2022 The Open Championship Betting Picks Preview
Ron Klos
4 years ago
The 150th Open Championship returns to the hallowed grounds of the Old Course at St. Andrews for the 30th time, continuing a tradition that began in 1873. Considered the oldest course in the world, golf has been played on this ancient turf since the 1400s. Organized by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A), it is played here every five years and has hosted more Open Championships than any other course.
Designed by nature itself, the Old Course is on public common land in Fife, Scotland, and is playable by anyone. One of the most unique courses in the world, “The Home of Golf” demands a complete range of skills and excellence with every club in the bag. But perhaps the biggest skills it demands are creativity and courage. With both massive fairways and greens, the holes at St. Andrews present golfers with a myriad of strategic options. Combine that with the volatility of scoring conditions based on the coastal weather and you have the perfect setup for an exciting and unpredictable tournament. It is, in fact, the unpredictability of such a natural links setup pitted against the best players in the world that makes this week such a joy to behold. As 1920 Open winner George Duncan stated, “You can play a damned good shot and find the ball in a damned bad place. That is the real game of golf.”
The Field
The field will contain 156 players competing for the Claret Jug. After 36 holes, the low 70 players and ties will advance to compete in the final rounds. Most of the field has qualified through the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking or by ranking in the top-30 on the DP World Tour. With the exception of 25th-ranked Daniel Berger who had to withdraw due to injury, every other high-ranked player will be teeing it up. Along with the inclusion of the LIV Tour golfers, past champions from here at St. Andrews such as Tiger Woods, Zach Johnson, and Louis Oosthuizen are in the field.
Keys to Success
I know it seems we always say this for each major, but this week really is as epic as it gets. The Old Course is the birthplace of golf and the world’s greatest links course – an unpredictable strategic masterpiece that will test a player’s creativity and discipline. And then you have the storylines. Could this be Tiger’s last start at the Old Course? With all of the LIV drama, will this be the last major with all the top players participating? Will the coastal winds increase enough to affect scoring or will the winning score actually get to 20-under? Can Rory finally win another major? This week is as good as it gets.