Well the alarm clock is set...8.30am...The British Open is on the BBC at 9am which gives me a half hour to get the tea and toasted sandwiches made,get back into bed just in time to see ''The wonderboy'' Rory tee off at 9.09am.First of all let's get the big question out of the way...Can he win??After what I saw at The U.S Open and the three previous majors before that the answer is most definitely YES!!This time I'd love to see how he could handle the pressure coming down the stretch on Sunday with a one shot lead instead of a seven shot lead!
For me though I can't be backing him this week.Of course I think he has a great chance but at skinny odds of 8/1 there is just no value there.Also in an interview he gave recently he said he found ''golf easy'' when winning The U.S Open.I said that a few years ago and have never played a good round since.Surely making statements like this will ruin his chances!!!!!!
So what about the course,the tournament and what kind of player are we looking for?Well this is the third major of the year and for me must be the most mentally draining major on the players.Played on a rota of courses between Scotland and England every July by the sea.These courses are of course known as 'links' Built on sandy soil and exposed to high winds and rain that falls sideways!
Tour players all year have been playing courses where you hit high tee shots,hit high approach shots which then settle quickly once they land....This type of golf will not work here whoooahahahahahaha(thats my evil laugh!!)Instead players will have to play shots along the ground and use the contours and slopes they see infront of them.A good looking shot might get a bad kick which will cause major frustration,so a player with links experience and great composure are some of the key attributes we should be looking out for when selecting our winner.
This years open is played at Royal St George's golf club in Sandwich,England.It's not the most feared course on the rota,that goes to Carnoustie,but forecast high winds over the weekend so make it a though test.
I think McIlroy,Donald and Westwood all have a great chance of winning this week but because of their prices will have to give them a miss as I try and find some value.And so on to the tee!!
Sergio Garcia(32s Betfair)
Looking at the top ten in the market the one that stands out for me and represents great value is Sergio.Six times he has finished in the top ten at The British Open,Finished T10th here on this course back in 03.7th place at U.S open at Congressional and followed that up with a 2nd place finish at The BMW International.20th on The PGA Tour in ball striking and he's one I want on my team!
Charl Swartzel(50sBetfair)
More of a gut pick this one.Having a great year so far with one major already tucked away.The way in which he won that major shows to me the size of Charl's cajones!!T9th at his next major The U.S Open shows he's a major player.Has two top 25sin six British Opens and could be close to getting his second major title.
Adam Scott(80s Betfair)
Adam is slowly becoming the player everybody thought he could be.Came close to winning his first major at The Masters earlier this year and nearly the first Aussie to win a major since Greg Norman who as it happens won a British Open at RSG.When Adam won in his home country at The New South Wales Golf Club which is a true links course I always had him down as a future British Open champ.3rd in total driving on the PGA Tour and two top ten finishes in the two majors so far this season make Adam a must pick for me.
Paddy Harrington(46s Betfair)
I can't leave him out.My favourite golfer and maybe I'm letting my heart rule my head here but things are looking good for Paddy.Experience could be key as I pointed out earlier and there is not many with more experience of links golf than Harrington.Two wins back to back in 07 and 08 mean that Harrington can never be overlooked for this major.Three top tens on the PGA Tour this year and a great showing last week at Castle Stuart Golf Links in Scotland tells me that Harrington could make it a hatrick of British open wins this week....I hope so!!
BEST OF LUCK!!
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