The world’s top golfers will head this week to the famed Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, Merseyside for the 146th staging of the British Open. A cool $10.25 million is at stake for the world-class field with the champion grabbing not only the $1.845 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 sleeper picks and purse breakdown for the year’s third major tournament as well.
Favorites – Dustin Johnson (+1,200) and Jordan Spieth (+1,000)
Dustin Johnson may have missed the cut in each of his last two starts, but he’s still the favorite in the bookmakers’ eyes to lift the Claret Jug this weekend. He’s got three top-tens in the last six British Opens, including a runner-up finish back in 2011. Johnson also has won five times on Tour and established a commanding lead at the top of the world rankings since breaking his major duck at Oakmont last year. He’s pegged at +1,200to win the Open Championship for the first time in his career.
Spieth, on the other hand, has been totally lit just the same, winning the Travelers Championship in his last Tour start. He won that event in spectacular fashion, draining a bunker shot on the first playoff hole. Spieth has cracked the top 50 in each of his last four Open starts, including a T-4 finish a couple of years ago at St. Andrews. His odds of winning the 2017 British Open are priced at +1,000.
High-Value Sleepers – Patrick Reed (+5,000) and Rafael Cabrera Bello (+5,000)
Looking for a great sleeper this week? How about Patrick Reed? The American has posted top-25s in eight of his last 10 starts, including a T13 at the U.S. Open last month. He will look to keep the momentum going at Royal Birkdale, which will be hosting the Open for the 10th time this year. Key to Reed’s resurgence has been his superb play with the putter. He is 13th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained via putting with a solid .539 average. That will come in handy for Reed when tackling the delicate greens of this historic links course.
Another golfer who’s primed for a huge performance this week is Rafael Cabrera-Bello. The Spaniard signalled his British Open intentions with an impressive victory in the recently-concluded Scottish Open at the Dundonald Links course. Cabrera-Bello outlasted Callum Shinkwin in a playoff to nab his first European Tour victory since 2012. He is pegged at +5,000to win back-to-back titles this week.
One long shot who can definitely make a run at the Claret Jug this weekend is Jason Dufner. The American has finished in the top five in two of his last seven starts, including a remarkable victory at the Memorial last month. One advantage that Dufner has over the rest of the field is his outstanding approach play. He is 17th in the PGA Tour in strokes gained in that particular department with a solid .596 average. That has enabled Dufner to find the greens and target the pins regularly this season.
Dufner is also 43rd on Tour in greens-in-regulation percentage with a 67.67 percent clip. That will be a major weapon for the Cleveland native when navigating the treacherous Royal Birkdale course this week.
Writer’s Prediction
Jordan Spieth (+1,000) adds the Claret Jug to his glittering trophy collection.
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