Rory McIlroy began the 150th Open as favourite to lift the Claret Jug on Sunday after an impressive few weeks in the US and his first round 66 at St Andrews saw him retain that tag.
McIlroy has contended at certain moments in the majors this year without getting over the line, and there would be no better place to end his eight-year wait for a fifth title than at the home of golf.
St Andrews hosts the 150th edition of the Open on the historic Old Course, and towards the top of the leaderboard with McIlroy after one round are the likes of Cameron Young, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler.
It was a memorable Open last time at St Andrews in 2015, with Zach Johnson clinching a second major title when he beat Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a four-hole play-off, which left Spieth agonisingly one shot away from joining them in pursuit of a calendar grand slam.
“This is going to be a special week of golf and having many of the sport’s great champions and future stars play in this event is a great way to mark this historic championship,” Woods said. “St. Andrews has such a unique atmosphere, and I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans again and on a course that holds fantastic memories for me.’’
Here’s everything you need to know about The Open 2022 at St Andrews:
When and where is The Open 2022?
The 150th edition of The Open starts on 14 July with the fourth and final round on 17 July at the Old Course, St Andrews.
What time will it start?
Tee times will be spread out throughout Thursday and Friday, but the early starters will go off at around 6.30am BST (1.30am ET) for the first two rounds.
What TV channel is it on?
You can watch the 150th Open live on Sky Sports, while Independent Sport will bring you a daily live blog, reaction and analysis throughout the week.
Coverage starts on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Golf from 6:30am BST on Thursday and Friday. You can stream online via the Sky Go app.
There will be highlights on BBC Two from 9pm BST on Thursday and Friday.
Who were the pre-tournament contenders and what were the odds?
Odds via Betfair
Rory McIlroy 10/1
The favourite and perhaps the best player in the world at his best. Look for the rejuvenated Irishman to go low here, having posted a nine-under 63 in the first round of the 2010 Open at St Andrews. McIlroy will have to adapt his high ball flight if the wind blows, but this could be the year to end an eight-year dry run since the last of his four majors.
Jon Rahm 11/1
Having broken through in the majors last year at the US Open, Rahm is a ball-striking machine and trending nicely when it comes to links golf after a T-11 and T-3 finish over the last two years.
Rahm could be inspired by Seve Ballesteros, a three-time Open champion, after the Spaniard’s magic won him the Claret Jug at St Andrews in 1984.
Justin Thomas 12/1
A two-time major champion, finally, ‘JT’ has been sensational throughout 2022, including eight top 10 finishes, including his play-off win at Southern Hills at the PGA Championship. On the record as somebody who has worked on ball flight and confident at shaping it both ways, Thomas is another player very happy to mix it in all conditions.
Scottie Scheffler 14/1
The world No 1, a Masters champion and four-time winner in 2022. The American perhaps should be the favourite, despite a lack of Links experience, though he was T-8 on debut at the Open last year at Royal St George’s.
Collin Morikawa 18/1
The defending champion after last year’s majestic display at Sandwich, but the American has struggled in recent weeks. He faded at Brookline in the US Open, but did lead after two rounds before ending T-5. If he can rediscover his trademark iron play, he’ll be right there.
Matt Fitzpatrick 20/1
British golf’s latest major winner after winning the US Open and now with a revamped game that includes distance to go with his exquisite chipping and putting. He joked about being a “bomber” after Brookline and overpowering the Old Course.
Jordan Spieth 18/1
The 2017 Open champion at Royal Birkdale, Spieth finished T-4 seven years ago here and was one shot out of the three-man play-off between champion Zach Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Has tempted fate by claiming the Old Course could be “too easy” if the weather is calm.
Tiger Woods 50/1
It would be another fairytale story, but St Andrews, like Augusta, is finely tuned to Woods’ eye. It’s his “favourite course” and as a three time Open champion, who won here in 2000 and 2005, Woods will hope his unmatched knowledge can elevate him into contention if the body holds up just 18 months on from his career-threatening car crash.
What are the odds heading into the second round?
