Our six experts predict who will win the 2021 Open Championship
Louis Oosthuizen. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Louis Oosthuizen, Paul Casey, Rickie Fowler.
Louis Oosthuizen.
Jon Rahm finally came down from his US Open victory high to play in the Scottish Open, but his charging win at Torrey Pines seemed like a floodgates opening performance by the world No. 1. Dustin Johnson, slowly emerging from a recent slumber, arguably should have won in 2011 at Royal St George’s if not for an ill-timed approach on the 14th that eventually left him runner-up.
Louis Oosthuizen is simply too consistent to ignore and is my choice to end his runner-up streak and win a second Claret Jug. Tyrrell Hatton may be the highest-ranked English choice, but Paul Casey is the top Englishman at almost every Major event lately. Despite his recent struggles, Rickie Fowler is a proven links player and the perfect longshot to wager a hunch upon.
Xander Schauffele, Brooks Koepka, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Jon Rahm.
Brooks Koepka.
Jon Rahm’s Major-winning form and clear success on links courses aside, Royal St George’s may actually present us with an eclectic leaderboard, similar to Kiawah Island. Forty-somethings Phil Mickelson, Pádraig Harrington, and Paul Casey, and light touch specialists Shane Lowry and Louis Oosthuizen, all enjoyed the novel USPGA challenge and a similar firm and quirky test awaits at Sandwich, perhaps placing skill and craft above bomb and gouge.
Ben Curtis and Darren Clarke were unlikely winners in 2003 and 2011 so how about Lee Westwood in 2021? That’s probably one for the heart. The head says Tommy Fleetwood, on form and T27, T12, and T2 in his last three Opens, is a more likely home hero. Four-time Major winner Brooks Koepka, my overall pick, Xander Schauffele and Justin Thomas are virtual certainties to be in the mix.
Jon Rahm, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Shane Lowry, Phil Mickelson.
Shane Lowry.
Phil Mickelson, the oldest ever winner of a Major championship, will fancy his chance to add to his tally of Majors around Royal St George’s. Over a tough and sometimes windy USPGA Championship test at Kiawah Island, Mickelson’s game and mental strength proved more than a match against his younger rivals and he will relish his chances if in contention come Sunday afternoon.
The Irish know all about US Open champion Jon Rahm’s form over links courses but the question for him and Dustin Johnson is whether or not they will remain patient enough to ride out the many hurdles that every Open Championship course inevitably presents.
Perhaps it’s time for Jordan Spieth to win his next Major but my belief is that if Shane Lowry can find himself close to the top of the leaderboard come Sunday afternoon, he would be the favourite to emulate Pádraig Harrington’s achievement as one of only a few men to have ever successfully defended their title.
Louis Oosthuizen, Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, Brandon Grace, Marc Leishman.
Xander Schauffele.
My handful have a real good chance. Louis’ form this year has been superb, he’s a proven links player who has won the Open before, so it’s hard to not fancy him. Tommy Fleetwood will head to Kent full of confidence, while Xander is just one of those guys who always seems to be there come Sunday. This weekend will be no different.
Brandon and Marc are two brilliant links players who are very capable of flighting their shots, as both coming from very windy parts of the world so if it blows these two won’t be disappointed.
Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, Lee Westwood, Jordan Spieth.
Jon Rahm.
The way Rahm charged to US Open victory at Torrey Pines last month showed all that was good about the Spaniard’s desire for Major championship success and the temperament to deliver it. It’s not going to stop at one title, Rahm returned with a bang at the Scottish Open last weekend with four rounds in the 60s.
Matt Fitzpatrick is so sneaky good and with Lee Westwood, it’s a case of channelling the Darren Clarke vibe at Sandwich a decade ago.
Louis Oosthuizen, Jon Rahm, Lucas Herbert, Pádraig Harrington, Dustin Johnson.
Louis Oosthuizen.
Oosthuizen has won the Open before, and he has been putting in a string of good performances recently in the Majors. How many times can he keep coming second before claiming a second Major? With Jon Rahm it’s hard to ignore his form and drive: The general feeling has always been that once he won one Major, many more would follow.
Lucas Herbert could easily have faded after his Irish Open win but he was only one shot behind the leaders in Scotland, and continues to swing with confidence. Will he have the self-belief to perform three weeks in a row… and on the biggest stage?
Harrington may be the ‘romantic’ bet but I suspect he will be the strongest of the Irish contingent and his recent form suggests he will be in the mix.
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