Open at Royal Birkdale as Fleetwood Falls Short on Home Soil

Scottie Scheffler defended Bryson DeChambeau's integrity after a two-shot penalty overshadowed the championship.

Ryan Fox won the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, capping a tournament that also featured strong showings from Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, according to BBC Sport.

England's Tommy Fleetwood came up short in his bid for a home victory but said he would keep chasing his Open dream after what he called a "special" week on home soil, BBC Sport reported.

The championship was not without controversy. Bryson DeChambeau was hit with a two-shot penalty during the tournament, and Scheffler came to his rival's defense afterward, telling reporters DeChambeau was "not a cheater" while calling for stricter policing of golf's rules, according to Fox News.

The result extends a run of high-profile finishes at links courses this year, with Fox claiming the Claret Jug in a championship that generated some of the tournament's most talked-about shots, BBC Sport said.

— Compiled from reporting by BBC Sport and Fox News.