Fantasy Insider | The Open Championship
The Open Championship returns to Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland, for the third major of the season. The 147th playing of The Open Championship will feature 156 players attempting to tame one of the most difficult courses, links or otherwise, in the world. Hosting for the eighth time, Carnoustie will stretch to a wind-swept 7,402 and play to Par-71 (36-35). While Jordan Spieth is the defending champion of the event it's Padraig Harrington who picked up The Claret Jug the last time Carnoustie played host in 2007. He defeated Sergio Garcia in a four-hole playoff to win his first major championship.
Fantasy gamers will have to hold their nerve as well as big events will be coming thick and fast over the next eight weeks. The Open Championship, which will award $1.89 million and 600 FedExCup points to the winner, will be one of two majors in the next four weeks. There will also be a World Golf Championship in two weeks after the TOUR stops outside Toronto after this week. Following the PGA Championship it's a quick trip to North Carolina and the Wyndham Championship before four FedExCup Playoffs events played over five weeks to wrap up the season.
In the previous seven events held at the course, dubbed "CarNasty" after a very difficult 1999 edition, plenty of history has been made from a variety of reasons.
Tommy Armour's 1931 was the first winner at Carnoustie after James Braid's redesign of the course in 1926.
Henry Cotton followed in 1937 taking home his second Claret Jug.
Ben Hogan teed it up on the links for the first time in 1953 and completed the third leg of the Grand Slam. Benign weather gave the field a chance but not against Hogan in his pomp.
Gary Player's 1968 victory included two rounds in 60s. For the week. For the entire field.
Tom Watson, making his first appearance in the event in 1975, needed an 18-hole playoff to claim his first of five titles. His winning score of 9-under-par suggests weather wasn't any issue in that edition, either.
Weather was the story in 1999 but Paul Lawrie ate up a 10-shot deficit with a 67 on Sunday. Every golf fan knows how that tournament ended (Think Jean van de Velde).
Expert picks from PGATour.com below:
* - Finished inside the top 10 since 2010 or is a former winner.
Tee to Green
Rank Golfer
1 *Dustin Johnson
2 *Francesco Molinari
3 *Henrik Stenson
4 Justin Thomas
5 Luke List
6 *Tiger Woods
7 *Adam Scott
8 *Paul Casey
9 Patrick Cantlay
10 *Rory McIlroy
11 *Justin Rose
12 Keegan Bradley
13 Tommy Fleetwood
14 *Jordan Spieth
15 Bryson DeChambeau
16 Tony Finau
17 Ryan Moore
19 *Rafael Cabrera-Bello
20 Jon Rahm
21 Byeong-Hun An
23 Patrick Reed
24 Emiliano Grillo
25 Brendan Steele
Greens in Regulation
Rank Golfer
1 *Henrik Stenson
3 *Adam Scott
4 *Jordan Spieth
6 Russell Knox
7 Keegan Bradley
8 Kyle Stanley
9 Gary Woodland
11 Bubba Watson
12 *Rafael Cabrera-Bello
14 *Francesco Molinari
17 Jon Rahm
18 Brendan Steele
20 Bryson DeChambeau
22 Russell Henley
23 Charles Howell III
24 Patrick Cantlay
25 *Rickie Fowler
Putting
Rank Golfer
1 *Jason Day
2 *Phil Mickelson
5 *Webb Simpson
7 *Justin Rose
9 *Alex Noren
10 Beau Hossler
12 *Branden Grace
13 Emiliano Grillo
15 Brian Harman
17 Kevin Kisner
18 *Dustin Johnson
23 Chesson Hadley
24 *Tyrrell Hatton
Scrambling
Rank Golfer
1 *Louis Oosthuizen
2 *Jason Day
3 *Webb Simpson
4 Kevin Na
5 *Henrik Stenson
5 *Rickie Fowler
7 Ryan Moore
8 *Dustin Johnson
10 *Rory McIlroy
14 *Brooks Koepka
15 *Justin Rose
17 Patrick Reed
19 *Jordan Spieth
20 Chez Reavie
22 *Brandt Snedeker
23 Charles Howell III
24 *Tiger Woods
26 Justin Thomas
The winners and winning scores from recent Open Championships suggest weather has not been much of an influence. Nobody has ever gone lower than Branden Grace and his 62 last year on Sunday at Royal Birkdale. 2016 saw Henrik Stenson's total match the major championship scoring record by posting 20 under at Royal Troon. Zach Johnson prevented Jordan Spieth from winning the first three majors of the year in 2015. His playoff win over Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman required 15 under to participate. McIlroy's first title missed Tiger Woods’ record-setting total by a shot.
If there isn't wind, there isn't much to defend The Old Course and all of these old courses. The modern player and modern equipment it meant to be in full control and only indecision and the elements throw off the world's best. Carnoustie will hopefully provide all of the above this week.
Protection of par this week will begin with the design and end with the condition of the course. The most northern course used in The Open rota, Carnoustie's main defense is its narrow fairways. Players who repeatedly hit errant shots will have to deal with gorse, long fescue and 111 bunkers. Recovery shots and patience aren't statistical categories but they'll be very important this week. Since 2007, No. 2 tee box has been moved and No. 3 fairway has been widened to provide more options. Spectator mounds have been added to Nos. 8, 12 and 14 that will add or disrupt visual clues. In 2007 there wasn't much wind but the course still played 73.382 for the week. Gulp.
The refrain of "I hope it plays firm and fast" will not be just wishful thinking this week. In between the tee boxes and greens, the fine fescue is tan, brown and firm as a parking lot so those who can control the golf ball will have an advantage. I'll still say the bombers always have the advantage if they can knock it past the trouble as they will have shorter clubs in hand for approach shots. The final four holes, as we've seen through history, will define the winner again this year. They are some of the most difficult around and there were only 18 birdies for the week on the last in 2007. I don't need to remind you how 1999 finished. The leaderboard at dry, crusty Shinnecock Hills (7,400 yards, Par-70) was littered with the game's most powerful players so I'm using that as a guide.
As for the event, The Open Championship is the most interesting for gamers because of the intangibles and weather. Taking a look at the last handful of winners, it's a list of some of the best of this generation and it doesn't include Tiger Woods. Navigating the weather, the draw, the links and the non-TOUR conditions shouldn't be easy and it's not. It's not easy mentally or physically as the conditions as the course can change hourly and daily. There's a reason there are three greens over 50 yards deep and another nine stretching out to 40 yards or longer. It's the same reason as why the fairways will roll faster than the exposed greens. The more intangibles suggest the recent winners in this event are not surprising.
Quick Notes:
• Of the last eight winners, six have played the week before (Scottish Open/John Deere Classic).
• Top 70 and ties play the weekend.
• If tied after 72 holes, a four-hole playoff will break the tie. If tied after four holes, sudden death will determine the winner.
• The last player to win The Open while winning the week before was Phil Mickelson (Scottish Open) in 2013.
• The last player to win a major while winning the week before was Rory McIlroy (WGC-BI, PGA Championship) in 2014.
• The last player to win back-to-back majors was McIlroy (Open, PGA 2014).
• The last player to defend The Open Championship is Harrington (2007-08).
• Ben Curtis and Tom Watson are the last two players to win The Open Championship in their first try.
• Of the last 12 winners, nine have resided inside the OWGR top 30.
• Tommy Fleetwood owns the course record, 63, set last October during the Dunhill Links.
