Who can and can’t win The Open at St. Andrews

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — The Open celebrates its 150th anniversary on the residence of golf this week, and its homecoming at St. Andrews could not have come at a greater time for the sport.

With LIV Golf threatening to splinter the skilled excursions much more, the drama takes a again seat, at the least for every week, to the Previous Course, Previous Tom Morris, Tiger Woods and the Street Gap.

“I adore it right here, it is unbelievable,” two-time main winner Justin Thomas mentioned. “It’s extremely particular. It is distinctive. It’s the most true hyperlinks Open I’ve ever performed. It is such a enjoyable place.”

Whereas a lot of the eye this week will concentrate on three-time Open winner Woods, who’s taking part in in simply his third official occasion of the season, he is not anticipated to be a lot of a contender to win one other Claret Jug.

Listed below are the gamers to look at, from the blokes who can win to amateurs, at St. Andrews this week:

Leap to a piece:
Guys who can win | If everything goes right | Miracles happen
| Happy to make the cut | Amateurs

Tier I: The blokes who can win

Listed below are the authentic contenders to win the The Open. They’ve the video games, guts and nerves to deal with 4 pressure-packed rounds in windy situations at St. Andrews.

Rory McIlroy
The champion of the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, McIlroy piled on three straight prime 5s after successful. He completed within the prime 10 in every of the three majors this season.

Xander Schauffele
Schauffele is the most well liked participant on the planet, having gained the Vacationers Championship in June and final week’s Scottish Open (he additionally picked up final week’s JP McManus Professional-Am in Eire). Would possibly he lastly win his first main?

Will Zalatoris
It is solely a matter of time earlier than Zalatoris claims his first victory after so many near-misses. Few gamers have been higher in majors the previous two seasons. His superior ballstriking will probably be a premium in windy Scotland.

Scottie Scheffler
The world No. 1, who gained 4 instances in two months earlier this season, hasn’t completed first in three months. He is nonetheless taking part in like the most effective on the planet and tied for eighth in his first begin in The Open final 12 months. One concern: Scheffler has by no means performed St. Andrews earlier than this week’s follow rounds.

Jon Rahm
Rahm has discovered to excel on links-style programs, as evidenced by two victories on the Irish Open. In accordance with Justin Ray of Twenty First Group, Rahm has essentially the most strokes gained (2.19) on coastal programs on the British Isles amongst gamers with at the least 10 rounds since 2019.

Jordan Spieth
Spieth, the 2017 Open champion at Royal Birkdale, completed within the prime 10 in half of his eight begins. He was solo second final 12 months, two strokes behind Collin Morikawa, and solo fourth at St. Andrews in 2015, when he narrowly missed a playoff.

Collin Morikawa
Morikawa is the defending champion, after successful The Open in his first begin within the occasion at Royal St. George’s in 2021. He had 4 rounds within the 60s, and his complete of 15-under was a document for 15 Opens on the course.

Matt Fitzpatrick
The Englishman gained his first main on the U.S. Open final month and his ballstriking has been distinctive. His greatest end at The Open was a tie for 20th at Royal Portrush in 2019, and he says the Previous Course is not his favourite course.

Shane Lowry
The Irishman gained the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush, the primary time the event had been performed on Irish soil since 1951. He may need been the happiest man ever to raise a Claret Jug.

Sam Burns
Burns’ stellar placing and iron play will journey wherever, and it is time for him to grow to be a real contender in majors. He tied for 20th on the PGA Championship and 27th on the U.S. Open, his greatest finishes in majors.

Tony Finau
Finau’s type hasn’t been nice this season, however he has 4 top-25 finishes in 5 begins at The Open, together with a solo third in 2019.

Adam Scott
The Australian will probably be taking part in in his 85th consecutive main, the longest streak of any lively participant. The subsequent-closest streak belongs to Rose (47). Jack Nicklaus owns the document with 146 straight begins in majors from 1962 to 1998.

Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood, from England, was solo second on the 2019 Open Championship, six photographs behind Lowry. Solely Rahm and Finau have gained extra strokes on hyperlinks model programs since 2019, in line with Ray.

Patrick Cantlay
The reigning FedEx Cup champion tied for 14th on the U.S. Open, after tying for 39th on the Masters and lacking the minimize on the PGA Championship.

Brooks Koepka
Koepka’s recreation and well being have not been nice these days, however he completed within the prime 10 in 4 of his previous 5 begins at The Open.

