The victor of the 2018 Open Championship will be crowned Sunday evening at Carnoustie, the game’s most feared links course.
A summer drought has the layout playing even firmer and faster than usual, so expect carnage if the wind picks up this weekend. The British Open, which has been played since the days of Old Tom Morris in the 1860s, is the game’s most storied tournament and the Claret Jug its most coveted trophy.
While Mother Nature (and tee times) may play a large role in who wins, one of these five golfers will be drinking from golf’s oldest trophy.
With 10 top 10 finishes in the Open Championship, Sergio Garcia is the best links golfer in the world without a Claret Jug. Last year’s Master’s triumph freed him from much of his major championship baggage, and a win at Carnoustie, site of his painful miss in 2007 when a 72-hole bogey led to Padraig Harrington’s win, would be almost as sweet. Expect the Spaniard to be in the hunt on Sunday.
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson, who has 17 PGA Tour victories and is the game’s most gifted player, has to be on any list of tournament favorites. He has the strength to overpower the course and his creativity is vastly underrated. DJ let the U.S. Open slip from his grasp at Shinnecock but it may not happen here.
Ranking just behind Johnson on the list of best players with only one major championship is Justin Rose. The Brit is seemingly always on the first page of the leaderboard at the game’s biggest events, and, despite uneven results in The Open, we expect to see him in the hunt.
Rickie Fowler has the game and is in good form after a solid performance at the Scottish Open. He has three top 5s in his last five majors. The uber popular Fowler is eventually going to break through, so it’s worth putting a couple quid down on the tournament’s most brightly dressed player.
There is no reason to believe Tiger Woods has a chance to win. He has been a decent player in 2018, ranking 50th on the FedEx Cup points list, despite playing in just 11 events, but nothing about his game says No. 15 is on the way. BUT with the course playing fast, Woods will have the ability to play a great variety of shots (he still has them all in the bag, so long as they don’t involve the driver), and maybe, more than 10 years and several scandals since his last major, fate will smile on the Big Cat.
Get Your Free, No-Obligation Quick Quote Here:
Give us a rough idea of what you’re looking for, and we’ll quote your perfect golf vacation at the best price. Once you’ve got your quote in hand, you can share it with your group, and customize it to fit your exact needs. We’ll respond to your request as quickly as possible, most within 24-48 hours. Let’s get started on your golf trip!
