Brooks Koepka among golfers to watch at British Open

COVID-19 prevented the British Open from taking place in 2020 and allowed defending champion Shane Lowry to maintain the coveted Claret Jug for 2 years. This week, the sport’s oldest main championship returns to Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England.

It was solely a matter of time earlier than Jon Rahm (8/1) gained his first main championship, and it got here final month within the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Rahm teed it up for the primary time in three weeks after his maiden main win and was in competition on the Scottish Open earlier than settling for a seventh-place end.

Trying past the favourite, listed here are our picks for the British Open:

Brooks Koepka (18/1)

The “Guess Brooks Koepka in main championships” narrative continues as a result of he retains displaying up in them and both successful or contending on the minimal. Koepka already has a runner-up on the PGA and a T-4 finally month’s U.S. Open. Since 2016, Koepka is 84 beneath par in majors, which is greater than 60 strokes higher than his nearest competitor, and 4 main championships is 4 occasions that of anybody else within the area.

Rory McIlroy (20/1)

McIlroy missed the lower final week on the Scottish Open. Eight of the final 9 occasions he has missed a lower worldwide, he has completed within the prime 20 the next begin. In three of these situations, he gained his subsequent begin.

McIlroy has been ready two years for redemption on the British Open after barely lacking the lower at Royal Portrush.

Jordan Spieth (22/1)

After 4 years with out a victory, Spieth lastly returned to the victory circle with a win in his dwelling state within the Valero Texas Open, his first title for the reason that British Open win in 2017 at Royal Birkdale.

Spieth missed the lower in his first occasion of 2021, however has made 13 straight since.

Tyrrell Hatton (34/1)

Hatton climbed into the highest 5 within the Official World Golf Rankings with a win earlier this yr in Abu Dhabi. He has a fifth-place and a sixth-place end in his final 4 appearances on the British Open, and is a confirmed hyperlinks participant with two victories within the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship.

Paul Casey (47/1)

Oddly sufficient, the British Open most likely has been Casey’s weakest main all through his profession, however he has proven to be a strong contender in a number of large occasions to this point this season, with a T-5 on the Gamers, T-4 on the PGA and T-7 on the U.S. Open.

Shane Lowry (50/1)

Lowry has had possession of the Claret Jug for 2 years now and the Irishman is not going to let it go very simply. He has not gained for the reason that 2019 British Open, however he has proven some indicators in large occasions with a T-4 on the PGA, T-6 on the Memorial and an eighth on the Gamers.

Tommy Fleetwood (55/1)

Fleetwood has improved on the British Open in every look, capped by a runner-up two years in the past at Royal Portrush. No participant within the area has performed extra hyperlinks rounds since 2015 than Fleetwood.

Marc Leishman (70/1)

Leishman has come shut on the British Open a pair occasions, together with the four-hole playoff loss in 2015 at St. Andrews to Zach Johnson. He additionally has a T-5 at Royal Liverpool in 2014 and a T-6 at Royal Birkdale in 2017.

Rickie Fowler (80/1)

Fowler missed the U.S. Open after failing to qualify. In his final main, nevertheless, he completed T-8 on the PGA. Fowler’s final top-10 in a significant was final day trip within the British Open, with a T-6 at Royal Portrush.