Tommy Fleetwood, England, World No 35
The Englishman is something of a St Andrews specialist. In the Dunhill Links Championship, which takes in two birls round the Old Course albeit in very different conditions to the ones encountered at The Open, the Southport man has six top-10s. He has also posted nine sub-70 cards in nine of his last 10 rounds over the auld links in that particular tournament.
Fleetwood played in the final group of The Open in 2019 while his share of fifth in this season’s PGA Championship was the first time he’d been back in contention at a major since that Claret Jug disappointment three years ago. A robust assault at the Scottish Open last week has him in fine fettle for this week’s examination.
Jordan Spieth, USA, World No 12
The Texan had never played the Old Course when he arrived in town for the 2015 Open as the Masters and US Open champion. By the end of the week, he had finished just a shot outside the play-off as he flirted with the third leg of a Grand Slam. It was a thrilling effort. Spieth, of course, would go on to lift the Claret Jug at Birkdale in 2017 while his fine record in the game’s oldest major was burnished with a second place behind Collin Morikawa a year ago at Sandwich. Fresh from a sturdy showing in the Scottish Open, Spieth has the creativity and gumption demanded of The Open test.
Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland, World No 2
It’s hard to think that it’s eight years now since McIlroy won the last of his four major titles. When he followed up his Open victory at Hoylake in 2014 with a win at the US PGA Championship a few weeks later, the Northern Irishman looked unstoppable. Golf can be a fickle game, though. His defence of the Claret Jug at St Andrews was scuppered when he jiggered his leg playing football and had to withdraw. McIlroy has, therefore, only played one Open in the game’s cradle and that was in 2010. He shot a 63 on day one, then ballooned to an 80. Runner-up in this year’s Masters and fifth in the US Open, McIlroy looks primed for another major mission.
Tyrrell Hatton, England, World No 27
While the Dunhill Links Championship, with its relatively soft conditions and accommodating Pro-Am pin positions, is far removed from The Open set-up, it does at least give players the chance to get up close and personal with the Old Course. In that sense, Hatton’s body of work in that event should stand him in good stead. He missed the cut when The Open was held here in 2015 but he won the Dunhill Links the following year. In fact, in the last five stagings of the Dunhill, he has two wins, two seconds and a share of 15th. If the volatile Englishman can keep his head, he could make a decent fist of it at The Open.
Xander Schauffele, USA, World No 5
The Olympic champion struck gold at the Scottish Open last weekend as he reeled off his third win in three outings. By his own admission, his final round at The Renaissance was “average” and “stressful” as he endured one or two hairy wobbles. Resilience in this game, though, counts for a lot and the Californian showed plenty of it to steady the shoogling ship and dig out a victory which underlined his mental fortitude. Schauffele has made the cut in all four Opens that he has played in while his second place finish at Carnoustie in 2018 underlined his qualities. Given his recent from, he’s certainly heading into The Open with momentum.
Dustin Johnson, USA, World No 18
Don’t mention LIV Golf. It’s hard not too, though. If one of the rebel golfers in The Open field lifts the Claret Jug this week, the R&A clubhouse will probably crumble to the ground. Johnson, one of the high profile players who has jumped on board the LIV gravy train, could be an intriguing one to watch. His mighty length and shot-making ability makes him a decent links player. He led after two rounds of the 2015 Open here at St Andrews while his record in the championship includes six top-15 finishes in 12 starts. The 38-year-old shared eighth a year ago at Sandwich and, given all the hoopla about his defection to the LIV Golf Series, he may have something of a point to prove this week.
