152nd Open Championship Preview

The 152nd Open Championship is almost upon us and the great and the good of the men’s professional game have gathered at the picturesque setting of Royal Troon for the last major of the season. 

As is tradition with the Open, the tournament will be played on a links course which lends itself to a very different type of golf. With imagination and accuracy very much the order of the day, this year’s Open looks set to be a cracker. 

Offering the last chance for the majority of the field to get their hands on a major, we can expect fireworks as the tournament begins in the early hours of Thursday morning. 

Ahead of what is bound to be another classic renewal of the most famous tournament in golf, here is everything you need to know ahead of the 152nd Open Championship.

The course 

This will be the tenth time that Royal Troon has played host to the Open and the tournament will be returning to Scotland’s west coast for the first time since 2016, when Henrik Stenson was able to memorably hold off Phil Mickelson in what was one of the most epic final round battles in major history. 

The course itself measures at just over 7,100 yards and has a par score of 71. The most iconic landmark of Royal Troon are the 80 or so bunkers that are littered around the course. Requiring deadly accuracy some of the bunkers will force the players to take evasive action and a round has the potential to quickly unravel if the ball can’t be kept on the fairway. 

Two holes will stand out this week. The first is the 8th hole. Also known as the ‘The Postage Stamp’ this short par 3 measures just 132 yards but is surrounded by bunkers. It will likely play a pivotal role in determining who will win this famous tournament on Sunday, and if anybody is to give themselves a chance, the 8th is one they can’t falter on.

The second hole to take note of is the par 5 sixth hole. Measuring a whopping 623 yards, it is the longest par 5 out of any of the Open courses and offers another stern test of accuracy and skill.

Who can win the 152nd Open

There are many players who have arrived at Royal Troon bang in form and there are several appealing options if you fancy placing a bet. Here are some of the names to keep an eye on.

The Favourites

As is often the case when he tees it up, the favourite for victory this week is world number 1 Scottie Scheffler. 

Often a class apart this year, Scheffler already has one major in the bag courtesy of his second Masters title, but he will want to cap off a year where he has been the dominant force in the game with a second major of the year.

Scheffler heads into the tournament with plenty to prove. Despite being a force of nature when out on the course, the Open is definitely the major he has struggled the most in. 

This will be just his fourth Open start and to date the Texan’s best finish came in his debut appearance where he was able to finish eighth. His last two starts have seen him finish 21st and 23rd.

With Scheffler yet to prove he can handle the lumps and bumps that links golf provides, those wanting to take him on can do so with a quiet confidence. Would it be a surprise if Scheffler were to win? No. However, he will need to play some of his best golf of the year if he is to win a first major outside of the Masters. 

Hot on the heels of Scheffler in the betting is Rory McIlroy and there is a general consensus that the four time major winner arrives this week with something to prove. 

Having come so close to winning his first major in over ten years at the U.S. Open, McIlroy has made just the one start since which came at last week’s Scottish Open where he finished in a tie for 4th.

Despite his U.S. Open collapse, McIlroy has been in superb form and has four top five finishes in his last six starts including a victory at the Wells Fargo Championship. 

Having grown up on links courses, whenever he tees it up at the Open he has to be considered a major force. Since winning this tournament in 2014 he has finished outside of the top ten just twice and finished fifth the last time the tournament was played here. As long as he has got over the heartbreak of his near miss at the U.S Open a big week could lie in store.

Completing the top three in the betting is Xander Schaufelle. Previously considered the best player in the game not to have landed a major, the Californian must  be delighted that he no longer needs to listen to that narrative thanks to his brilliant victory at the U.S PGA Championship. 

Able to back up his PGA Championship victory with a seventh place finish at the U.S. Open, Schaufelle will head to Scotland on the hunt for more major glory. 

A model of consistency he has five top ten finishes in his last eight starts. 

One thing backers should be aware of is that his record in the Open doesn’t make for hugely impressive reading, he has just one top ten finish which was when he finished as the runner up back in 2018. He will be looking to improve on that record this week. 

Who Else Will Arrive With a Chance to Win This Week 

Outside of the top three in the betting there is plenty of value that can be found. One of the most obvious selections is Bryson DeChambeau.

The winner of the U.S. Open, DeChambeau has been magnificent in the majors this season posting a top ten finish at the Masters and a runner up effort at the PGA Championship.

Of all of the majors, it is probably this tournament that suits his eye the least. With his long driving negated by the amount of bunkers that litter the fairways, the American will need to plot his way around the course like the rest of the field. 

DeChambeau has displayed time and time again this season that he has a wonderful short game and those skills will come in exceptionally handy this week.

Set to have a huge following all week is local hero Robert MacIntyre. It’s been a special few months for the Scot who has won his first PGA title and heads into this week fresh off the back of a victory at the Scottish Open.

Having grown up on the Scottish links, MacIntyre will have no fears with what he is about to face, and he will be full of confidence as he aims to become the first Scottish player to win the Open since Paul Lawrie 25 years ago. 

He has two top ten finishes in his four Open starts and looks a real contender. 

Brooks Koepka usually saves his best for the majors, but the five time major winner has had a disappointing season judged by his usual lofty standards. 

Yet to feature in any of the season's first three majors, the Open represents his final shot at glory and the burly American will be desperate to be in the hunt come Sunday. 

This will be his tenth appearance in the tournament and he has finished in the top ten on four occasions. Usually deadly accurate with both his driving and approach play, that part of his game has deserted him this year and if he is to contend this week he will need to rediscover his form quickly.