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Five holes that will define the Open Championship at Royal Portrush
View of a Titleist golf ball. Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Five holes that will define the Open Championship at Royal Portrush

The Open Championship heads back to Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, a unique links course highlighted by elevated greens, undulating holes and minimal pot bunkers. 

When it comes to who will lift up the Claret Jug on Sunday afternoon, these are the five holes that will define the tournament.

Hole No. 1: Par 4, 420 yards

Most Open Championship venues feature short, wide opening holes to ease players into their round, but not Royal Portrush. You have to be dialed in from your first tee shot with deep bunkers on the right and out of bounds on the left. 

In 2019, Rory McIlroy kicked off his hometown championship with a quadruple bogey on the first after hitting his opening tee shot out of bounds. Big numbers on No. 1 will likely cause multiple players to miss the cut. 

Hole No. 11: Par 4, 475 yards

The 11th hole, which used to be a par 5, now plays as the most difficult par 4 on the golf course. The tee shot is a brute, as players will need to thread the needle through a tight opening guarded by large mounds on both sides of the fairway. 

Even if you hit the short grass, the approach shot could be a blind attempt up to an elevated green guarded by a false front. Four pars on No. 11 would be a great week for any player who can survive the toughest test on the course. 

Hole No. 12: Par 5, 532 yards

If you can salvage a par at the 11th, you immediately get to attack with the shortest, easiest par 5 on the property. As long as players can avoid the deep bunkers on the right side of the fairway, all of them will have a chance to hit this green in two. 

With how difficult the par 4s are at Royal Portrush, it's crucial to score on the three par 5s. That's especially true at the reachable 12th, which will likely concede the most birdies at the 2025 Open Championship. 

Hole No. 16: Par 3, 236 yards

There's a reason the 16th hole is nicknamed "Calamity Corner." The intimidating par 3 plays nearly 240 yards uphill over a deep ravine. Miss right, and you could end up 50 feet below the green surface in a mess of thick fescue. 

The wise play on Sunday will be to aim short and left of the green and take your chances at getting up and down for par. It will be critical to avoid the big number at 16 all week, but many players won't be able to accomplish that daunting task. 

Hole No. 18: Par 4, 474 yards

Players will need two spectacular shots to hit the par-4 18th in regulation. The tee shot demands an accurate drive to avoid the out of bounds on the left and the thick fescue on the right. If you're lucky enough to hit the fairway, the long approach shot is no picnic with a deep pot bunker on the right and a steep drop-off to the left of the green. 

Precision will be the key to tackling the tough 18th. Trouble lurks at every turn, but a straight drive and a flushed long iron will make the iconic walk into the booming amphitheater an enjoyable one. 

Jack Dougherty

Jack Dougherty has been writing professionally since 2015, contributing to publications such as GoPSUSports. com, Centre Daily Times, Associated Press, and Sportscasting. com

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