2026 Open Championship: 3 Keys From Burns, Bryson and Cameron Young to Play Better Golf

The weekend at The Open Championship is setting up to be a good one.

With favorable weather through two rounds at the 154th Open  — a stark contrast to Mother Nature’s history at the final major  — players have taken an aggressive approach at Royal Birkdale. 

Not very often do two players post a pair of 62s on the same day and within 20 minutes of each other. Add in Ryan Fox already firing another 62 early in the third round and it's clear birdies are available.

That, along with a few other things we've seen at The Open, create a ton of lessons every day golfers can learn from the diverse leaderboard at Royal Birkdale. 

Sam Burns didn’t let three consecutive bogeys to close his opening round Thursday carry over into Friday. Instead, he responded with three straight birdies to finish with a historic 62.

Here’s what we can learn from Burns through two rounds. 

During your next round, think of every tee shot as a new beginning. Once a hole is over, evaluate, then move on. Dwelling on mistakes rarely leads to better outcomes. Break 18 holes into one-hole pieces.

After struggling in majors all season long, Bryson DeChambeau seems to finally have it figured out at Royal Birkdale.

With the opportunity to be aggressive with the complimentary weather, DeChambeau has been excellent with his irons so far. By hitting 30 of 36 greens in regulation through two rounds, it gave him plenty of birdie looks — and he’s taking advantage. While a penalty shot derailed his momentum a bit, he's still got a chance at his first Open Championship title.

Here’s how to dial in your irons like the two-time Major Champion.

Coaching Tip

-- Pick a specific landing zone on the green

-- Favor the center of the green more often than not

-- Accept a longer birdie putt as a great look still

Quick Drill

Next time you’re on the range, don’t just fire at flags. Pick targets at represent the safe side of the green. Train yourself to hit the ball into certain sections of the green, not just pins. Alternate clubs and vary trajectory and swing speeds to build distance control.

Cam Young has excelled at the par 4s at Royal Birkdale after 36 holes, making seven birdies already. But what’s also eye-catching is his avoidance of making  a big number. He’s limited himself to just three bogeys.

If you can limit bogeys or worse like Young, rounds tend to go in your favor. 

Before every tee or approach shot, choose where you want the ball to finish and identify where you cannot miss. Commit to a target that removes the biggest danger from play.

Good decision-making is often the difference between a bogey and a double bogey.