Open Championship time!!!
Golf’s oldest major is back and it’s the last one of the year.
Let’s enjoy the heck out of it while we can.
This year brings us to Hoylake at Royal Liverpool.
This is the 151st Open overall and the 13th hosted here.
Some guy named Eldrick won that tournament.
When it returned in 2014, some guy named Rory won that one.
Of course, Cam Smith is your defending Champion Golf of the Year after out-dueling Rory at St. Andrews.
But make no mistake, the story of that day will be the flatsticks of those two men.
Royal Liverpool is classic links baby.
Relatively flat but tons of mounds, pot bunkers, wispy fescue, all that good stuff.
You’re gonna see the putter out from off the green plenty, which is always a treat.
Golf is more fun when it’s played on the ground.
But that’s not to say it’s predictable, and that can certainly change this week.
In 2006, the wind that typically defends this course was virtually non-existent.
Plus that version of El Gato Grande was hardly giving any distance back to the field with that strategy.
Typical brilliance from the GOAT as he finished at -18.
In 2014 it was more of the opposite.
The course was rain-soaked, soft, and gettable… which is where Rory thrives.
More on the weather shortly.
But it’ll still be quite scorable all things considered.
I expect the winning score to come in around -15.
Regardless, it’s gonna be a heckin beauty to look at all week.
Best Hole - 18th, Par 5 609 Yards
Par 5 finishing hole baby.
This one is a doozy and just might provide some fireworks down the stretch.
Dogleg right with OB in the mix all the way down the right side of the hole.
Plus one of my favorite traditions at the Open is the stadium-style grandstands surrounding the 18th hole.
With changes for this year, the hole will almost certainly produce even more drama this time round.
It is a fantastic finishing hole that could produce scores both high and low.
Featured groups coverage and featured holes will be available all day on Peacock as well.
Lots of golf from sun up to sun down.
The Weather
Classic Open Championship forecast.
We’ll see how that evolves as the week unfolds.
The Trophy
It’s one of the most iconic trophies in all of sports.
One of the oldest too.
How’s that for a name?
It’s got some of the greatest players to ever play engraved on it.
you’re able to drink out of it too.
That’s a huge prerequisite for any great trophy.
This is a surefire10/10trophy.
Also, fun fact… they used to play for a Championship BELT.
Guy literally canceled the 1871 Open Championship.
So they gave him a medal instead.
The Board
Fresh off a W, Rory McIlroy opened the week as the betting favorite at around +650.
Scottie Schefflerhas been my pick from the jump, and I’m sticking with him at+750.
It’s just unfathomable to me that he leaves the year 2023 without a major championship to his name.
The tee-to-green game has just been so consistently insane, and so have the overall results.
He’s finished Top 12 in an astounding 19 straight events.
We’ll take our chances from there.
Other Plays
Scottie Scheffler Top 10 -120- Is he more likely than not to Top 10?
Answer to that in my eyes is an obvious yes.
He’s a supreme player in the wind.
Maybe this is the one for ol Rick.
Finished T-2 at Carnoustie in 2018.
Can bomb it and roll it.
He’s capable of hanging with the big boys.
Him, Brian Harman, and Phil are the only 3 lefties teeing it up this week.
American Winner +120- It’s a Ryder Cup year.
Let’s plant our flag.
That’s what I got this week.
Should be a helluva tournament.
