The Open Championship: Expert Picks

Tournament Information

The Open Championship
Date: July 18^th – 21^st
Course: Royal Portrush Golf Club
Purse - $10.7MM ($1.9MM to winner)
FedEx points – 600 to winner(s)
2018 Winner: Francesco Molinari (-8)

Course

Royal Portrush Golf Club. Originating in 1888 this course gets to commemorate 68 years since Ireland hosted this event. Running right along the Atlantic shore, the retooled two holes, changed a few greens and tee boxes and added 10 new bunkers. It should provide a fun challenge. Wind will be a challenge as it always is on these courses, the more powerful hitters should fare well under that element.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

My Starting 4

Francesco Molinari (1st selection this year) – I don’t typically pick the previous years winner as it’s very rare to repeat but Francesco is currently 7^th in OWGR, he has now made four straight cuts and the last two majors yielded top 20 finishes.

Patrick Reed (3rd selection this year) — 28^th at the Open Championship last year, Patrick has made four straight cuts (all top 35 finishes) and he was in the top 40 at the Masters and US Open earlier this year. He is currently 10^th in strokes gained around the green and 35^th in total strokes gained.

Brooks Koepka (2nd selection this year) — Pick him for every major for the next 2years until he so much as misses a cut. THE best major player on the planet and it’s not even close.

Xander Schauffele (1st selection this year) — Top 12 in both FedEx Ranking and OWGR, Xander was in the top three at both the Masters and US Open. He also finished 2^nd at the Open Championship last year.

My Bench 2

Paul Casey (2nd selection this year) — Currently 8^th in the FedEx Cup ranking and 15^th in OWGR, Paul was 21^st at the US Open, is coming in off a 5^th place finish at Travelers Championship and he is 10^th in total strokes gained.

Jason Day (1st selection this year) — Dating back to the Open Championship last year (where he was 17^th) you have PGA Championship (19^th), Players Championship (8^th), Masters Tournament (5^th), PGA Championship (23^rd) and US Open (21^st).

2019 Stats

Starting 4: Avg finish 48th (36th percentile)
Bench 2: Avg finish 63rd (47th percentile)