Four in-form players to watch at The Open Championship
With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on last year’s golf calendar, the 148th edition of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019 was the last time the sport’s oldest and most prestigious event was held.
And, with that feeling like a life-time ago, it’s no surprise that golf fans all over the world are eagerly counting down the days until the tournament tees off at Royal St George’s in Kent on July 15th.
Spaniard Jon Rahm is currently leading the way in The Open 2021 odds. However, it is notoriously difficult to pick the winner of any of golf’s four major tournaments. So, read on as we take a look at four in-form players to watch at Royal St George’s.
Jon Rahm – 8/1
Even though it’s very rare for a modern-day golfer to win back-to-back majors, new World No. 1 Rahm cannot be discounted that easily. It felt like it was just a matter of time before the 26-year-old got his hands on a major title, and that long-awaited triumph finally came at the recent US Open at Torrey Pines, where the Basque Country-native beat Louis Oosthuizen by a single stroke. With the pressure of winning one of golf’s big four tournaments finally lifted from Rahm’s shoulders, he could really kick on from here and where better to start than with a victory in The Open?
Brooks Koepka – 14/1
After winning the US Open back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 and the PGA Championship successively in 2018 and 2019, Brooks Koepka will be somewhat disappointed that he hasn’t added a fifth major title to his résumé since. However, it’s not for the want of trying, and the American has come close already this year, finishing second in the PGA Championship before carding a fourth-place finish in the US Open. It seems like the 31-year-old has been able to put an off-course rift with Bryson DeChambeau to the back of his mind and focus solely on his golf game, and so far, it’s paying dividends. If he can carry his current form into The Open, he should be there or thereabouts.
Collin Morikawa – 25/1
Whilst Collin Morikawa hasn’t been able to add to his PGA Championship victory last August, his name has still largely featured at the right end of leaderboards since. So far this season, the 24-year-old, who is ranked fourth in the world, has won one tour event and recorded seven top-10 finishes, including in the PGA Championship (8th) and the US Open (4th). This is will be Morikawa’s maiden outing at The Open, and whilst it will no easy feat to win the tournament on his debut, it would be no surprise to see his name amongst the leaders.
Rory McIlroy – 11/1
Not a major goes by without golf fans wondering if it will finally be the tournament that Rory McIlroy puts his seven-year drought to bed, and the upcoming Open is no different. With a victory in the Wells Fargo Championship, which ended a two-year wait for a tour victory, and a top-10 finish in the recent US Open, the Northern Irishman is starting to show glimpses of his former self. He’s preparing for The Open with outings at the Irish and Scottish Opens, and they are definitely tournaments that could stand him in good stead ahead of Royal St George’s.
