The world’s top golfers will head this week to the famed Royal Troon Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland for the 145th staging of the British Open. A cool £6.5 million is at stake for the world-class field with the champion grabbing not only the £1.175 million top prize, but also the prestigious Claret Jug.
Read on below for an in-depth breakdown of this incredible golf event and while you’re at it, you can check out our high-value long shots for the year’s third major tournament as well.
Cash In on the Best Online Sportsbook Offers Now at TopBet!
Favorites – Jason Day (+750) and Dustin Johnson (+800)
It isn’t a complete surprise to see Jason Day and Dustin Johnson installed as favorites to win this week’s Open Championship. Day and Johnson are the two highest-ranked players in the field and they are playing some excellent golf of late.
Day has found the top-25 in 10 of his last 11 starts, firing off three victories and four other top-10s during that stretch. Johnson, on the other hand, has been totally lit just the same, winning the U.S. Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in his last two outings. With the form that they are both in right now, expect Day and Johnson to contend once again for another major title this week.
High-Value Sleepers – Phil Mickelson (+3,000) and Kevin Chappell (+8,000)
Looking for a great sleeper this week? How about Kevin Chappell? The American came so close to grabbing his maiden PGA Tour title at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational earlier this month, losing by just three shots to eventual champion Dustin Johnson. He has been playing some excellent golf of late, finishing in the top-10 in five of his last 11 starts.
Key to Chappell’s resurgence has been his superb play from tee to green. He is 10th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained with a solid 1.337 clip. That will be a major weapon for Chappell when dealing with the nooks and crannies of this tough Troon course.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this week is Phil Mickelson. He’s starting to rediscover his old form, finishing in the top-4 in two of his last seven starts. The five-time major winner signalled his British Open intentions with an impressive final-round 66 in the recently-concluded Scottish Open at the Castle Stuart course.
For Lefty to capture his second British Open title this week, he will need to continue his outstanding play with the putter. He is fourth in the PGA Tour in strokes gained via putting with a solid .821 average. That will come in handy for Lefty when tackling the delicate greens of this historic links course.
One long shot who can definitely make a run at the Claret Jug is Jason Dufner. The American has finished in the top-10 in two of his last four starts, including a remarkable eighth-place showing at the U.S. Open in Oakmont.
One advantage that Dufner has against the rest of the field is his excellent approach play. He is currently 19th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained with a solid .543 average, which has enabled him to find the greens and target the pins regularly this season. Dufner is also 15th on Tour in greens in regulation percentage with a solid 69.37 percent clip. That will be a major weapon for the Cleveland native when navigating the treacherous and windy Royal Troon course this week.
Another thing working in Dufner’s favor is that Troon tends to suit the Americans’ style of play, as the last six Open winners on this course have come from the United States. Look for Dufner to be in the hunt once again this coming weekend.
Writer’s Prediction
Dustin Johnson (+800) wins his second-consecutive major title.
Want to make some money on the British Open? Create a betting account now and cash in on all the exciting golf action.
