The Open Championship: What You Need to Know

Stay Tuned to See Whose Name Will Be On Top This Year

What to Watch For:

How will the golf course play? 

In 2006 Royal Liverpool most recently play host to golf's oldest major.  That year, Tiger Woods ravaged a bone dry golf course that played hard and fast.  Tiger famously only hit driver one time that week.  He was able to pick apart the golf course with precision iron play from tee to green. 

The early reports from Liverpool suggest that we'll see a different course this time around.  The course appears much greener and softer this time around.  I don't think you'll see the Masters break out, but golf balls probably won't be bouncing like they've just landed on a parking lot this year.

What this means for the players is that I think you will be forced to hit a few drivers this time around.  Hoylake is not a bomber's golf course. So, some strategy will still come into play off the tee, but the players will be pressed into trying to find some fairways with the big stick.

Royal Liverpool

 How will the big names fair?

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson are the two names in golf that move the needle and generate large scale interest.  Thankfully, both players are in the field in a major for the first time since last year's PGA Championship.  Unfortunately, neither player has seen inspiring play leading up to the Open that would lead us to believe a win is in the cards for either player.  If anyone can come out of nowhere to win, though, it's these guys.  A win for Phil would give him back to back Claret Jugs and a win for Tiger would reignite his chase to surpass Jack Nicklaus' total of 18 career major wins.

Phil is hoping to make this face again this year

Can you set the alarm early enough?

ESPN does a phenomenal job of covering the Open, and they have this year's coverage for all four rounds.  They have a great crew of golf analysts and unfortunately just broadcast a few tournaments a year.  The United Kingdom is five hours ahead of the east coast and the first players will begin teeing off at before 2 AM east coast time.  The first two days ESPN is basically wall to wall from 4 AM to 3 PM.  They kick off a little later on the weekend, but make sure to drink plenty of coffee if you plan on making it through your day.

Predictions:

Dark Horses:

Miguel Angel Jimenez- The 50 year old Spaniard may be familiar to American golf fans by now.  Like the fine wine Miguel frequently enjoys, he seems to get better with age.  He's won twice on the 2013-14 European Tour and seems to pop up on major championship leaderboards often.  Don't be surprised to see him in the mix on the weekend.

Tom Watson- A member of the 60+ crowd, Tom Watson does not show his age.  He nearly won the Open at age 59 before ultimately giving way to Stewart Cink.  Tom recently showed the young pups a thing or two by making the cut at the Greenbrier Classic on the PGA Tour two weeks ago.  I don't expect Watson to threaten to win, but I would not be shocked to see him make the weekend rounds.

Tom Watson with the best set of Jugs I've ever seen

Contenders:

Graeme McDowell- Graeme would love to have a British Open on his resume to go along with the US version he has already won.  Graeme won two weeks ago in France coming from behind on Sunday and displaying some of his best form of the year.  I expect him to fair well on this shot maker's golf course.

It appears Graeme has already won the trophy

Lee Westwood- It seems like Westwood is a name we hear brought up before every major, and his game certainly warrants it.  Westwood is an impeccable ball striker and should contend this week.  However, Westwood will come up just short, again.

Lee really wants a major

Zach Johnson-  Zach held the first round lead at last year's event and is coming off a second place finish last week on Tour.  He seems to be figuring out links golf and is hitting the ball well at the moment.  His game should work well this week.

Zach would love to carry around the Claret Jug wearing his Green Jacket

Matt Kuchar- Matt is a threat to win every time he tees it up.  He is arguably the most consistently good player on the PGA Tour.  He has two straight top 15s at the Open after previously enjoying very little success.  You have to grow into links golf and Matt is doing that.  A top 10 this week should be easy for this fan favorite.

Screwdrivers out of the Claret Jug!

Justin Rose- Rose has won his last two events that he's teed it up in.  It is awfully hard to win consecutive tournaments, let alone three in a row.  Even though I expect him to carry over his good play to this week, a valiant effort will fall short of victory.

The face of determination

Adam Scott- It's not necessarily original to pick the number 1 player in the world for this list, but it is hard to ignore him.  He has played well a number of times this season and arguably should have won the Open each of the last two years.  I expect another good finish this week.

Come on Aussie!

Winner:

Henrik Stenson- Stenson was in contention nearly every time he teed it in the second half of last season.  After a slow start this year, he has quietly played well of late.  Stenson was in contention late into last year's tournament.  Stenson is an unbelievable ball striker and should be able to hole just enough putts with week to get him over the top.

This week, Henrik will do better than just look at the trophy