The Courier’s golf writer Steve Scott rounds up his top five picks for claiming the Claret Jug on Sunday:
Adam Scott (14-1): The Australian has nudged to the top of the odds list in the last 36 hours, a sure sign that the caddies are sticking their money on him. He’s been at Hoylake for a week to prepare. The course is very like Lytham, where he should have won two years ago. He won’t have that long putter for much longer, so now’s the time for a Claret Jug.
Sergio Garcia (Spain, 22-1): Garcia was one stroke behind Tiger Woods going into the last round in 2006 and infamously wore an all-yellow ensemble that might as well have been a white flag to the then-dominant American. He’s a better putter now, much more reliable player mentally, and still the best pure ball-striker in the game.
Angel Cabrera (Argentina, 50-1): He’s as much as 75-1 in some places. Contended at Muirfield for a long time last year, he can overpower Hoylake’s par fives and play within himself elsewhere, which may be good enough. Has just won at the Greenbrier. Plus he will be inspired by the venue where his legendary countryman, Roberto de Vicenzo, became South America’s first major championship winner.
Jordan Spieth (USA, 33-1): One thing about the very talented young Jordan, he’s a very quick learner. Of the stellar US team that somehow lost the Walker Cup in 2011, he played the best and adapted quickest to links. He showed for a good amount of time in his debut at Muirfield last year that he could be a contender in the Open. And he has been in the top 20 for 17 out of 20 events played this year.
Graeme McDowell (25-1): Played with Scott in the final group at Lytham in 2012, until a disaster of a shank around the turn took him out of contention. Fresh from retaining the Open de France title on a course that required plotting and precision. With wet weather forecast for at least two days of the championship, an in-form grinder is always a good pick.