CBS Sports previews the 2026 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, focusing on how to identify the likely winner from a large field of 156 players. Across two related previews, the outlet frames the tournament around “contenders” and “trends” that could help narrow down the possibilities for players with a realistic path to winning the Claret Jug. One article outlines five performance indicators or trends intended to guide viewers in assessing who has the best chance to contend at Royal Birkdale, while the other presents a shortlist of nine players described as among the strongest candidates to win the final men’s major of 2026. Both pieces emphasize the breadth of the field and the need to filter players based on form and tournament-relevant factors rather than attempting to predict with certainty from names alone. The combined coverage does not claim a definitive winner, but instead offers guidance—via trends and a selected group of players—on which golfers are viewed as most likely to finish the week as champion.