Portrush, Northern Eire – The ultimate main championship of the 12 months has arrived. If the 2019 Open Championship is any indication, the Royal Portrush is as soon as once more set to supply the proper canvas for the epic 4 rounds of golf to find out the champion golfer of the 12 months.
This 12 months’s main has already given us compelling outcomes as world quantity two Rory McIlroy accomplished a profession grand slam with the Masters and world’s prime participant Scotty Scheffler received the PGA Championship and added it to his main complete. Journeyman JJ Spaun then shocked the world of golf final month, lasting longer than all gamers on the sphere and conquered Oakmont for a giant victory on the US Open.
All three are open this week, with the remainder of the world’s prime gamers wanting to participate within the storyline of this main season.
Let’s check out the 25 gamers who’re most certainly to boost the claret jugs that can come Sunday.
1. Scotty Scheffler
Earlier than any of those majors, there’s not a lot to say about Schaeffler, not solely all the time body the warnings of merely overwhelming the remainder of the sphere in the way in which he can. However much more fascinating is that the three-time main champions go their means overseas and attempt to translate what he excels the state into a really completely different fashion of golf.
On the Scotland Open this week, Schaeffler was tied up in eighth place, and his report within the Open Championship was comparatively probably the most blended within the different majors to this point. With 4 begins, Schaeffler’s finest end is the tie that got here in seventh within the opening final 12 months (he was tied up in eighth place in his 2021 opening debut). If you should remind him how good he’s, since 2021 (the primary 12 months he performed all 4 majors), that is the one main that Schaeffler has a number of finishes exterior of the highest 20 with 19 begins.
So, sure – spoiler alerts – it is secure to say that one of the best gamers on this planet will most likely compete this week.
2. John Larm
Maybe nobody has been heading slowly however actually in the proper route throughout this 12 months. Definitely, the variety of prime 10 LIV finishes he has received is big, particularly in the way in which he carried out on the largest occasion of the 12 months. Lahm has discovered his recreation since final 12 months’s Open Championship at Royal Toon, he quietly completed with a tie for the seventh time.
On the Masters, he completed 14th and adopted up on that efficiency and headed to the again 9 with an actual probability to win the PGA Championship. The Spaniards had been unable to seize Schaeffler, however there was a means he fought there and was sure by the seventh typical Rahm in Orcmont. Nobody will get a extra aggressive juice flowing than he, and contemplating the place he already occupies in European golf historical past, he feels he ought to put a claret jug on his resume. In the way in which Rahm performed just lately, Portrush ought to arrange properly to present him the chance to do it.
3. Rory McIlroy
Effectively, right here we’re once more. The opening has returned to McIlroy’s residence nation, so he ought to – deal with Ought to – Be part of the combination to win your sixth main championship. In 2019, it was additionally a sensation, with McIlroy persevering with to push the primary tee shot of the event out of bounds and lacking the minimize. This was the extremely anticipated anti-climax conclusion of the week.
Rather a lot has modified since then – McIlroy has received the Inexperienced Jacket and is now a Grand Slam winner. He has additionally been beneath efficiency since historic victory in April. Moreover, he talks at size about his struggles with discovering motivation, and in addition acknowledges that there’s something about this specific event being in Northern Eire that evokes him. Maybe the spark got here every week earlier. On the Scotland Open final week, McIlroy performed a few of his finest golf because the Masters, posting a spherical of 68-65-66-68 to tie it up second.
4. Bryson Deccanbeau
Simply as Decanbeau has been fascinated by the way in which he strategizes and assaults Augusta Nationwide yearly, I’m all the time fascinated by how his video games translate or do not translate to hyperlink golf. With seven appearances, Deccanbeau solely completed within the prime 10 (2022 Royal Liverpool), lacking out on three cuts, together with final 12 months’s Royal Troon.
The whole lot is on the desk for 2 US open winners this week. Dechambeau can say that he can discover his method recreation indirectly and take command in Portrush on his brief recreation. I consider it. You could possibly additionally say that he struggles to maintain it fairway beneath robust situations and misses the minimize. This fashion of recreation would not match precisely to Dechambeau, however seeing him attempt to crack the code is definitely worth the admission price.
