July 16th 2024.
Jon Rahm is back in top form and poised to take the victory at the 152nd Open Championship. It's time to batten down the hatches, because after decades of English hurt, Spain is ready to celebrate another spectacular win with a few glasses of sangria.
It's been a grueling 32 years since Sir Nick Faldo claimed the Claret Jug and became the last Englishman to do so at Muirfield in 1992. And unfortunately, the number of contenders from England who have a shot at winning at Royal Troon on Sunday can be counted on the back of a postage stamp. It's been tough for England, especially after their recent loss in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, where Spain proved to be far superior and lifted the trophy. And as if that wasn't enough, just hours later, Spain's own Carlos Alcaraz won his fourth grand slam by successfully defending his Wimbledon title.
While Rory McIlory hails from Northern Ireland, he's been waiting for far too long to claim his fifth major victory. It's been a decade since he last won at Royal Liverpool, but he's still one of the best in the business. And let's be honest, few are better at dropping names than shots. In fact, McIlroy casually mentioned that he received texts from tennis icon Rafa Nadal and NBA superstar Michael Jordan after his heartbreaking loss at last month's US Open. But he bounced back with a respectable performance at the Scottish Open and has a tied fifth finish at Troon from eight years ago, making him a solid choice to follow at 15/2 with Ladbrokes.
But don't count out Merseyside's Tommy Fleetwood, who has an impressive track record with seven top-five finishes in majors, including two in the Open. He also finished T10 at Hoylake last year and can be backed with confidence at 22/1 with Paddy Power. And let's not forget about Wolverhampton's own Aaron Rai, who has been on fire with T2, T7, and T4 finishes in his last three outings. He shouldn't have any trouble keeping up with the competition this week and is available at 66/1 with the same firm.
However, the most likely winner of the 152nd Open Championship is the two-time major winner, Jon Rahm. He's proven to excel at links golf and has come close to claiming the victory at both Hoylake and St Andrew's in previous years. After taking a break at home in Spain and eagerly awaiting the birth of his third child, Rahm is a serious contender at 22/1 with Ladbrokes to continue Spain's reign.
In addition, keep an eye out for 'Big Shot' Bob MacIntyre, who is the clear favorite to be the top Scottish player at 4/6 with Betfred and BetVictor. He recently rallied to win the Scottish Open, beating out Ludvig Aberg, who is 11/8 with Sky Bet to be the top European. And for those interested in an each-way bet, Tony Finau is a solid choice to be the top American at 18/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral.
And while Tiger Woods may not have had a top-ten finish in a major in five years, he did make the cut at this year's Masters and came close at both the US PGA and US Open. He has three Open wins under his belt and 15 major victories overall, but he's a long shot at 250/1 with bet365 and Bet Victor to claim the victory at Troon. It's uncertain if the 48-year-old American will even make the cut, but one thing is for sure, this could be his last major on this side of the Atlantic. Thank you for the memories, old chap.
And before we wrap up, let's not forget about the recent drama that unfolded at the US Open, where Rory McIlroy stormed off after a heartbreaking miss on the 18th hole cost him the title. And in other news, Tiger Woods has officially made his decision regarding the Ryder Cup and will serve as the captain for Team USA in 2025. Exciting times ahead for the world of golf.
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