Viktor Hovland
Hovland is ranked eighth on the planet, however hasn’t had a top-10 end since The Gamers in mid-March and hasn’t had a top-20 because the WGC-Dell Applied sciences Match Play two weeks later. He missed the minimize on the U.S. Open and the Scottish Open.

Dustin Johnson
The previous world No. 1 golfer’s final victory in an official tour occasion got here greater than 600 days in the past, on the 2020 Masters that was performed in November due to COVID-19. He gained the Saudi Worldwide in February 2021.

Justin Thomas
The 2-time main champion has been nice within the U.S., however has completed within the prime 40 in solely certainly one of his previous 5 begins in The Open. He withdrew from the Vacationers Championship to deal with and relaxation a again harm, however performed in Eire final week and has regarded advantageous at St. Andrews.

Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama’s season has been derailed by accidents, however he obtained again on observe with a solo fourth on the U.S. Open. He has one prime 10 in seven begins at The Open.

Tyrrell Hatton
The recent-tempered Englishman tied for sixth at Royal Portrush in 2019 and tied for fifth at Royal Troon in 2016.

Cameron Smith
Pretty much as good as Smith has been this season, he does not have an incredible observe document in The Open. His greatest end in 4 earlier begins was a tie for 20th in 2019.

Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen grew to become the second South African to win The Open at St. Andrews in 2010 and practically added a second Claret Jug right here in 2015, when he misplaced to Zach Johnson in a playoff. He tied for third final 12 months.

Justin Rose
Rose has gained the Scottish Open and tied for second at The Open, so he is aware of his means round a hyperlinks course. He tied for 13th on the PGA Championship and fourth on the RBC Canadian Open, proof that he is monitoring in the fitting path.

Tier II: If every part goes proper

Listed below are the sleeper candidates to raise the Claret Jug. The record consists of former main champions, rising stars and different gamers whose video games have been works in progress thus far this season. Will all of it come collectively this week?

Joaquin Niemann
Niemann, 23, has already gained twice on the PGA Tour and is ranked 17th on the planet. He hasn’t had nice success at The Open, nevertheless, tying for 59th in 2021 and lacking the minimize in 2019.

Max Homa
He tied for 40th in his first begin in The Open in 2021. And he is nonetheless successful on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/maxhoma23/status/1543624984202858496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Kevin Kisner
A runner-up on the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie, Kisner performed his closing spherical at The Open in 2021 in two and a half hours. He will not should hit it as far off the tee at St. Andrews, so he is likely to be a authentic contender if his putter is scorching.

Robert MacIntyre
MacIntyre, from Scotland, goes to be a gallery favourite this week. He has two top-10 finishes in as many begins in The Open.

Billy Horschel
An indignant Billy is the most effective Billy. Whether or not it is throwing his golf equipment or ripping PGA Tour players who defected to LIV Golf, you by no means should surprise what the previous Florida star is pondering.

Seamus Power
Energy, from Eire, was ranked within the prime 10 on the planet in racquetball at ages 11-12. He competed within the World Racquetball Championship.

Patrick Reed
Increase your hand if you happen to’ve been blocked by Reed on Twitter.

Sungjae Im
Im, from South Korea, dropped out of the 2021 Open Championship to concentrate on the Tokyo Olympics. He tied for 22nd. A gold medal would have earned him an exemption from a compulsory two-year service within the army.

Cameron Young
The PGA Tour rookie is without doubt one of the longest hitters on tour. He had blended leads to his first three begins in majors this season, lacking the minimize on the Masters and U.S. Open and tying for third on the PGA Championship.

Marc Leishman
The Australian’s greatest probability at a serious championship got here at St. Andrews in 2015, when he misplaced in a three-man playoff to Zach Johnson. Leishman’s first tee shot of the playoff landed in a divot, which led to a bogey.

Abraham Ancer
The previous Oklahoma star completed 11th in his first LIV Golf occasion at Pumpkin Ridge.

Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau completed 10th in his first LIV begin at Pumpkin Ridge. He hasn’t completed higher than a tie for 33rd in 4 earlier begins at The Open.

Brian Harman
Harman tied for 19th on the 2021 Open, his first top-25 end in six begins within the occasion.

Victor Perez
Perez, who was raised in France and lives in Dundee, Scotland, gained the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship at St. Andrews.

Mackenzie Hughes
Hughes, from Canada, had 4 rounds within the 60s and tied for sixth in his Open Championship debut in 2021.

Mito Pereira
Pereira, who tied for third on the PGA Championship after a collapse on the 72nd gap, will probably be making his first begin in The Open.

