If You Want To Know Who Is Going To Win The Open Championship, Keep Reading

“Carnoustie is like an ugly, old hag who speaks the truth no matter how painful. But it’s only when you add up your score, you hear exactly what she thinks of you.” – Tom Watson, who won his first Major and first of five Open Championships in 1975 at Carnoustie.

(Photo: 1937 Open at Carnoustie, which was won by Henry Cotton)

I love watching all of the Majors, but my favorite is The Open Championship.  There is a romance to The Open that I don’t feel with the other Majors.  It’s the history, the other worldly look of links courses, the fickle wind, the cold rain, the huge pot bunkers, the odd bad bounces and the odd great bounces and the totally faithful and learned fans.  The Open celebrates the world’s greatest game and its great traditions.

Before looking at who the bookies favor and before I reveal my predictions, here are a few interesting-to-know facts about Carnoustie:

• Golf in Carnoustie goes back to the days when golf was known as “gowff.” The game was first mentioned in parish records in 1560.
• The first “formal” routing at the current site was planned by Robert Chambers, a publisher from Edinburgh, in the early 1830s.
• In 1850, Allan Robertson, who was then considered the finest Scottish professional, re-routed much of the course.
• Five years later, a group of gentlemen formed the Carnoustie Golf Club.  The club was legally established in 1842. It is the world’s 10th-oldest golf club.
• In 1867, Old Tom Morris turned the 10-hole course into an 18-hole layout of 4,565 yards.
• In 1926, James Braid, who won The Open in 1901, ‘05, ‘06, ’08 and ’10, redesigned the course in order to bring it up to championship standards.
• Its nickname is “Carnasty" because of the course’s degree of difficulty, which includes over 100 pot bunkers, and the intimidating final four holes: 15 -- 472 yards, par 4; 16 -- 248 yards, par 3; 17 -- 460 yards, par 4; 18 -- 499 yards, par 4.  All four holes played over par in the 2007 Open, including the 18^th with its 4.61 scoring average.  According to former R&A Secretary Sir Michael Bonallack, “When the wind is blowing, it is the toughest course in Britain.  And when the wind is not blowing, it’s probably still the toughest.”
• Carnoustie’s numbers are: 36 – 35 = 71, 7,402 yards. Par for 4 rounds is: 284.  This is the 147^th year for The Championship and it’s the eighth time Carnoustie has hosted the tournament.
• The past winners at Carnoustie are:

            2007: Padraig Harrington, Ireland (277/-6 under par)

            1999: Paul Lawrie, Scotland (290/+6 over par)

            1975: Tom Watson, USA (279/-5 under) (This was Watson’s first Major victory.)

            1968: Gary Player, South Africa (289/+5 over par)

            1953: Ben Hogan, USA (282/-2 under par)

            1937: Henry Cotton, England (290/+6 over par)

            1931: Tommy Armour, Scotland (296/+12 over par)

PAST CHAMPIONS IN THE FIELD

LIST OF THE FAVORITES -- OR THE LIST OF THE ONLY PLAYERS WHO HAVE A CHANCE OF WINNING

Here is what the experts and bookies are saying:

Kyle Porter, CBS: 1) Marc Leishman. 2) Sergio Garcia. 3) Rickie Fowler. 4) Brooks Koepka. 5) Tommy Fleetwood

Joshua Schrock, New England Sports Network: 1) Fowler. 2) Jordan Spieth. 3) Fleetwood. 4) Henrik Stenson. 5) Tiger Woods

Sportsbook.ag: 1) Dustin Johnson. 2) Fowler. 3) Justin Rose. 4) Rory McIlroy. 5) Fleetwood

Bet365 (British bookmaker): 1) D. Johnson. 2) Rose. T3) Fowler & McIlroy. T5) Spieth & Jon Rahm

Alex Myers, golfdigest.com: 1) D. Johnson. 2) Rose. 3) Fowler. 4) Patrick Reed. 5) Fleetwood

Geoff Shackelford, golf blogger: 1) Fowler. 2) Alex Noren. 3) Woods. 4) D. Johnson. 5) Koepka

Brentley Romine, Golfweek: 1) Fowler. 2) Fleetwood. 3) Paul Casey. 4) Stenson. 5) Zach Johnson

Kevin Casey, Golfweek: 1) Rahm. 2) Rose. 3) Reed. 4) Jason Day. 5) Danny Willett (Won 2016 Masters)

After much reading and dissecting the strengths and weaknesses of each contender, The Committee gives you this year’s top 3 finishers of The Open Championship.

1. Jordan Spieth will be the first repeat winner since Padraig Harrington won in 2007 and 2008.  He has patience!
2. Rickie Fowler can play in the wind, but he will remain the Best Player To Have Never Won A Major.  
3. Englishman Justin Rose, who won the U.S. Open in 2013, is due to play well in his own Open. 

This will be a great weekend for watching and playing! Can't wait! 

Allan (My handicap is going the wrong way. Up to 13 on my home course.)