The Tout’s tips for The Open Golf at Royal Lytham and St Annes
In this column there is no room for self congratulatory style comments, vanity or hindsight as there is surely a bad run around the corner but following on from our triumph in The Eclipse we went on to nominate Mayson in The July Cup at Newmarket who duly obliged at the terrifying price of 25/1. Later this week I will analyse The King George at Ascot on Saturday but for the moment we are going to try to find the winner of The Open Golf at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
Big golf competitions such as this and The Masters are almost impossible as players who are in form coming into an event invariably do not hold that form and in reality it is probably better to make your selection on the final day at a smaller price. This year the players have the weather to contend with on a links course that involves the wind on every hole with tight fairways and deep pot bunkers. If this were not enough the rough is so thick this year due to all the rainfall that the players such as Tiger who have been practising since Sunday are describing it as unplayable with a high chance of many lost balls and long walks back to the tee.
For this reason, it is probably best to go with the more level headed and straight hitters so our selections are as below with the prices that they are today.
The Tout suggests: Tiger Woods 9/1, Lee Westwood 14/1, Rory McIlroy 18/1, Luke Donald 20/1, Ernie Els 40/1, Poulter 40/1, KJ Choi 100/1, Tom Watson 500/1.
My top four fancied finishers and don’t forget that you can back them each way to win and place are McIlroy, Els, Choi and the great Tom Watson who has age against him but a level head and a huge love for links golf.
May the force be with you and be careful out there.
THE TOUT.