5. Xander Schaufele
The defending champion is simply right here within the fifth place, as he has been a comparatively quiet 12 months since successful two majors final 12 months. After coping with a rib damage in the beginning of the 12 months, Schaufere took some time to relaxation earlier than taking time to return to kind. He has solely had one top-10 end this season, and his method recreation (prime 10 strokes obtained on the tour) has supported what was a characteristically dangerous 12 months for his drivers, brief video games and placing.
One among Schaufere’s most interesting qualities, his total stability is what allowed him to return from behind with the Troon final 12 months. This week we’ll most likely want lots of it once more at Portrush.
6. Shane Laurie
Maybe this can be too costly for Raleigh, however in 2019 he rode an emotional wave of taking part in in an space well-known to the six-shot victory he instructions. The power that Laurie carries with him needs to be price some worth for his probability this week as followers cheer him on the place he has already received.
Like McIlroy, he turns into certainly one of his emotional favorites. His recreation hasn’t grown in any respect within the majors this 12 months (lacking two cuts and tied forty second within the grasp), however he has 4 top-10 finishes on the tour.
7. ViktorHovland
Realizing precisely how Hovland performs within the main championship as of late is a whole guessing recreation. He could also be waxing at a press convention on how dangerous his swing feels and the way he pursues the proper feeling, however he could also be competing for the way in which he does at Oakmont, the place he completed third final month and had an actual shot to win it on the again 9.
Earlier this 12 months, Hovland missed out on three straight cuts. Shortly afterwards, he received the Valspar Championship. Final 12 months, Hovland completed third within the PGA Championship and missed out on cuts in three different majors, together with Open. Like DeChambeau, Hovland has a recreation to win this week, however the area between his ceiling and his alcove is wider than anybody close to the highest of this record.
8. Collin Morikawa
Not many individuals have been hit the ball this season. His ball strikes are nonetheless elite as ever, however regardless of having 4 prime 10 this season, he would not appear to have the ability to overcome the road and win his first event because the 2023 Zozo Championship.
Morikawa is aware of win this event – he did it at Royal St. George in 2021 – since then his recreation has been objectively improved, nevertheless it seems to be missing in his capability to deliver collectively 4 high quality rounds within the prime tournaments of the game. This 12 months he completed 14th within the Masters, however he fell again, fiftieth within the PGA Championship and twenty third within the US Open. In concept, on a course like Portrush, Morikawa’s iron play and accuracy from the tee ought to compete for him. How his placing fare (at the moment 99th within the tour this season) determines how a lot leaderboard he can go.
9. LudvigÅberg
There was some extent that he felt prefer it was a sport story shortly after Aberg’s victory at this 12 months’s Genesis Invitational. Since then, Aberg has fallen right into a little bit of a rut, shedding 4 cuts (together with each PGA and US opens), and notching just one prime 10 end (seventh within the grasp). However Aberg is quietly hiding. In Scottish final week, he appeared to search out some kind and tie him to eighth place, nevertheless it wasn’t a shock if he was concerned in a dialog at Portrush this week and strolling round till Sunday.
10. Tommy Fleetwood
Will this lastly be every week? Fleetwood has struggled not solely to seize massive wins lately, but in addition to wins that haven’t been on the DP World Tour. Fleetwood’s recreation is a recreation with an elite ball strike and feels prepared for an open championship, and this recreation specifically ought to swimsuit his recreation. He missed a minimize at Troon final 12 months, however in two earlier appearances on the Open, Fleetwood completed within the prime 10.
11. Tyrrell Hutton
Maybe the hatton needs to be a little bit greater right here. His efficiency at Oakmont was completely spectacular – the fourth tie was his finest end within the majors, and it appears like he is slowly heading in the direction of the key championship weekend (he has had two prime 15 finishes at Augusta prior to now two years).
Nonetheless, it is onerous to shake up the truth that Hatton’s perspective, the way in which he reacts to dangerous pictures and dangerous breaks, can be examined this week with hyperlink setups like Portrush. Both means, it is enjoyable to observe him do that week.
12. RobertMacintyre
McIntyre was completely spectacular at Oakmont, combating Sunday’s situations and delays, holding the clubhouse lead and protecting the 2 rounds to get nearer to the playoffs with Spawn. Macintyre is snug on this a part of the world and within the hyperlinks, to say the least. He missed the minimize with the Scots final week, however has a recreation to compete in Portrush this week.
