The best of the best in the world of golf will converge at Royal St. George in England this week for the 2021 British Open. This would be the 149th edition of this major tournament, which was last won by Shane Lowry in 2019. With all that said, let’s now take a look at some of the favorites, sleepers, and long shots to win this event.
McIlroy being a favorite in an edition of the British Open isn’t going to make news. He’s always played well in this tournament before in 2014 even though he missed the cut at Royal Portrush in 2019. Nevertheless, the Northern Irishman has cracked the top 10 in four of his five appearances in the British Open. Back in 2011, he finished with a T25 in the British Open at Royal St. George with a score of 7-under-287. This season, McIlroy has six top 10s and 11 top 25s in 16 starts. He is also well-rested, as he last saw action in the 2021 US Open last June, where he finished with a T7.
Despite not having much success in the form of wins since he won the Masters Tournament in 2020, Johnson is still one of those guys you just have to accept as one of the players to watch out for. Johnson last played in the 2021 Travelers Championship late last June and finished with a t25, thus extending his streak of made cuts to three. He is 5 of 6 in his last six starts, with the lone cut being in the 2021 PGA Championship. Johnson has not won a British Open title, but he went T2 in the 2011 edition of the tournament, which was held at Royal St. George’s Golf Club.
Rahm is eyeing a back-to-back major win. He hasn’t seen action since winning the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines last month, which could be a cause of concern for some because of inactivity, but the Spaniard has been simply fantastic this year. He is 17 of 18 on the season with 11 top 10s and 14 top 25s. While he doesn’t have an overall impressive British Open resume, Rahm had his career’s best finish in the tournament in 2019 with a T11 at Royal Portrush. Great things could be coming for him this week in Royal St. George’s.
Reed made his British Open debut in 2014 when he missed the cut at Royal Liverpool. Over his next five British Open starts, he’s cracked the top 20 three times, including a solo 10th-place finish in 2019 at Royal Portrush. As for this season, Reed has 13 top 25s and six top 10s in 19 starts. He has one win to date, having topped the field in the 2021 Farmers Insurance Open back in January.
The 45-year-old Englishman missed the cut at Royal Portrush in 2019, but he’s got plenty of experience playing in the British Open. He made his tournament debut in 2000 and since then, he’s picked up three top 10s, including a T3 at Muirfield in 2013. Poulter also owns a pair of T10s this season, most recently a T3 in the 2021 Charles Schwab Challenge.
Putnam has missed the cut in three of his last five starts, though he had a T13 not too long ago in the 2021 Travelers Championship. Overall this season, he has three top 10s.
Glover bounced back from a missed cut in the 2021 Palmetto Championship at Congaree by finishing tied for 41st place in the 2021 Rocket Mortgage Classic. He had a T12 in the 2011 British Open at Royal St. George’s Golf Club and was T20 in 2019 in Royal Portrush.
Writer’s Prediction
Dustin Johnson wins the 2021 British Open Championship.
