Back to the British Open, the 3rd Major of the year. Who are the top contenders? Here we go. The British Open heads back to Royal Troon for the first time since 2004 this week.
1. Dustin Johnson
The hottest golfer on the planet Dustin Johnson has to the be the favorite going into this year’s British Open. He just broke through winning the U.S. Open this year, then followed that up with a WGC win. He’s had a couple of top 10 British Open finishes, and now he has his first major. He can overpower any golf course, and he might over power Royal Troon.
2. Jason Day
How good has been Dustin Johnson has been that Jason Day is number on this 2 on this list? Jason Day has been outstanding this season winning 3 times. The world’s number 1 golfer finished T4 in the British Open last year.
3. Jordan Spieth
Since November 2015, Jordan Spieth has 6 top 10 finishes, and 2 wins. Just a week ago he had T3 at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. So why do people keep thinking something is wrong with Jordan Spieth? That’s what happens when during the previous season you won 2 majors. You don’t have to be a bomber to win at Royal Troon past winners include Justin Leonard and Todd Hamilton.
4. Rory Mcilory
I’m actually a little more concerned about Rory Mcilory than Jordan Spieth. Mcilory is still arguably the most gifted golfer in the world and along with Dustin Johnson, but has seemed to lost a little mental focus. He’s already a 4-time major winner including a British Open. He can certainly win, but Johnson and Day have surpassed him at the moment.
5. Adam Scott
Adam Scott seems destined to win a British Open. He’s had 4 straight top 10 finishes in the event. Some say he has the best swing in golf, and the British Open doesn’t really put a premium on putting as much as some of the majors. That’s sometimes is Scott’s weakness.
6. Phil Mickelson
It’s a bit strange that Phil Mickelson has actually played pretty well this year. He’s had 5 top 10’s with 2 2nd’s and a third, but he hasn’t played will in the majors this year with a couple of missed cuts. Mickleson clearly still has the game to win a major, but those missed cuts are a concern. With Mickelson though, if he gets going he can certainly contend. He nearly won the Open Championship back in 2004 at Royal Troon finishing 3rd.
7. Louis Oosthuizen
Who has gone 7 straight majors without finishing out the top 30? That would be Louis Oosthuizen. He won the British Open in 2010 and finished T2 last year. He’s one of the most underrated players in the world.
8. Danny Willett
Danny Willett won the Masters in April. He finished T6 last year at the British Open. He’s from England so he knows Lynx style golf. I don’t see why he can’t contend this week.
9. Sergio Garcia
Ten times – Ten times is how many Sergio Garcia has finished in the top 10 of The Open Championship. It’s not that Garcia doesn’t have the ability to win a major, it’s between the ears. If he believes he can actually win a major Garcia has a shot. If he still has doubts, like he has admitted to in the past he doesn’t.
10. Lee Westwood
Sometimes at the British Open, a veteran comes from out of nowhere to make a run at this major. Tom Watson and Greg Norman made runs in fairly recent years. Darren Clarke and Ernie Els have won in 2011 and 2012. Can Lee Westwood finally win the elusive major? He played well at the U.S Open before fading, and finished 2nd at the Masters. Hard to see Westwood putting it all together for four rounds to win, but just maybe.
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