13. Russell Henry
When ball strikes and accuracy are prioritized at a selected venue, not mileage, slightly than mileage, Henry seems to be on the highest and rising for good purpose. He’s the highest 10 participant in strokes and has received eight prime 10 and one victory this season. On the principle aspect, Henry struggled and missed the Grasp and PGA minimize. At Oakmont, I felt a prime 10 end was extra applicable. And now he is coming to Portrush, which comes out from his fifth place end at TROON final 12 months.
14. BrooksKoepka
It is troublesome to measure the place Koepka’s present recreation is. He confirmed a flash of his previous Self-Oakmont and spoke at size about how a lot his swing had been misplaced for a while, however he retreated from the following LIV occasion and positioned thirty second in his newest event. This week, if Portrush’s situation scored Gnarly, we might see Koepka rise, however his recreation could not be sharp sufficient to essentially compete.
15. Joaquín Niemann
Right here is: Nieman needs to be greater than 15 on this record, however the actuality is that he continues to excel in LIV (4 wins this season), however his efficiency within the largest occasions of the game continues. Even this 12 months, after lastly recording his first top-10 end within the majors through the PGA, Neiman adopted swimsuit with a missed minimize at Oakmont.
16. Justin Thomas
Thomas and the Open Championship do not appear to go very nicely. In eight appearances within the occasion, Thomas missed three cuts and did not end within the prime 10. However should you’re in search of optimism, Thomas’ finest end got here out in Portrush in 2019. He hopes to deliver the identical form of show to the Dunluce course this week.
17. Matt Fitzpatrick
I actually do not know what to do with Fitzpatrick, who hasn’t received the Tour since 2023 and hasn’t actually competed within the majors because the US Open victory in 2022, however he confirmed some kind this week with an eighth place end within the Rocket class and a fourth place end final week on the Scotland Open.
18. Jordan Spieth
Should you’re a participant who would not know what you are attempting to get, then that is Spieth. It is a battle to consider he truly has an opportunity to win this week, however at the same time as unstable as he might, Spieth has 4 top-10 finishes this season and solely missed two cuts. Final 12 months, these two numbers had been 3 and seven respectively.
19. Justin Rose
Remember that Rose had an actual shot to win this event at TROON final 12 months and ended up with the second tie. Rose has been a rollercoaster 12 months to this point, taking McIlroy to the playoffs at Augusta, however has missed three of his previous 4 cuts, together with the PGA Championship and the US Open. Nonetheless, at 44, he proves he can nonetheless compete and the open could also be his finest shot to get a second main.
20. Corey Conners
Like Henry, Connors’ superpower is his elite ball strike, which ought to translate nicely into hyperlink programs similar to Portrush. It would not really feel just like the Connors have actually raised the sport sufficient to compete within the main championship (his finest end is sixth place end on the 2022 Grasp), however as he did with Brian Herman in 2022, the open tends to usually give sudden winners who preserve the ball forward. Connors might actually be that.
twenty one. JJSpaun
Identical to Wyndham Clark after the 2023 US Open victory, Spaun’s profession now takes on a special tone. Whether or not he can observe the victory at Oakmont at one other aggressive begin within the main championship could also be a troublesome query, particularly contemplating that is the primary time he is been competing within the open.
twenty two. Ben Griffin
How to not embody Griffin? The 29-year-old is among the finest gamers on the tour this season, successful twice and incomes eight top-10 finishes. Griffin was open and had little luck – he missed the minimize on two appearances – however he is taking part in at a very completely different stage this 12 months.
twenty three. Keegan Bradley
5 prime 10 finishes, a prime 10 on the key tour and a PGA Tour victory — that is what Bradley’s season appears like to this point, and the dialog that he is the captain who performed within the Ryder Cup is already on the recent pitch. He might not want it, however he seals it off with an excellent end at Portrush, and even an unlikely victory.
twenty 4. Sepp Straka
In a transfer that may solely be described as Koepka’s opposition, Straka made a dwelling by taking on the PGA Tour occasion, however continues to battle on the largest levels of the game. Like Griffin, he added 5 prime 10 whereas nonetheless successful twice this season, however he missed cuts on the Masters, PGA and the US Open.
25. Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama’s finest end on the Open Championship got here to his open debut in 2013 when he was tied as much as sixth place at Muirfield. Can Matsuyama win? in fact. However there’s rather a lot to be wanted for a participant who did not have a prime 10 end this 12 months exterior of his victory at Sentry.
The primary 4: Cameron Smith, Patrick Reed, Adam Scott, Sam Burns
