So-called expert Open Championship tips

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

Really liked what I saw of JORDAN SPIETH at the Scottish Open, until he reached the back nine on Sunday.

He really gets links golf and with the Old Course baked out and playing firm and fiery, his ability to 'golf' his ball around the fabled St. Andrews links will come into its own.

Sportsbet odds: $17

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

There are plenty of the low price club firing on all cylinders at the moment that will draw attention away, so too that bloke who has won 15 majors and wouldn’t surprise if he took another one on basically one pin this week.

But for me it just has to be ADAM SCOTT here.

As our fearless leader who is on the ground notes below, the Queenslander has been in town for an extended period to get ready and will be so comfortable on The Old Course by now he could probably play it in his sleep.

Scott, you might remember, was right in the mix here last time until he missed a tiddler on Sunday, but he is wielding that long stick better than ever right now, and knows how this links stuff is done.

Our lone Masters champ also repaid my faith in him as the Top Aussie at the U.S. Open and showed some good signs at the J.P. McManus Pro-Am last week.

Sportsbet odds: $91

RELATED: The 150th Open Championship preview

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

Everything about this week points to something special. It’s the 150th Open, the course is the most iconic in the game, it’s in hard and fast condition and the whole golf world is looking to escape, any least for a week, the turmoil that continues to swirl around the professional Tours.

Cometh the moment cometh the man, as they say, and that man is TIGER. Yes, I know that technically he should be an outsider at best (and even that is probably a stretch) but that ignores the fact he is Tiger. Many an analyst has spent the best part of two decades sensibly weighing up all the evidence and concluding that the 15-time major winner ‘can’t’. And then he does.

Woods is not just special in golf, he is in the top handful of humans ever to contest elite level sport and it’s not just his play that makes it so. He won the U.S. Open in 2008 on a broken leg (literally) and faces a similar challenge here. Nobody rises to the occasion every time and Tiger is no different. But he does rise to the occasion more than anyone else and the bigger the occasion the more likely he is to deliver. They don’t come any bigger than this week.

Sportsbet odds: $67

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

What do Quasimodo, Fergie and lymphologists have in common with winners at St. Andrews? Yep, a sound working knowledge of lumps, bumps and humps.

Don't worry, I'll be here all week.

Which is a great thing because this week, above all others on the golfing calendar, is a test of stamina for golf fans antipodean to the home of golf, primarily for the challenging hours you must commit to soak it all in.

And there is an element of truth in my horrendous gag because, as Jimmy Emanuel often reminds me before we head to a bar for a nightcap, "the key to success around here is groundwork".

The Old Course – with John Daly as the possible exception in my memory – has been conquered in its Open format only by those who can mix the power necessary in the modern game with the vision to navigate its myriad swales and rises.

And because I'm prepared to do the extra research yards required by this column's harsh editor, I noticed in Monday's "champions" event that even in calm winds and days before the whips get cracking, the old girl already has a brown tinge and plenty of bounce that will only heighten that requirement.

All of which points me to the absolute necessity of choosing a links specialist this week and rules out a large chunk of the field.

There's no way I would have picked RORY MCILROY at the Masters, yet he roared home for second place.

So now, in sparkling form, this represents the Northern Irishman's pinnacle chance to record the long-awaited fifth major crown.

We know of his power, but he's also shown recent signs – particularly at the Canadian Open – of the surgical hands required to scale golf's summit again and with the karma bus of the establishment ready to pick him up if he stumbles, he'll add the 150th to the 143rd already in his kit bag.

Sportsbet odds: $11

THE OPEN – TOP AUSSIE

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

ADAM SCOTT has been in St. Andrews practicing since the weekend and from what I have seen he's got to be confident ahead of Thursday's opening round.

He has plenty of experience playing the Old Course when its hard under foot and, if he can start confidently with the putter, I expect he will be among the contenders on Sunday.

Sportsbet odds: $6

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

See above. I've always wanted to write that.

Sportsbet odds: $6

RELATED: First Round Open Tee Times (AEST)
 

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

There is lots of evidence to suggest Cam Smith or Marc Leishman will be the two most likely but despite a missed cut last week at Renaissance I am sticking with LUCAS HERBERT.

His good is more than good enough to contend at the top levels and not only is he unafraid of the big moment, he revels in them.

Growing up in Melbourne gives him a good instinct for what 'getting the ball on the ground’ actually means and his play in Ireland two weeks ago — on an admittedly very different style of course — was encouraging.

If the draw co-operates there is no reason he can’t be at the pointy end come Sunday.

Sportsbet odds: $6

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

MARC LEISHMAN should be the defending St. Andrews champion.

His 2015 efforts came up agonisingly short and it was only recently that he admitted to Golf Australia Magazine that he'd finally brought himself to look at the video of how the final hour or so of that windswept tournament played out.

So now, free of the baggage, he can complete his unfinished business.

Like McIlroy, Leishman has the combination of power, hands and vision needed at St. Andrews, and his lower-than-average ball flight will play into his hands the more wind whips up later in the week.

Like most majors these days, this category of tipping by default means he should be in contention – and I can see that again for the big Victorian this week.

Sportsbet odds: $6

THE OPEN – OUTSIDER

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

Keep an eye on teenage South African ALDRICH POTGIETER this week.

The 17-year-old is the reigning Amateur Champion, having claimed the title at Royal Lytham a month ago. He is a FLUSHER!!

