Fowler & Spieth Headline Ace’s 6 Best Bets at The Open Championship

IT might just be me but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the winner of this year’s Open is lifting his first Major.

If you look over the past two years all seven Majors have been won by a first-timer – Brooks Koepka (US Open), Sergio Garcia (Masters), Jimmy Walker (US PGA 2016), Henrik Stenson (Open), Dustin Johnson (US Open), Danny Willett (Masters) and Jason Day (US PGA 2015). So I’ll be leaning towards maiden winners with my selections.

My first pick is Rickie Fowler and I make no apologies for choosing him again even though he was a bit flat a Dundonald at the weekend. He loves playing links golf and I like the way he performs, making sure he is on the fairway and giving himself a chance of birdies.

I expected him to do better last week but I think the three bogeys on Saturday virtually put him out of contention. He has been my long-time pick for this year’s Open and with his form this year’s it’s time for him to pick up his first Major.

Another who I think will win a Major soon is Hideki Matsuyama. He stormed back into form at the US Open and is able to win at Royal Birkdale. He made a great run on the final day moving up to T2 at Erin Hills and that followed an 11th at Augusta.

He plans his game for the Majors and this is a great chance for him. Never finished higher than 6th in The Open but has all the shots to win this week.

There’s not much that can be said about local lad Tommy Fleetwood that hasn’t already been said over the past few weeks. In his last four outings he has gone 4th, T5, 1st and T10 and is playing with such consistency he must be a contender this week.

With two wins this year, the HSBC Championship in Abu Dhabi and the French Open, he has shown he is capable of going all the way in big tournaments. He’ll be a popular selection but it’s whether he can manage the expectations of the home crowd.

In 1998 at Royal Birkdale a young amateur golfer by the name of Justin Rose burst on to the season with a fourth-place finish in the Open. With a final-round 68 and a chip-in from the rough at the last he was suddenly thrown into the limelight.

He then turned pro and it took him 22 tournaments to make the cut. However, look at him now. Olympic champion, 2013 US Open winner and has nine European title to his name. He won the Scottish Open in 2014 at Royal Aberdeen so has done the business on a links course. I think he can get over his Masters heartache (losing to Garcia in a play-off) and get the one title every golfer covets.

Jordan Spieth hasn’t missed a cut in any Major since he won the Masters in 2015. In 18 Major appearances he has won twice and has three seconds and a fourth. Some going for the 23-year-old. He has had his woes this year with driving and his putting hasn't been as reliable but recently he seemed to have turned it around when he won the Travelers. Decided to take some time out and hasn't played since that win in June. You would think that would go against him but you just can’t count Spieth out.

Finally, for those of you how like taking outsiders I don’t think you can go far wrong with Alex Noren. The Swede won the Scottish Open last year and has been third in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, played at Muirfield, Kingsbarns and St Andrews. He featured at Royal Birkdale in 2008 a couple of years after turning pro and made the cut after two solid rounds. He would love to follow countryman Henrik Stenson and get his hands on the Claret Jug and might be worth a small flutter.

Recommended Bets

• 2.5pts ew Rickie Fowler (Betfred, 16-1)
• 2.5pts ew Hideki Matsuyama (Ladbrokes, 22-1)
• 2.5pts ew Tommy Fleetwood (Betfair, 25-1)
• 2.5pts ew Justin Rose (Betfred, 22-1)
• 2.5pts ew Jordan Spieth (Ladbrokes, 16-1)
• 1pt ew Alex Noren (Betfred, 55-1)

Ace Venturer