The world’s top golfers will gather at Royal Troon in Scotland for the Open Championship this week, the final Major on the sport’s 2024 calendar.
Brian Harman will be there to defend the trophy he claimed at Royal Liverpool last year, while Scottie Scheffler, who has won six tournaments this year, is set to go off favourite despite not playing for a month.
Rory McIlroy will be looking to bounce back from his meltdown at the US Open while Robert Macintyre will be dreaming of Claret Jug glory after he won last week’s Scottish Open.
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McIlroy looks geared to bounce back
Rory McIlroy was sickened that his two missed short putts gifted the US Open to Bryson DeChambeau last month, but the Northern Irishman will want to put this disappointment behind him and we can expect a big week for the four-time Major winner at Royal Troon.
McIlroy showed his steel with a fourth spot in defending his Scottish Open title last week and he should be back to his best, which is good news for fans of the man who has finished in the top six in six of the last eight Open Championships.
He has been in the winners circle at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship, and the last time he threw away a Major, the 2011 Masters, he bounced back to win the US Open by eight shots a couple of months later, so we could witness another great recovery.
Morikawa keeps knocking at the door
Collin Morikawa has missed his last two Open cuts after he won the Claret Jug at Royal St Georges in 2021, but the American looks geared to put that right and make a strong challenge for more Major glory this week.
He has not tasted success since the Zozo Championship in October, but has not finished lower than 16th in his last nine tournaments, so he has been ultra-consistent.
His 2024 Majors finishes have been impressive – he was third at the Masters, fourth at the US PGA Championship and 14th at the US Open – and he heads to Troon in fine fettle having finished fourth at last week’s Scottish Open.
Day can make his presence felt
It is nine years since Jason Day got his hands on the US PGA Championship, his only Major triumph to date, but there have been signs that the former world number one is capable of competing at the top end of tournaments once again and he could do enough to gain a top-ten spot.
The Australian was runner-up to Brian Harman at Royal Liverpool last year and he has posted four top-ten finishes on the PGA Tour this year, including fourth spot at the Wells Fargo Championship.
He was 22nd the last time the Open was held at Troon in 2016 and can prove again that the Ayrshire track is to his liking..
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