Texan Scottie Scheffler is in red-hot form (Picture: Getty Images)
Only three UK golfers; Paul Lawrie in 1999, Darren Clarke in 2011 and Rory McIlroy in 2014, have held the Claret Jug in the last 30 years and no Englishman has won The Open since Nick Faldo triumphed in 1992.
So why is Tommy Fleetwood our hot pick to end the drought and be crowned champion at Royal Liverpool on Sunday?
Well the 32-year-old from Southport – just across the Mersey from the Hoylake course where Tiger Woods famously used his driver just once when winning in 2006 – knows these 18 holes like the back of his hand.
Fleetwood was tied fourth last year at St Andrews, he was solo second four years ago at Royal Portrush and was T12 at Carnoustie the summer before that.
He has also finished second at the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock Hills and was T5 at the US PGA in Oklahoma in May so he’s knocking on the door of his maiden major success.
Add to that a strong run of current form which has seen Fleetwood finish second at the Canadian Open after losing a play-off and T6 at the Scottish Open on Sunday.
He’s not even under pressure as the popular choice to be the homegrown player to triumph with all eyes on Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irishman whose victory nine years ago was at Royal Liverpool and who is fresh from victory last weekend.
Fleetwood is 22/1 with Betway and it’s a no-brainer to back him each-way as they are paying out on 12 places.
Viktor Hovland is also pressing for his first major triumph after being T7 at the Masters and T2 at the US PGA this year while boasting T12 and T4 finishes in this tournament and he’s 20/1 with the same firm.
All eyes will be on Rory McIlroy (Picture: Getty Images)
While the attention may weigh heavily on McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler has quietly finished no worse than T5 in his last seven outings – including a T3 on Sunday – and the world No.1 has to be backed at 8/1 with Betfred and Bet Victor.
That brings us to Justin Rose. He drove away from the Renaissance Club on Friday after missing the cut but finished T4 in the British Masters before that and is our final e/w at Betfair’s 45/1.
• Robert MacIntyre has two finishes in the top ten at The Open and has just finished T4 at The Belfry and solo second at the Scottish Open, so punters’ eyes will widen when they see he’s 14/5 with SpreadEx for a top 20 finish and 7/4 with Betfair to be the top Scot.
• The Women’s World Cup can kick-off in style with goals galore when New Zealand entertain free-scoring but defensively suspect Norway and over 4.5 goals is 19/5 with Paddy Power.
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Time to back Fleetwood and Scheffler.
