Open memories include claret jug, merchandise, rain, Scheffler [opinion]

The message arrived in my inbox last July from The Open Championship, inviting me to enter the ticket “ballot” for the 2025 edition at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.

I never considered going to what we call the British Open. I just didn’t think it was realistic. But I filled out the form anyway for the heck of it.

A few weeks later, I received another message, this one to inform me that my ballot was successful. It’s still hard to believe.

My wife, Sandy, and I spent two days at Royal Portrush for the 153rd edition of the oldest golf tournament in the world, logged thousands of steps, bought lots of merchandise (I did anyway), took great photos of eventual champion Scottie Scheffler, got rained upon and posed with the claret jug.

It was the experience of a lifetime.

Eventual British Open champion Scottie Scheffler tees off on the sixth hole during a practice round earlier this month at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. (Rich Scarcella-Reading Eagle)

We arrived on Tuesday morning at tiny Portrush after a two-hour train ride from Belfast, where we stayed for several nights. We walked more than a half-mile from the station to the gate, where a large welcome sign greeted us.

We made our way to the grandstand around the first tee and watched several players begin their practice rounds over the next hour or so, including Viktor Hovland, Justin Leonard, Tony Finau and reigning U.S. Open champ J.J. Spaun.

Then we headed to the grandstand around the 18th green to see the iconic yellow scoreboards. We saw 2024 champion Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Padraig Harrington and four Canadian players who held their country’s flag behind the green when they finished.

Then it was time to get in line for The Shop, the large merchandise building adjacent to the 18th fairway. Once inside, it was crowded but nothing like the one at Augusta National Golf Club for the Masters, where it’s wall-to-wall people.

We filled our shopping list relatively quickly, paid the damages and then shipped the merchandise home instead of buying an extra piece of luggage.

Once that was settled, it was time to walk the course. Augusta National has steep hills, notably around 8, 9, 10 and 18, but the terrain at Royal Portrush is rugged with lots of mounds. It made the journey around the course a bit challenging.

I made my way to the second hole and stumbled upon a group with Scheffler and former champions Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink. I followed them for a while and got to the fifth tee and the beginning of the prettiest stretch of holes, which lie next to the coast.

I walked ahead of them to the fifth green and noticed a spot on the sixth tee with a terrific vantage point. I waited until they arrived and snapped several photos of Scheffler and the others with the Atlantic Ocean in the background.

(Unlike the Masters during the four championship rounds, spectators are allowed to take photos at the British Open).

Once they hit their tee shots on the par-3 hole, I turned and walked toward the par-5 seventh. The view of that hole with large dunes lining the right side and bunkers guarding a narrow fairway was breath-taking and intimidating.

I saw all but three holes on my way back to 18, stopping to see Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia hit tee shots on 9. By then, it was time to catch our train back to Belfast. We were ready for the first round Thursday.

We set our alarms for 4 a.m. and caught the 5:38 train for Portrush at Belfast Grand Central Station. We sat with a couple from Scotland, Duncan and Catalina. They had been at Portrush the day before and got little sleep. Duncan was good friends with the father of Robert McIntyre, the left-hander who won the 2024 Scottish Open.

Once we got to the course, we found seats on the first tee. We listened to the unique player introductions for more than two hours. We watched the crowd warmly greet Shane Lowry, the Irishman who won the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush.

Rich and Sandy Scarcella with the claret jug at the British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. (Photo courtesy of Rich Scarcella)

Scheffler and Colin Morikawa were in Lowry’s group. Once they teed off, we went to grab coffee and tee inside the MasterCard hospitality building. Not until we got to the second floor did we know that we could take a photo with the claret jug, which goes to the champion.

We spent most of the rest of the day watching the action on the 13th and 17th greens, which are next to each other in a unique setting. Rain began slowly, became stronger with the help of the wind and lasted more than 90 minutes, which is typical weather for there.

We saw some marvelous shots and ones that weren’t. Former U.S. Open champ Wyndham Clark missed the 13th green to the left and couldn’t find his ball in thick grass, even with the help of about 10 people. He had a poor first round before bouncing back to tie for fourth.

We did see Scheffler and Lowry birdie 17 and then watched them walk down 18 after their tee shots. We stuck around for a couple more hours until we hit a wall. We saw Adam Scott and Rickie Fowler finish on 18 and then left after spending almost 11 hours there.

We headed to the train station with lots of memories to share.