There’s a buzz of excitement in the air as we approach the busiest and most important period of the professional golf season. There are some huge events planned for this summer, with the likes of the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Dutch Open fast approaching. Those tournaments will provide fans with plenty of talking points, but there’s no doubt over what the main attraction will be in the coming weeks, with the 2022 Open Championship just weeks away.
The sport’s leading names are well into their preparations for this fans’ favourite Major, with the stars of the show set to descend on the breath-taking and historic course of St Andrews in Scotland. The host nation has been credited with gifting the world the sport of golf, and it’s always great to be back in bonnie Scotland. The players love it, the fans turn out in their numbers to cheer on their favourites, and it’s a great time to be a follower of golf.
Who are the top 10 golfers to look out for at The Open Championship this year, and what clues can be taken from the betting? We look through the list submitted by major gambling apps in the hope that it gives us a clue as to how this event might play out. The aim here is to ensure our readers have all the information they need to make a reliable, well-informed and educated call on who the champion will be.
The Open Championship 2022
This year’s renewal will be the 150th Open Championship, and we’re expecting a celebration in Scotland. This event will be a fantastic advert for the sport both past and present with the top players competing on the most beautiful courses. The dates for your diary are the 14th to 17th of July, with action from the Old Course at St Andrew’s played out before an audience in the thousands, with millions more watching on television and live streaming apps worldwide. Thanks to major broadcasters, you won’t miss a swing.
This will be the 30th time St Andrew’s has hosted The Open Championship, as the course has become part of the history of golf. Fans will be used to seeing the best players at this venue, but it hasn’t hosted The Open since 2015, and all concerned will be delighted we are back in Scotland and back at the home of professional golf. We expect something special.
This year’s field consists of 156 players who qualified through various rounds with attendance based on performances in this campaign and past efforts at the championship. Last time, Zach Johnson won when nicking a four-hole playoff to claim his second major title. That battle went all the way to the wire, and fans hope to see something close to a repeat performance in this renewal.
Past winners
Many golf fans like to take their lead from the past winners of a competition, but the stats and trends aren’t as strong in The Open Championship due to there being no set venue. The host course changes every year, and that may put some off putting all their trust in the recent winners of this trophy.
When looking at recent winners, we note American Colin Morikawa won last year’s event at Royal St George’s in Sandwich, England. There was no play 12 months previous due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the previous winner in 2019 being Ireland’s Shane Lowry at Port Rush, Northern Ireland. No one player sticks out from the recent winners, but we did notice an American has won three of the last eight championships and two of the last four.
Favourites and underdogs
The best bookmakers have had their say on this competition and price, Jon Rahm, as their favourite, picking him as the most likely winner of the tournament. The main danger is expected to come from Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, and he will be popular with both supporters and bettors.
Looking down the list for an underdog with a live chance of causing an upset and winning The Open Championship, we pick Brooks Koepka, who carries an excellent price. He has the skills to get round this course and is experienced to hold his nerve in the later rounds.
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