He was hanging off words of advice from Adam Scott on Sunday and it won't surprise me if he collects the silver medal for leading amateur.

Sportsbet odds: $1,001

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

I am going to take the opportunity of one the rarest occurrences in golf, and no it is not a Rod Morri chip shot getting airborne and heading in the direction of the intended target.

TIGER WOODS has never ever been an outsider, or at least not since before he put on a Nike shirt for cash for the first time when joining the pro ranks.

But given the injuries, the advanced years, lack of starts etc. he is rightfully at a decent price and falls into the category despite playing a course he has won over twice.

Woods is like Nicklaus in the latter years, always a chance around certain venues and given how much prep work the Big Cat has put in for this one, you have to think he believes he has a shot at a remarkable victory.

If it’s warm, Tiger will feature and if you have seen any of the social media activity this week, or caught the Champions Challenge like the intrepid researcher Mark Hayes, you will have noticed Woods is full of chirp and banter this week. A chatty Tiger is a fired up Tiger.

Sportsbet odds: $67

RELATED: Tiger treating Open as his last

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

A few lazy Sunday afternoons flicking on Kayo and finding the Asian Tour this year introduced me to JOOHYUNG KIM, the third place finisher last week in Scotland and as impressive a 20-year-old as we have seen since Jordan Spieth.

Kim is clearly good and stood out from the field in Asia on the few occasions I tuned in but the question mark for players from that part of the world is whether they can adjust to the differently style of golf found in other parts of the world, particularly the UK.

Kim emphatically answered that question at Renaissance Club last week. It would be a stretch to think he could win (hence the outsider tag) but it would be no surprise to see him in the mix again.

Sportsbet odds: $126

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

Again, from the bonus research department, I was able to take in a few strokes from KEITA NAKAJIMA in Monday's "champions" event.

The young man from Japan, who's been a regular visitor to Australia throughout his amateur days including victory over Dave Micheluzzi in the 2018 national final in Perth, recently overtook Jon Rahm as the longest-serving World No.1 amateur. Yes, he's that good.

On Monday, Nakajima piped his opening drive, twirled his wedge on approach and rolled in a birdie alongside none other than defending champ Collin Morikawa. That's to say, he's not fazed by the occasion.

He then pumped a drive all of 380 yards up the second hole to show his power and he's already got a big professional win in his home country under his belt to prove his bona fides.

He won't be a "roughie" for long – get a piece of him in this category before he moves up a couple!

Sportsbet odds: $401

LPGA TOUR – DOW GREAT LAKES BAY INVITATIONAL

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

Really, really hard to pick against the defending champions, the JUTANUGARN SISTERS – Moriya and Ariya.

They placed third in the inaugural event in 2019 and claimed the team event title by three strokes last year. Course suits and they look like they have so much fun playing together.

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

Consider this week to be 1993. Why you ask? Because it is time for Sister Act 2.

Unlike last year's original, this year it will be a new cast with NELLY & JESSICA KORDA taking the title.

Both have shown good form of late and have so much history of good play together here and at the Solheim Cup. And Nelly is showing no ill effects of her break ... you might even say like Whoopi Goldberg she is Back in the Habit ... I'll show myself out.

RELATED: Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational preview

Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

This form of golf is really hard to pick but we get some clues from the limited team events we get to see the top players tee up in.

The Jutanugarn sisters will rightly start favourites this week but I’ll be looking to the Solheim Cup pairing of MEL REID & LEONA MAGUIRE. The stakes aren’t as high this week obviously, but they gelled brilliantly at Inverness last year and there’s no reason they can’t do so again this week.

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I do wish this event was not on opposite the Open, because I'll be looking for a new job if ask for additional time off to watch this one, as well!

The team events always catch my eye and while I'm not a particularly large fan of LEXI THOMPSON, she has shown enough lately to suggest her best isn't far away and with her mate BRITTANY ALTOMARE alongside to calm her nerves if things get a bit tight down the stretch, this might just get her back in at least half the winner's circle.

PGA & DP WORLD TOURS – BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP

Brendan James – Golf Australia Editor

I'm sure CAM DAVIS would prefer to be in Scotland this week, but winning a PGA Tour event will ease some of that regret.

Is yet to show he's really good stuff in 2022 but he has the ability to blow this field away.

Sportsbet odds: $16

JIMMY EMANUEL – Golf Australia Deputy & Digital Editor

I don’t remember when it was, but this isn’t the first time I have suggested NICK HARDY is close to a PGA Tour win this year.

The American has a big time game and his form of late suggests a trophy is around the corner, and the different format could be just what the doctor ordered to get him over the line.

T30 last start at the John Deere, T8 at the Travelers and T14 at the U.S. Open, if he doesn’t win Hardy will be there or thereabouts.

Sportsbet odds: $21

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Rod Morri – Golf Australia magazine contributor and The Thing About Golf podcast host

If this PGA Tour/DP World Tour alliance and co-sanctioning thing is going to work it needs a European to step up and grab one of the U.S. based events. Aside from proving these players belong at the big table, it would go some way toward annoying many of the rank and file PGA Tour players who still see the game as belonging to them.

In that spirit, go ESPEN KOFSTAD, a likeable Swede who nearly gave the game away a couple of years ago but roared back to life at the Irish Open a couple of weeks ago.

Sportsbet odds: $56

Mark Hayes – Man About Golf

I second every word uttered by our fearless leader BJ, above. CAM DAVIS.

Sportsbet odds: $16