Jackson Suber, the 26-year-old Tampa native who made his PGA Tour debut at Palm Harbor's Valspar Championship, is contending for the Claret Jug. He shot a 5-under 65 in the opening round of the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club on Thursday, July 16. Suber first played the Valspar in 2022, not 2026.

This is Suber's first time in Europe. He played just 27 holes of links golf before teeing off in competition.

"This is my fifth day here," Suber told reporters after his round. "Monday was my first round of links golf, so I've played 27 holes before I played the first round."

None of that showed on the scorecard. Suber needed only 24 putts, gaining more than three strokes on the field on the greens, according to The Athletic's Justin Ray. His finish told the story: birdies on Nos. 14 and 16, then an eagle on the par-5 17th after blasting a 323-yard drive and hitting a 4-iron from 233 yards to reach the green. Just 24 of 156 players broke par that day.

The local connection runs deep. Suber grew up watching the Valspar Championship at Innisbrook Resort's Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor and made his PGA Tour debut there in 2022. The former Ole Miss standout turned professional in 2022 and has steadily climbed the ranks, entering The Open ranked No. 115 in the world and No. 81 in the FedExCup standings with three top-10 finishes in 2026.

His ticket to Royal Birkdale came through a tie for fourth at the RBC Canadian Open in June, which secured his spot in the field for just his third career major championship, following the 2024 and 2026 U.S. Opens.

Suber followed with a 1-under 69 in Friday's second round, posting 6 under through 36 holes. He made three consecutive bogeys on Nos. 6-8 but recovered with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 10 and 11, then rolled in a par putt on 18 to finish as the clubhouse leader.

Australian Lucas Herbert and American Sam Burns later surged past him with record-tying 62s. At the end of the second round, Suber was tied for third at 6 under, two strokes behind Herbert and Burns.

The winner of the 2026 Open Championship will receive a record $3.2 million from a total purse of $17.75 million, tournament officials announced Tuesday, July 14.

Round 3 tees off Saturday, July 18, with the final round set for Sunday, July 19. Coverage airs on USA Network and NBC, with streaming available on Peacock. The championship is scheduled to conclude Sunday.