Harris English
The previous Georgia star, solely 4 months faraway from hip surgical procedure, tied for 19th on the Vacationers Championship.

Talor Gooch
If Gooch thought the ambiance on the LIV Golf occasion at Pumpkin Ridge felt like a Ryder Cup, they higher have oxygen prepared for him at St. Andrews.

Corey Conners
The Canadian tied for 15th at Royal St. George’s in 2021, after recording sub-70 scores in every of the primary three rounds.

Webb Simpson
Simpson has slipped to No. 63 on the planet, however completed within the prime 20 in two of the previous three Open Championships.

Paul Casey
Casey’s final prime 10 at The Open got here in 2010. He hasn’t performed in additional than three months due to a again harm.

Thomas Pieters
The previous Illinois star has gained six instances in Europe

Francesco Molinari
Molinari was one of many few males to stare down Tiger Woods and beat him in a serious, successful at Carnoustie in 2018 when he had a bogey-free 69 within the closing spherical.

Russell Henley
His greatest end in The Open got here at St. Andrews, the place he tied for 20th in 2015. He fired a 6-under 66 within the second spherical that 12 months.

Gary Woodland
The 2019 U.S. Open champion hasn’t had as a lot success in Nice Britain. His greatest end was a tie for 12th at Royal Troon in 2016.

Lee Westwood
Westwood, 49, will probably be in search of his first main championship victory in his 91st begin in a single. He tied for fourth at Royal Portrush in 2019.

Zach Johnson
The longer term U.S. Ryder Cup captain has eight top-25s at The Open, together with a victory on the Previous Course in 2015.

Dylan Frittelli
Frittelli, who’s from South Africa and performed at Texas, was solo fifth at The Open in 2021. He began the week because the 11th alternate, however made the sphere when Louis de Jeger had a constructive COVID-19 check.

J.T. Poston
Poston, who will probably be making his first begin in The Open, picked up his second tour victory with a wire-to-wire win on the John Deere Basic.

Erik van Rooyen
He had two top-20s in his first two begins at The Open, earlier than lacking the minimize at Royal St. George’s final 12 months.

Danny Willett
The 2016 Masters champion has tied for sixth in two Open Championships.

Tier III: Hey, miracles occur

They’re the lengthy photographs. This tier consists of growing older former champions, gamers nonetheless trying to find their type and a few first-timers.

Tiger Woods
Woods’ first two begins in majors this season confirmed that the 15-time main champion nonetheless has a protracted strategy to go in his restoration from critical accidents to his proper leg. That being mentioned, he has gained twice on the Previous Course, in 2000 and 2005, and says it is his favourite course on the planet.

Henrik Stenson
The longer term European Ryder Cup captain’s higher days are behind him. He gained The Open at Royal Troon in 2016 and missed the minimize final 12 months.

Stewart Cink
The 2009 Open Championship winner hasn’t completed within the prime 20 since beating Tom Watson in a four-hole playoff.

Phil Mickelson
He grew to become golf’s oldest main champion on the 2021 PGA Championship. He missed the minimize on the U.S. Open and wasn’t very aggressive in two LIV Golf occasions.

Keegan Bradley

Sergio Garcia
About the one factor falling sooner than Garcia’s efficiency in majors — he has missed the minimize in 12 of his previous 17 begins — is his popularity amongst fellow gamers.

Richard Bland
Bland, a 49-year-old Englishman, tied for 22nd at The Open in 2017, his highest end in a serious.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Ryan Fox
Jamie Donaldson

Emiliano Grillo
Grillo, from Argentina, tied for 12th at Royal St. George’s final 12 months, tying for his greatest end at The Open.

Justin Harding
Garrick Higgo
Tom Hoge
Chris Kirk
Jason Kokrak
K.H. Lee
Si Woo Kim
Kurt Kitayama
Luke List

Guido Migliozzi
Migliozzi, from Italy, has a pair of top-15 finishes in as many begins on the U.S. Open. He was the primary shopper signed by One Path star Niall Horan’s golf administration firm.

Keith Mitchell
Kevin Na

Ian Poulter
Poulter, who signed with LIV Golf, battled the DP World Tour in court docket for a stay to compete within the Scottish Open. He tied for 26th in final 12 months’s Open Championship.

Jordan Smith
Smith, from England, gained a brand new automotive for his caddie and himself with a hole-in-one in final week’s Scottish Open.

