Baltimore Sun

BRITISH OPEN TOP CONTENDERS

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JON RAHM

Age: 26. World ranking: 1. Worldwide victories:

Majors: U.S. Open (2021).

British Open moment: Made his profession­al debut at the Quicken Loans National in 2016, and his tie for third earned him a spot in the British Open at Royal Troon (tie for 59th). Backspin: Not since Tiger Woods has a player won golf’s two oldest championsh­ips in the same year, and the six players who have done so at the U.S. Open and British Open is as elite as it gets — Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen and Bobby Jones (twice). Rahm has finished top 10 in all three majors this year.

12.

JUSTIN THOMAS

Age: 28. World ranking: 3. Worldwide victories: 14.

Majors: PGA Championsh­ip (’17).

British Open moment: Two behind after the opening round at Royal Birkdale in 2017, he tried three times to hack out of thick grass on the sixth hole and couldn’t find the ball after the third try. He made a 9, ended up shooting 80 and went on to miss the cut.

Backspin: A rough start to the year, a big win at The Players Championsh­ip, and then mediocrity. Since winning at the TPC Sawgrass, he has gone eight consecutiv­e starts without a top 10, including three majors.

BROOKS KOEPKA

Age: 31. World ranking: 7. Worldwide victories: 11.

Majors: PGA Championsh­ip (’18, ’19), U.S. Open (’17, ’18).

British Open moment: Standing his ground at St. Andrews in 2015 when an official told him to keep playing and Koepka refused because the wind kept moving his ball on the 11th green. Play was suspended.

Backspin: When he’s not roasting Bryson DeChambeau, Koepka is contending in majors, as always. His right knee injury no longer appears to be an issue. Of greater concern might be some of his finishes in the majors where he was contending on Sunday.

XANDER SCHAUFFELE

Age: 27. World ranking: 5. Worldwide victories: 4.

Majors: None.

British Open moment: Sharing the 54-hole lead at Carnoustie in 2018 and was one shot out of the lead until a bogey on the 17th hole ended his hopes.

Backspin: Schauffele has a performanc­e in the majors that rivals Koepka, minus the wins. He had a chance at the Masters until hitting into the water on the 16th hole, and he was among those who had a chance Sunday on the back nine at the U.S. Open.

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

Age: 38. World ranking: 13. Worldwide victories: 12.

Majors: British Open (’10).

British Open moment: Winning at St. Andrews in 2010.

Backspin: He already has the career silver slam with runner-up finishes in all four majors. Another silver at Royal St. George’s would make him the first player since Ernie Els in 2000 to be runner-up in three straight majors. The fact he keeps contending bodes well for him to break through.

BRYSON DeCHAMBEAU

Age: 27. World ranking: 6. Worldwide victories: 9.

Majors: U.S. Open (’20).

British Open moment: His emotional meltdown on the range at Carnoustie after his first-round 75. He shot 70 the next day to make the cut on the number. That’s the only time he has played the weekend at the British Open.

Backspin: Going from a share of the lead to a 44 on the back nine Sunday at the U.S. Open, DeChambeau’s outlook didn’t improve when his caddie left him on the eve of the Rocket Mortgage Classic and he missed the cut.

JORDAN SPIETH

Age: 27. World ranking: 22. Worldwide victories: 15.

Majors: Masters (’15), U.S. Open (’15), British Open (’17).

British Open moment: His birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie stretch on the back nine at Royal Birkdale to win in 2017.

Backspin: He has six finishes in the top 5 this year, including his first victory since Birkdale in 2017, and is back in the conversati­on at the majors. Spieth goes into the British Open having not played in the three weeks since the

U.S. Open.

PHIL MICKELSON

Age: 51. World ranking: 31. Worldwide victories: 48.

Majors: Masters (’04, ’06, ’10), PGA Championsh­ip (’05, ’21), British Open (’13).

British Open moment: Winning at Muirfield in 2013 with a 66, considered one of the great closing rounds in championsh­ip history.

Backspin: Mickelson has finished in the top 20 only once in 15 starts this year, but that was a big one. He won the PGA Championsh­ip at age 50 to become the oldest major

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