AUSSIES AT THE OPEN*

ADAM SCOTT

Best Open result: Runner-up (2012). The former World No.1 has performed well at the Open Championship since making his majors’ debut at the Old Course at St Andrews in 2000, making 15 of 19 cuts and collecting five top-10s.

But Scott, who turns 39 this month, will never forget the 2012 championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes, where he was four shots clear of Ernie Els with four holes to play.

An understandably nervous Queenslander proceeded to bogey the next three holes before grazing the cup from eight feet at the last, where par would have forced extra holes against his good friend, Els.

“I’m very disappointed but I played so beautifully for most of the week I really shouldn’t let this bring me down,” Scott said. “I know I’ve let a really great chance slip through my fingers today, but somehow I’ll look back and take the positives from it.”

Scott finished T17th at Carnoustie last year and has been in terrific form throughout 2019, posting five top-10s and two runner-ups from 12 starts (at the time of writing).

MARC LEISHMAN

Best result: Runner-up (2015). The big Victorian thrives at this championship, hauling in three top-10s from eight starts and finishing runner-up to Zach Johnson in 2015.

Leishman, like Scott, will probably reflect on his second-place finish at the Old Course at St Andrews with an emotional mixture of pride and pain.

Having led the championship with six holes to play, the man from Warrnambool bogied the 16th and eventually found himself locked at 15 under with Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen, who both bogied the 18th.

An exciting three-man, four-hole playoff began, but Leishman’s tee shot settled in a divot on the 1st fairway – ultimately resulting in an untimely bogey, while his playing partners both made birdie.

Eventually, Leishman finished the playoff at two over; Oosthuizen was even and Johnson lifted the Claret Jug thanks to his birdie at the 2nd.

“I hit a good tee shot on the fairway and landed in a divot,” Leishman reflected. “You can’t do anything about it. You’ve just got to try and deal with it. I’m disappointed, but that’s the way golf goes.”

Leishman wasn’t at his best at this event last year, finishing 60th, but his form throughout season 2019 suggests he will be right amongst the contenders at Royal Portrush.

JASON DAY

Best result: T4th (2015). It’s fair to say the former World No.1 hasn’t really enjoyed his best major results at this event, despite making the cut every year since his first Open appearance at the Old Course in 2010.

In fact, Day, who will line up for his ninth Open appearance at Royal Portrush, has registered just one top-10 result; T4th at St Andrews in 2015. His next best was a share of 17th at Carnoustie last year.

The 31-year-old’s poor record at this championship can probably be attributed to his high ball flight, which doesn’t tend to suit the windy conditions often found at Open venues. Royal Portrush should be no different in this regard, meaning the 2015 US PGA champion may struggle to produce his best golf in Northern Ireland.

That said, Day still possesses one of the best allround games on the planet – and if it stays relatively calm throughout the week, the 12-time PGA Tour winner is more than capable of contending.

CAMERON SMITH

Best result: 78th (2018). The back-to-back, reigning Australian PGA champion missed the cut in his Open debut at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and finished 78th at Carnoustie last year … So it remains to be seen whether links golf suits the 25-year-old.

Smith does, however, control his ball very well tee-to-green, and he possesses one of the best wedge games in the world. You could therefore attribute his poor Open record to inexperience and the fact he has only made 12 starts at the major championships.

The Brisbane native has struggled for form since finishing T6th at the WGC-Mexico Championship in February, missing four cuts and finishing no higher than T51st in eight starts (at the time of writing).

But the softly spoken Smith is an incredibly proud young man and he has the talent and the attitude to find his way onto the leaderboard on the weekend at Royal Portrush.

JAKE MCLEOD

Best result: Debut. The winner of the 2018 Australasian Order of Merit has been playing on the European Tour throughout 2019 – and he is set to make his major championship debut at Royal Portrush this month.

McLeod, who grew up in Far North Queensland and played alongside Cam Smith in his amateur days, has made five of 11 cuts this year and finished T20th at the Qatar Masters back in March.

The easy-going 24-year-old is continuing to develop his game and it will be interesting to see how it holds up on the Northern Irish links under major-championship pressure … But his secondplace finish at the windy Victorian Open in 2017 could be looked upon favourably.

DIMI PAPADATOS

Best result: Debut. The New South Welshman will join McLeod in making his majors’ debut in Northern Ireland this month, thanks to his runner-up finish at the Australian Open last November.

Papadatos came painfully close to securing full playing status on the European Tour last year before being disqualified in the Challenge Tour Grand Final. The 27-year-old had thrown his 8-iron after making quadruple-bogey and then breached the rules by using the slightly damaged club again.

Papadatos, who won the Portugal Open in 2018, has managed to play some events on the European Tour this year and certainly has the skillset to make the weekend at the Open.