So much is going on in the world of golf with the LIV golf series, but one thing remains tried and true, The Open Championship at St. Andrews (Old Course) feels like home, feels right. The 150th playing of the Open Championship comes with a cavalcade of pageantry, but through the Champion’s dinners and early-week processions lies anticipation that both players and patrons can feel - someone will go down in history come Sunday evening. All the best players in the world are on the premises, so let’s get into the rankings, starting with Rory McIlroy. The 2014 Open Champion is in great form, and the narrative suits him so well this week - the unofficial spokesman for the PGA TOUR winning the most-lauded golf tournament where the sport began feels like a Hollywood script. Narratives aside, he’s also playing exceptionally well, recording two top-5s, a runner-up at this year’s Masters Tournament and a win at the RBC Canadian Open.
Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler aren’t far behind. The PGA Championship and Masters winners are favorites this week, especially Scheffler, who ranks among the best in the field around the green.
One golfer I’m bearish on is Cameron Smith, and it seems I’m alone in this endeavor. Yes, his short game is masterful, and he was closest to upsetting Scheffler at Augusta National earlier this season. Still, it’s a matter of liking golfers like Will Zalatoris, Collin Morikawa and Shane Lowry a touch better. I wouldn’t be surprised if Smith plays well and makes me look like a fool; it wouldn’t be the first and most certainly won’t be the last. Still, a wayward driver and some inconsistent iron-play of recent has me lower on Smith than everyone in the industry.
Other golfers to potential fade this week are Brooks Koepka, Patrick Cantlay and Viktor Hovland. All possess ceiling games that could win this championship, but their respective question marks from Hovland’s scrambling to Koepka’s disinterest seem enough to move them down in the rankings. Koepka could get off to a quick start, but not sure he can sustain it for the entire week.
Max Homa, Tony Finau and Hideki Matsuyama are also high in the rankings this week, purely on the upside. Homa played fantastic golf at the Genesis Scottish Open last week. Finau’s stupendous record at The Open Championship, placing in the top 15 three years straight, and Hideki’s short-game ability all make me bullish that they can exceed expectations this week.
PGA TOUR Power Rankings
| RANK | GOLFER | PRE-TOURNAMENT ODDS |
|---|---|---|
| RANK | GOLFER | PRE-TOURNAMENT ODDS |
| 1 | Rory McIlroy | +900 |
| 2 | Scottie Scheffler | +1400 |
| 3 | Justin Thomas | +1600 |
| 4 | Jordan Spieth | +1600 |
| 5 | Xander Schauffele | +1200 |
| 6 | Jon Rahm | +1600 |
| 7 | Will Zalatoris | +2800 |
| 8 | Collin Morikawa | +3000 |
| 9 | Matthew Fitzpatrick | +1800 |
| 10 | Shane Lowry | +2200 |
| 11 | Cameron Smith | +2200 |
| 12 | Hideki Matsuyama | +5000 |
| 13 | Tony Finau | +3500 |
| 14 | Max Homa | +4000 |
| 15 | Patrick Cantlay | +2000 |
| 16 | Tommy Fleetwood | +3500 |
| 17 | Joaquin Niemann | +5000 |
| 18 | Louis Oosthuizen | +4000 |
| 19 | Sam Burns | +4000 |
| 20 | Sungjae Im | +6500 |
| 21 | Tiger Woods | +6000 |
| 22 | Brooks Koepka | +5500 |
| 23 | Tyrrell Hatton | +4000 |
| 24 | Marc Leishman | +7500 |
| 25 | Keith Mitchell | +8000 |
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