British Open picks
ADAM SCOTT:
He’s had a terrific year despite not having won yet. He finished runner-up to Justin Rose at the Farmers Insurance in January and at the Memorial to Patrick Cantlay in June. Both times, Scott played beautifully and was just edged out. In 19 Opens, he has three top-5 finishes and five top 10s. With Scott, it’s always about whether his putting holds up.
BROOKS KOEPKA:
When you’ve won twice and finished runnerup twice in the past four majors played, and won four of the past nine majors in which you’ve played, you cannot be overlooked. So do not overlook the confident Koepka, whose caddie, Ricky Elliott, is a Portrush native and grew up playing the course.
RORY McILROY:
Perhaps there’s too much pressure on him to perform in what is his home Open, but maybe this is the week McIlroy ends his surprising five-year drought without a major. For all the consternation about his performance, he has two wins and 11 top-10 finishes in 14 PGA Tour starts this season.
JON RAHM:
The 24-year-old Spaniard, who won the Irish Open 10 days ago, seems poised to win his first career major. He’s played in 15 PGA Tour events this year and finished in the top-10 nine times with a win in New Orleans and a tie for third at the U.S. Open. Winning a major is next for Rahm.
BERND WIESBERGER:
Watch out for the 33-year-old Austrian, who won the Scottish Open Sunday, tied for second at the Irish Open the week before and has another European Tour win in Denmark earlier this summer. He’s never won a major, but tied for sixth at the 2015 British Open.