What Time is It? Open Time.
Troy Bolton in High School Musical 2
The boys are back, or in other words, the last event of the 2025 major golf season is finally here. On the surface, The Open is a beautiful coastal getaway, a chance to watch the best golfers in the world while serving fabulous looks and sipping on something fancy. However, just like High School Musical 2, we all know how quickly a carefree summer can spiral into some real drama. This weekend's Open boasts one of the toughest courses, one sure to send even the most composed golfers into a classic Troy Bolton breakdown. Not familiar with the Open? How about High School Musical 2? They’re basically the same thing.
2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush (Getty / Royal Portrush Golf Club)
Let’s Work This Out: What is The Open?
The 2025 British Open, commonly referred to as simply The Open, is the oldest and final of the four golf majors of the season. As Troy Bolton would say, it's “the last chance to get it right”–the stakes are high. The tournament spans four days, starting with 156 players and narrowing down to just 70 after day 2. The players play 18 holes each day, and the golfer with the fewest points at the end is crowned the champion. So what makes this year's Open so special?
This year, the tournament is being held at the beautiful coastal cliffside Portrush course in Northern Ireland, but the conditions are far from ideal. The Open is always held on a link-style course, meaning no trees, uneven terrain, deep bunkers, and exposure to wind and weather. The conditions are as unstable as Troy and Gabriella’s relationship and as dramatic as their classic breakdowns in every HSM movie. It’s enough to shake up even the most seasoned pros, which begs the question– who’s going to come out on top?
Bet On It: Who Has Something to Prove, Who’s Taking it all Home?
Scottie Scheffler: Aka Sharpay Evans
Scottie is definitely the star going into the Open, and he knows it. Ranked as #1 with three major wins this season, a lot of people are betting on him to win the whole thing. Just like Sharpay Evans, he’s entering the competition with unmatched confidence and a stacked resume… but there’s always the possibility of a newcomer shaking things up.
Rory McIlroy: Aka Troy Bolton
Rory McIlroy? More like Rory McIlTROY. From Northern Ireland, Rory is a hometown hero who captured everyone's hearts this year when he won his first Masters. He’s going into The Open with something to prove and a chip on his shoulder, having missed the cut the last time he competed at the Royal Portrush. With all this pressure, will we see a “Bet On It”-style crash-out from this Troy adjacent?
Jon Rahm: Aka Chad Danforth
Jon Ram’s competitiveness, athleticism, and consistency give him real Chad Danforth energy. He’s not always in the spotlight, but he is always in the mix with the greats. He’s intense when it comes to his sport, and this no-nonsense mindset comes in handy when it’s time to compete. He’s not here for any musical numbers– he’s here to win.
“All For One” or a hole-in-one, both High School Musical 2 and The Open show us that summer isn’t summer without a little drama and competition. A varsity athlete might just be the best dancer, or a golfer ranked 262nd in the world might just climb to the top of the leaderboard. It’s unpredictable, it’s unhinged, and it's awesome. We can't wait for the rest of the Open to run its course, and we mighttt also be rewatching High School Musical 2 to get in the spirit too.