There used to be a time, not so very long ago, when there was only one favourite to win every major. His name was Tiger Woods and, for punters, he presented little or no value whatsoever.
How times have changed.
In the past five years, names like Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott have been heavily favoured at different times heading into a Grand Slam event
But on the eve of the 146th Open Championship there is no clear favourite to win the Claret Jug. Speaking with 1969 Open Champion Tony Jacklin at Royal Birkdale yesterday, he said he could not recall such a wide-open field for the tournament and believes at least 30 players have genuine claims on the title.
“There are no clear cut choices,” he said. “It’s anyone’s tournament. Obviously it suits the likes of the American Jordan Spieth, who moves his ball about and putts so well, but I would be loath to single out any one player … at least until after the opening round.
“You can’t win it on Thursday, but you can certainly lose it.”
While experienced and highly-ranked major winners like Spieth, McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Scott and Jason Day are realistic chances to add to their major haul, the recent trend has been for first-timers to emerge and claim their maiden title on Sunday afternoon.
In fact, each of the past seven majors – dating back to Day’s 2015 PGA Championship victory – has been won by a first-timer. Given the open nature of this week’s championship, it is a trend that could easily continue.
“I doubt you'll see a dominance like that maybe ever again in the game. I just think guys are learning, guys are getting stronger. Athletes are going to golf. Guys are winning younger playing more fearless, even in major championships, and I just think that it's so difficult now." – Jordan Spieth.
Spieth said this was indicative of the strength of the game and how, on any given four days, very little separated the top 50 players in the world.
“I don't think there’s a big four in the game anymore,” he said. “I'm not sure who it would be, if you asked me. Because of that it would be I think difficult to put anybody in that role right now.
“I think you look at a guy like Jon Rahm, how does he deserve not to be in a conversation like that? What he just did at the Irish Open and what he has been able to do this year, he did it two weeks ago at links golf. He destroyed the field. Won by six or seven, right? I don't think he would have been someone that you would put there if you were about to name four guys.
“It (a big four) really could be anybody at this point. And it's pretty exciting, I think.
“I don't know what's better for golf, from my opinion it's very exciting when you've got to beat that many great players with that much confidence.”
Spieth added that the incredible depth of talent at the top end of world golf now meant it was unlikely a player would dominate the game like Tiger Woods ever again and we would see a wider selection of players winning majors.
“I wouldn't get your hopes up,” Spieth smiled. “What Tiger's done … having experienced a year (2015) like he continued to do for years, it just takes a lot out of you. It's very tough to do. And you have to have a lot of things go right at the right times.
“I doubt you'll see a dominance like that maybe ever again in the game. I just think guys are learning, guys are getting stronger. Athletes are going to golf. Guys are winning younger playing more fearless, even in major championships, and I just think that it's so difficult now.
“I think it was probably equally as difficult then (in Tiger’s era), I can't speak to it, but I wouldn't get your hopes up for a domination like that whatsoever. I think it's going to be a very exciting time going forward of guys that are going to be playing and battling against each other.
“You'll see a group of ten to 12 guys over the next 15, 20 years, that are going to have a lot of different competitions that come down the stretch with each other. And it's different than one person being the guy to beat. But I think it's exciting, exciting for us as players. You just never know. And if you play well, you're going to have a chance with these other guys who are equally as capable.”
Bearing Spieth’s wise comments in mind, there are several in-form young players who could make their mark at Royal Birkdale this week.
Rahm is an obvious choice. His last start victory at the Irish Open was a brilliant display of power, touch and creativity that his childhood hero Seve Ballesteros would have been proud of.
A touch over 400 days since starting his professional career, he has won on both sides of the Atlantic, he’s cemented a place in the top-10 of the world ranking and has banked nearly US$5.5 million in prizemoney.
But the young Spaniard laughs at being considered one of the favourites to win this week.
“After a win in Ireland and being top 10 in the world, it certainly is a different experience, which I'm enjoying a lot," he said.
“It feels great to actually have the people support and helping me. I like to put that in a positive place. I know why there's some confidence in me from people who think I'm going to play good this week.
“And I like to think if they have the faith in me, I should have faith in myself that I'm going to do it properly. So I try to feed positively off of that.”
“I got recognised at the market the other day. But there's nobody fainting in the street, as I walk past. So I'm still waiting for those days to come.” – Tommy Fleetwood.
Rahm said if the win doesn’t happen this week, he’s happy to wait and not force the issue of winning a major.
“Luckily for me, I don't have to face Tiger Woods in the prime of his career,” Rahm laughed. “But there are a lot of other players that can play high quality golf. And I'm still 22 and whatever it takes, if it takes 85 tries to win a major, I'll still be happy with that.”
While Rahm has endeared himself to the big galleries watching practice rounds at Royal Birkdale, his popularity pales into insignificance compared to local hero Tommy Fleetwood.
Fleetwood grew up around the corner from the course, close enough that his father, Pete, would walk the family dog around the edge of the course. A young Tommy would also crawl under the boundary to hit a few shots when the members were downing pints in the clubhouse.
His victory in the French Open three weeks ago has fuelled ‘Tommy-mania’ in Southport, with shop-owners posting signs of support for their man. The locals are hopeful he can become their first Open Champion since Harold Hilton won his second title in 1897.
“I got recognised at the market the other day. There's nobody fainting in the street, as I walk past,” he laughed. “So I'm still waiting for those days to come.”
But the new World No.14 says he’s aware of the local support but he isn’t feeling any added pressure.
“Added pressure? You could look at it that way, but that's putting kind of a wrong spin on it,” he said. “I'll have the most support I've ever had in my life, from people I've grown up with, friends, family, you name it.
“No, I don't feel extra pressure from it. Obviously, it's going to be a different experience, for sure, something that I've never experienced before. But it will be great to have so many people out there rooting for you.
“It doesn't happen all the time when you have that many people, and they all want you to do well. So I think it will be nice, and I'm sure, it will make me smile when I get there.”
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