Cameron Tringale
Harold Varner III
Bernd Wiesberger
Aaron Wise
Sebastian Munoz

Tier IV: Blissful to make the minimize

They are not anticipated to be among the many contenders until one thing magical occurs on the Previous Course.

Marcus Armitage
Adri Arnaus
Alexander Bjork
Dean Burmester
Mark Calcavecchia
Ben Campbell

David Carey
Carey, from Eire, carded an 11-under 57 in the course of the Cervino Open on the Alps Tour in Might 2019. It’s believed to be the bottom rating recorded in event golf.

John Catlin

Ashley Chesters
Chesters, the primary two-time winner of the European Newbie, tied for 12th on the 2015 Open at St. Andrews as an newbie.

Mingyu Cho
Wyndham Clark
Darren Clarke

John Daly
Daly grew to become the Champion Golfer of the 12 months when he defeated Constantino Rocca in a playoff at St. Andrews in 1995. He joined Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson as the one Individuals to win two majors earlier than age 30 within the post-war period.

Justin De Los Santos
Thomas Detry
Robert Dinwiddie
Stephen Dodd
David Duval

Ernie Els
Ten years in the past, Els gained his fourth main and second Claret Jug when he defeated Adam Scott by one stroke at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Membership.

Oliver Farr
His father, Graham Farr, performed in The Open in 1990 and 1993. His father was on his bag when he certified for his first look.

Jorge Fernandez-Valdes

Jack Floydd
Floydd, who performed at James Madison, certified for his first Open Championship by way of a five-man playoff for 4 sports activities. He’s ranked 1,346th within the Official World Golf Rating.

Matt Ford
Matthew Griffin

Padraig Harrington
A back-to-back winner of The Open in 2007 and ’08, Harrington missed the minimize in three of his final 4 begins.

Lucas Herbert
Kazuki Higa
Nicolai Hojgaard
Sam Horsfield
Shugo Imahira
Matthew Jordan
Sadom Kaewkanjana
Yuto Katsuragawa
Takumi Kanaya
Brad Kennedy
Chan Kim
Minkyu Kim
Joohyung Kim
Sihwan Kim
Pablo Larrazabal
David Regulation
Thriston Lawrence
Paul Lawrie
Min Woo Lee

Haotong Li

5 years in the past, Li shot 63 within the closing spherical and unexpectedly completed solo third within the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. It was the most effective efficiency in a serious by a Chinese language man. He practically gave up the game after falling outdoors the highest 450 on the planet in 2021, however rallied to win the BMW Worldwide Open in June to finish a four-year victory drought.

Zander Lombard

Richard Mansell
After qualifying for The Open for the second straight 12 months, Mansell mentioned this one will imply extra as a result of Tiger Woods is within the area. “He is sort of mentioned that he’ll be at St Andrews, so even simply to do this, you are hopeful you are simply in the identical occasion as your hero,” Mansell mentioned.

Trey Mullinax

The previous Alabama star will make his first begin at The Open after choosing up his first PGA Tour victory on the Barbasol Championship on Sunday.

Adrian Meronk
Jediah Morgan
Ronan Mullarney
Shaun Norris
Dimitrios Papadatos
John Parry
Marco Penge
Anthony Quayle
Jamie Rutherford
Jason Scrivener
Lars van Meijel
Sepp Straka
Sahith Theegala
Brandon Wu

Scott Vincent
Vincent, who’s from Zimbabwe and lives in Denver, has gained thrice on the Japan Tour up to now 12 months. It will likely be his first begin in a serious.

Alex Wrigley
His spouse, Women European Tour participant Johanna Gustavsson, will most likely qualify for the AIG Girls’s Open at Muirfield on Aug. Four to 7.

Fabrizio Zanotti

Tier V: Amateurs

Listed below are the newbie gamers who will try and do what stars resembling McIlroy, Rose, Woods and so many others did at The Open earlier than turning professional — successful a silver medal because the low newbie.

Sam Bairstow

Barclay Brown
Brown, a rising senior at Stanford, grew up in South Yorkshire, England. Brown and Bairstow have been the one amateurs to make the sphere by way of qualifying.

Filippo Celli
Celli, who performs at TCU, grew to become the third Italian winner in eight years when he captured the European Newbie Championship in June.

Aaron Jarvis
Jarvis gained the Latin America Newbie Championship within the Dominican Republic in January, which punched his ticket to The Open.

Keita Nakajima

Aldrich Potgieter
The South African grew to become the second youngest British Newbie champion when he gained for the primary time on a hyperlinks course in June, at age 17. He attends the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy.