The 2024 British Open at Royal Portrush is here! We break down the top 10 golfers with the best chances to lift the Claret Jug. From Scottie Scheffler’s dominance to Rory McIlroy’s hometown redemption arc, we analyze their recent form, historical performance at the Open, and key stats. Who will conquer the challenging links course and unpredictable British weather? Watch to find out our expert picks and insights!
**Key Players Covered:**
– Scottie Scheffler
– Rory McIlroy
– Jon Rahm
– Tommy Fleetwood
– Viktor Hovland
– Robert MacIntyre
– Sepp Straka
– Russell Henley
– Patrick Reed
– Brian Harman
**Why Watch?**
– In-depth analysis of each player’s strengths and weaknesses
– Historical trends and stats from past British Open winners
– Expert predictions for this year’s tournament
– Insights on how weather and course conditions could impact the outcome
Don’t miss this comprehensive preview of one of golf’s most prestigious majors!
**Keywords:** British Open 2024, Royal Portrush, golf predictions, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Tommy Fleetwood, Viktor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre, Sepp Straka, Russell Henley, Patrick Reed, Brian Harman, golf analysis, major championships, Claret Jug.
Top 10 contenders to win the 2024 British Open Golf predictions and analysis. The top 10 contenders for this year’s British Open. As we approach the final major golf championship of the season, all eyes are on the British Open at Royal Portric in Northern Ireland. This tournament is notoriously difficult to predict due to the unpredictable weather of the British Isles, which can drastically affect players depending on their tea times. Nevertheless, let’s dive into the analysis. Recent winners of the British Open share some common traits. Out of the last 13 champions, 11 had previously secured a top 10 finish at the British Open, including Xander Chauffel last year. 17 of the past 24 winners had already claimed a victory in the same season before the British Open. Only one, Ben Curtis, in 2003, entered without at least two top 10 finishes that year. Thus, we’re looking for players with a win or at least two top 10s this season. 10 of the last 13 winners had a top 20 finish in at least one of their previous two major appearances. Every winner in the past 13 years had either won a major or finished second in one during their career. 11 of the last 13 winners had at least one top 10 finish in their previous three tournaments. Interestingly, only one of the last 15 winners finished better than a tie for 17th at the previous year’s tournament. In 2023, Brian Harmon won the Clarit Jug after finishing sixth the year before, a rare 2-year success streak. With these patterns in mind, here are the players to watch at the British Open this week with odds as of Monday. Scotty Sheffller, plus 450. Although the British Open has been Sheffller’s least successful major, his record is still impressive with two top 10 finishes and no result worse than 23rd in four appearances. As the world number one with three wins since May, including a dominant victory at the PGA Championship, Sheffller’s game is versatile enough to handle any course. The British Open favors those who can either hit greens in regulation or scramble effectively, and Sheffller excels in both areas. If he can improve his putting on the slower greens, typical of the British Open, he will be a formidable contender. Rory Mroy plus 700. In 2019, many anticipated a triumphant return for Mroy at Royal Portrish near his hometown in Northern Ireland. However, an out-of- bounds opening T-shot led to a disappointing eight over par 79, and not even a second round 65 could save him from missing the cut. After a victorious masters in April, Mroy experienced a slump but recently led the Scottish Open before being overtaken by Chris Goodurup. Mroy, who won the 2014 British Open at Royal Liverpool and has six other top 10 finishes in the tournament, remains a strong contender. John Rom plus 1,200. Rahm has not yet won on the LIV golf circuit this year, but he has consistently performed well, finishing no worse than 11th in 10 tournaments. He was second at the recent LIIV event in Spain and has been close to victory at the British Open with third, second, and seventh place finishes in recent years. Rahm leads LIIV in greens in regulation and ranks third in scrambling. Both crucial skills for success at the British Open. Tommy Fleetwood plus 2,800. Fleetwood, despite a disappointing three putt at the Travelers Championship, has yet to win on US soil. However, the British Open is on his home turf and he has seven European tour wins. Fleetwood has five top 10 finishes this season and has twice finished second in majors, including at Royal Portrush. His recent form and familiarity with the course make him a strong contender. Victor Havland, plus 30,000. Havlin’s recent withdrawal from the Travelers Championship due to a neck injury raises some concerns, but his social media activity suggests he is not too worried. He finished 11th at the Scottish Open and has two top 10 finishes this season, including a win at the Valpar Championship. Hogland has performed well at the British Open with a tie for fourth in 2022, and his short game has shown improvement. Robert McIntyre plus 3,500. McIntyre has five top 10 finishes this season, highlighted by a second place finish at the US Open. He tied for sixth at Royal Portrait in 2019 and has improved significantly since then. One of his two PGA Tour wins in 2024 was at the Canadian Open played on a course designed by the same architect as Royal Portrait Septraka plus 5,000. Straa, a University of Georgia alum, has two PGA Tour wins this season. Although he missed the cut at all three majors this year, he tied for second at the British Open two years ago. Straa’s accuracy off the tea and from the fairway, ranking fourth in strokes gained approach, is a valuable asset at the British Open. Russell Henley plus 6,500. Henley, another Georgia product, is in excellent form with three consecutive top 10 finishes, including at the US Open. He has four top 10 finishes in majors over the past two years, including a fifth place finish at Royal Trune. Henley’s ability to hit greens in regulation and gain strokes around the green makes him a strong contender. Patrick Reed, plus 8,000. Reed recently won a LIIV event near Dallas and has nine top 10 finishes this year. Although his recent British Open performances have been lackluster, he finished 10th at Royal Portrush in 2019. Reed’s scrambling ability and experience as a major champion make him a potential dark horse. Brian Harmon plus 12,000. Harmon, another University of Georgia alum, won the 2023 British Open and has a PGA Tour victory this season. His game is well suited to the British Open with accuracy off the tea and strong play around the greens. Harmon’s recent form, including an eighth place finish at the Travelers Championship, makes him a contender to watch. Who do you think will take home the clarit jug this year? Do you agree with these picks, or do you have your own favorites? Share your thoughts in the comments.
