The Open Championship starts July 18 at Northern Ireland’s Royal Portrush Golf Club. It’s the first time since 1951 that golf’s fourth major has been held at the challenging course and only the second time the 148th Open has been played anywhere other than England or Scotland.
The tournament will feature over 150 of the world’s best golfers, but who is the favorite to take home the Claret Jug?
If you ask Golf Week, Rory McIlroy and PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka are the odds-on favorites at 8 to 1, with Masters champ Tiger Woods and perennial favorite Dustin Johnson close behind at 14 to 1.
Other notables are defending champion Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler (20 to 1).
But those are just odds. Who are the golfers you need to keep an eye on for the weekend? Here is a little background on the golf course and a few players I expect to be celebrating on Sunday.
Unknown golfer Max Faulkner won by two strokes in front of just 8,000 fans the last time the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush was host.
The Links is named after the nearby ruins of the medieval Dunluce Castle, located on the edge of a basalt outcropping overlooking the sea between Portrush and Portballintrae. Game of Thrones fans take note; the ruins were used as the setting of Castle Greyjoy. Let’s hope the golfers fare better than Prince Theon Greyjoy.
Architect Martin Ebert made significant changes to the venue to bring the tournament back to Royal Portrush. Work began in November 2015, building five new greens, eight new tee boxes and 10 new bunkers. They also created two new holes—the 7th and 8th—on land, which was once part of the Royal Portrush second 18, the Valley course.
The new Championship Links has been lengthened by 130 yards to 7,317 yards and features an exquisite landscape on the north coast of Northern Ireland and commanding views of the hills of Donegal in the Irish Republic.
The traditional links-style course will be challenging for sure. Big hitters can’t just bomb it around this course. And, as always, the elements will be a major factor.
So, who does all this favor?
Let’s look at the top of the world rankings. Brooks Koepka has to be in any conversation since he always brings his ‘A’ game for the big tournaments. Dustin Johnson has been steady in the majors but seems to struggle at just the wrong times and is still seeking his first Claret Jug. Rory Mcllroy and Justin Rose are two players who can’t be dismissed. Both have a history of playing well in Europe and especially in the Open Championship. Fun fact: Rory holds the course record (61) at Royal Portrush, a score he shot as a 16-year-old.
A big question mark is Tiger Woods, who will be playing in just his third tournament since his win at the Masters in April. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and finished tied for 21st at the U.S. Open, so he’ll have to shake off a substantial amount of rust if he is to contend. But remember, he has won this tournament three times.
Defending champion Francesco Molinari, as well as John Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau are all playing well. Rahm won the Irish Open two weeks ago and DeChambeau was runner up at the 3M Open the last time he teed it up.
I imagine past winners Jordan Speith and Henrik Stenson will be around the top of the leaderboard on the weekend. And Phil Mickelson, winner in 2013, who recently lost 15 pounds after a six-day fast (really?), has to be considered, although his recent form (missed the cut in the last two tournaments) puts a question mark next to his name.
A few players also playing well are not necessarily household names. You’d probably call them sleepers, but don’t be surprised if the names of Marc Leishman, Matt Wallace, Rafa Cabrera-Bello and Matt Kuchar are among those in contention on Sunday.
Three Americans have won the first three majors in 2019 (Tiger Woods, Gary Woodland, Brooks Koepka). Could it be time for European golfers shine?
I think so.
I am picking Englishman Justin Rose to win this year. I know it’s not much of a stretch, but the No. 4 golfer in the world has a history of good golf in the Open Championship and he was the runner-up last year. He knows how to get around a links-style course and knows how to play in what are sure to be trying weather conditions. I don’t think it will be easy, and we may even see a playoff, but I think Rose has the best chance to grab his second major and finally capture what he calls ‘his very favorite tournament of the year.’
I’ll be watching.