- Rory McIlroy 11/4
- Cameron Smith 7/1
- Cameron Young 7/1
- Scottie Scheffler 12/1
- Xander Schauffele 14/1
- Dustin Johnson 16/1
- Viktor Hovland 25/1
- Patrick Cantlay 28/1
- Jordan Spieth 28/1
- Talor Gooch 33/1
- Bryson DeChambeau 40/1
- Justin Thomas 50/1
- Kurt Kitayama 50/1
- Shane Lowry 50/1
- Si Woo Kim 50/1
- Matt Fitzpatrick 50/1
- Tyrrell Hatton 50/1
- Louis Oosthuizen 50/1
- Padraig Harrington 66/1
- Lee Westwood 66/1
- Sahith Theegala 66/1
- Kim Joo-hyung 66/1
Tee times
Tee-off Times in the second round of the 150th Open Championship, the Old Course St Andrews, St Andrews
(Gbr & Irl unless stated, all times Local)
Round 2
06:35 Mark Calcavecchia (USA), Ryan Fox (Nzl), Jediah Morgan (Aus)
06:46 (a) Sam Bairstow, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (Rsa), Bernd Wiesberger (Aut)
06:57 Marcus Armitage, Haotong Li (Chn), Adrian Meronk (Pol)
07:08 Thriston Lawrence (Rsa), Alex Wrigley, Fabrizio Zanotti (Pry)
07:19 Sam Horsfield, Si Woo Kim (Kor), Aaron Wise (USA)
07:30 Wyndham Clark (USA), Talor Gooch (USA), Shaun Norris (Rsa)
07:41 Russell Henley (USA), (a) Aldrich Potgieter (Rsa), Henrik Stenson (Swe)
07:52 Stewart Cink (USA), Sergio Garcia (Spa), (a) Aaron Jarvis (Cay)
08:03 Paul Casey, Sung Jae Im (Kor), Gary Woodland (USA)
08:14 Dustin Johnson (USA), Marc Leishman (Aus), Adam Scott (Aus)
08:25 Tyrrell Hatton, Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Scottie Scheffler (USA)
08:36 Richard Bland, (a) Filippo Celli (Ita), Darren Clarke
08:47 Kazuki Higa (Jpn), Kevin Na (USA), Erik van Rooyen (Rsa)
09:03 David Duval (USA), Justin Harding (Rsa), Jordan Smith
09:14 Shugo Imahira (Jpn), David Law, Jason Scrivener (Aus)
09:25 Abraham Ancer (Mex), Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Yuto Katsuragawa (Jpn)
09:36 Harris English (USA), (a) Keita Nakajima (Jpn), Louis Oosthuizen (Rsa)
09:47 Padraig Harrington, Keith Mitchell (USA), Thomas Pieters (Bel)
09:58 Matthew Fitzpatrick, Max Homa (USA), Tiger Woods (USA)
10:09 Jon Rahm (Spa), Jordan Spieth (USA), Harold Varner III (USA)
10:20 Sam Burns (USA), Patrick Cantlay (USA), Guillermo Mito Pereira (Chi)
10:31 Keegan Bradley (USA), Sebastian Munoz (Col), Sahith Theegala (USA)
10:42 Laurie Canter, Matthew Griffin (Aus), Dimitrios Papadatos (Aus)
10:53 David Carey, John Catlin (USA), Jamie Rutherford
11:04 Min-Gyu Cho (Kor), Robert Dinwiddie, Jorge Fernandez Valdes (Arg)
11:15 Jack Floydd, Ronan Mullarney, Lars van Meijel (Ned)
11:36 Paul Lawrie, Min-Woo Lee (Aus), Webb Simpson (USA
11:47 (a) Barclay Brown, Ben Campbell (Nzl), Sadom Kaewkanjana (Tha)
11:58 Dean Burmester (Rsa), Chan Kim (USA), Brandon Wu (USA)
12:09 Guido Migliozzi (Ita), Ian Poulter, Jamie Donaldson
12:20 Ashley Chesters, Garrick Higgo (Rsa), Min-Kyu Kim (Kor)
12:31 Lucas Herbert (Aus), Phil Mickelson (USA), Kurt Kitayama (USA)
12:42 Tom Hoge (USA), Joo-Hyung Kim (Kor), Patrick Reed (USA)
12:53 John Daly (USA), Bryson DeChambeau (USA), Cameron Tringale (USA)
13:04 Brooks Koepka (USA), Seamus Power, Cameron Smith (Aus)
13:15 Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Justin Rose
13:26 Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Kor), Robert MacIntyre, Cameron Young (USA)
13:37 Corey Conners (Can), Billy Horschel (USA), Zach Johnson (USA)
13:48 Brian Harman (USA), Pablo Larrazabal (Spa), Danny Willett
14:04 Stephen Dodd, J. T. Poston (USA), Lee Westwood
14:15 Justin de Los Santos (USA), Luke List (USA), Sepp Straka (Aut)
14:26 Adria Arnaus (Spa), Ernie Els (Rsa), Brad Kennedy (Aus)
14:37 Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Victor Perez (Fra), Scott Vincent (Zim)
14:48 Nicolai Hoejgaard (Den), Si-Hwan Kim (USA), Jason Kokrak (USA)
14:59 Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa (USA), Xander Schauffele (USA)
15:10 Viktor Hovland (Nor), Shane Lowry, Justin Thomas (USA)
15:21 Tony Finau (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Will Zalatoris (USA)
15:32 Takumi Kanaya (Jpn), Chris Kirk (USA), Kevin Kisner (USA)
15:43 Dylan Frittelli (Rsa), Matthew Jordan, Trey Mullinax (USA)
15:54 Zander Lombard (Rsa), John Parry, Anthony Quayle (Aus)
16:05 Thomas Detry (Bel), Richard Mansell, Marco Penge
16:16 Alexander Bjoerk (Swe), Oliver Farr, Matt Ford
