These 6 Players Didn't Win The Open... But They Still Enjoyed A Potentially Career-Changing Week At Royal Birkdale

At The 154th Open Championship, there was only one man who was able to hoist the Claret Jug above his head and be labelled the Champion Golfer of the Year.

Ryan Fox will forever remember his week at Royal Birkdale as one of the most special in his life, with it perhaps being left to others to discuss what a truly remarkable performance his final-round display proved to be.

But just because there can only be one winner doesn't mean there wasn't success for others as well.

The likes of Sam Burns, Tommy Fleetwood, and Ryan Gerard are among several players who can look back and take plenty of positives - especially as they ended inside the top-10.

On a similar note, Lucas Herbert and Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen will undoubtedly both be delighted with a first-ever Major top-10 - even though, in Herbert's case, it could have been even better.

And then there's Adam Scott, who clinched a first Major top-10 in two years and only his second in the last seven seasons.

And even still, among those with smiles on their faces are a handful of golfers who might eventually look back on The Open at Royal Birkdale in 2026 as the championship which altered their careers.

Here are six players we've picked out who might not have won The Open but could easily be deemed to have enjoyed a career-changing week at Royal Birkdale...

CASEY JARVIS

Casey Jarvis has enjoyed a breakout year on the DP World Tour thanks to consecutive wins this Spring in Kenya and at the South African Open Championship, which booked his spot at Royal Birkdale. He also almost made it three in a row at the Joburg Open, too.

Since then, the South African has struggled for form for whatever reason and wasn't on many people's radars for a high finish at The Open Championship.

However, after quietly picking his way through the field, Jarvis posted a four-under 66 on Sunday - which included a closing birdie and a passionate celebration - to seal a spot in the top-10 on debut.

His T6th finish not only guarantees him a return to The Open next year, but it also helps significantly with his aim of reaching the PGA Tour next season thanks to a huge bundle of Race To Dubai points. In the short term, it helps him into the 3M Open field this week as well.

The 22-year-old has also moved from 82nd to 63rd in the OWGR and secured an eye-watering payday of $550,883 - his biggest ever.

DAN BROWN

Dan Brown was temporarily leading The Open during round one before drifting out to T18th on Sunday evening. Nevertheless, the result was huge for the Englishman.

Brown, who finished T10th on his Major debut at Royal Troon in 2024, has been struggling since making the jump over to the PGA Tour this season with eight missed cuts from 13 individual starts.

Yet, last week pushed him up 10 places in the FedEx Cup standings - from 145th place to 135th place.

With a spot in the top-100 the clear aim, this confidence-inducing result might just be the shot in the arm this popular pro needs to retain his PGA Tour playing rights ahead of the impending change to golf in the US.

CAMERON JOHN

The Australian was making his Major debut at Royal Birkdale last week and enjoyed a fantastic outcome, all things considered.

A four-time PGA Tour of Australasia winner since 2024, Cameron John ended T28th at The Open - better than multiple Major champions including Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith - and collected his biggest ever single payout of $102,817.

If you'd offered John that scenario at the start of the championship, I wouldn't mind betting he'd have taken it. Mostly playing on the Asian Tour in 2026, John could quite conceivably find himself on the DP World Tour moving forward.

KAZUMA KOBORI

Ryan Fox's fellow New Zealander Kazuma Kobori once matched a Tiger Woods win record. While he might not replicate the 15-time Major winner's career as a whole, he certainly appears on his way towards the top of the game in the coming years.

Kobori, like Cameron John, also finished T28th and above some of the biggest names in the world at Royal Birkdale.

The 24-year-old made a cut at a Major for the first time and enjoyed making significant strides in the Race To Dubai rankings on the DP World Tour - shifting from 87th to 74th.

Should he maintain this kind of form, which has produced three top-10s on the DP World Tour this term, he might well reach the DP World Tour Championship for a second season in a row.

JACK MCDONALD

Jack McDonald is a 33-year-old Scottish pro who has only made two official starts on the HotelPlanner Tour and one on the Tartan Pro Tour in 2026.

Yet, following a hole-out eagle from 114 yards at the par-4 10th on Friday, McDonald made his first cut at a Major.

Anything after that was a genuine bonus, so the fact he finished 77th won't upset him too much, you'd hope. There was a check for around $40,000 waiting after all.

His fans (and anyone with a heart not made of stone) will hope this result can inspire him onto bigger and better things, with a potential route through the DP World Tour and back into the Majors a potential plan for McDonald.

DAVID HOWARD (A)

David Howard is an Irish amateur from Cork who also works as a qualified mechanic for Audi.

The World No.1,456 amateur secured his first Major appearance via Final Qualifying at Dundonald Links, finishing just a stroke behind the aforementioned McDonald and alongside Matthew Baldwin in second.

It was no guarantee that Howard even made it to Final Qualifying, though, because he finished as first reserve in regional qualifying before receiving a good-news phone call.

The 27-year-old East of Ireland Amateur champion made headlines ahead of The Open due to his inspiring story about playing elite-level golf after having been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis as a child.

And even though he narrowly missed the cut at Royal Birkdale, it is hoped his story will inspire future generations to take up the game and keep going no matter the cards they're dealt.