"Graeme McDowell (38.0) and Padraig Harrington (21.0) have similar assets going for them. Both good putters on their day, experienced links players and resourceful guys around the greens. They’re both major winners of course and that will help them if they’re in contention and both offer good back-to-lay material."
Michael Vaughan explains why this year's Open course is not one for the faint-hearted and which skills are required to master it. Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell could be lively runners over the next four days.
Straight hitting, a cute game around the greens, an ability to handle the conditions and plenty of patience will be required this week at The Open.
Step forward Lee Westwood, who has all of the above in spades. He's an absolute class player as his position in the rankings, the number of tournaments he's won and his Ryder Cup performances prove.
That said, with each major that goes by golf fans will wonder more and more whether it will ever happen for him. And with that comes pressure. He, more than anyone else, will be aware that the top golfers are judged on majors won once they've packed it up and he'll be desperate to get the monkey off his back. Of course, you need a bit of luck with the conditions, especially at The Open where being out on the course in the best of the weather can radically affect the sort of scores you're shooting. But Lee has been incredibly consistent over the past few years, always there or thereabouts come Sunday. At 17.016/1 he's a slightly sorter price than what I'd want about him winning the whole thing but the 2.881/1 on him finishing in the Top 10 looks a pretty fair price.
I think this year's Open will be won by a European. This is links golf at its hardest with rain, wind and thick grass throwing all sorts of challenges at the world's elite. You don't just rock up after playing on the manicured fairways of the PGA Tour and find it easy to play good golf on a course like this. It takes experience and superb course management. It's one of those places where sometimes a bogey isn't the worst thing in the world on certain holes and you just have to take your medicine. Graeme McDowell (38.0) and Padraig Harrington (21.0) have similar assets going for them. Both good putters on their day, experienced links players and resourceful guys around the greens. They're both major winners of course and that will help them if they're in contention and both offer good back-to-lay material.
One player I think won't like this course though is Luke Donald. You've got to make the Par 5s count on a course as hard as this and I'm not sure he's long enough off the tee to reach the greens in two. He's a straight hitter, we know that much, but he just hasn't really performed in majors recently and he's probably a guy who views a US Open or even the USPGA as his best chance of winning a big one. I wish him all the best of course but 3.32/1 looks short on him finishing in the Top 10 so that looks worth laying.
Recommended Bets
Back Lee Westwood for a Top 10 finish @ 2.881/1
Back-to-lay Padraig Harrington @ 21.020/1
Back-to-lay Graeme McDowell @ 38.037/1
Lay Luke Donald for a Top 10 finish @ 3.32/1
