AFTER RORY MCILROY withdrew from the Open due to injury, Jordan Spieth will be the centre of attention at St Andrews this week as the winner of the Masters and US Open seeks to complete the third leg of a calendar Grand Slam.
We take a look at six men who will be worth keeping an eye on at the ‘Home of Golf’.
Jordan Spieth (World ranking: 2, best Open finish: T36, 2014)
The outright favourite to lift the Claret Jug following McIlroy’s injury-enforced withdrawal, Spieth is likely to take some beating if he hits anything like top form.
Remarkably composed for one so young, the 21-year-old has already shown he can win major championships in contrasting fashion, following a wire-to-wire success at Augusta with a gritty performance to secure last month’s US Open.
Spieth’s success at Chambers Bay - a course with similarities in style to St Andrews - suggests the youngster is well-equipped to challenge. And he is in fine form, having earned another victory at the John Deere Classic on Sunday. Spieth can therefore move to the top of the world rankings by winning this week.
Louis Oosthuizen (World ranking: 17, best Open finish: winner, 2010)
Oosthuizen not only won the last Open to be held at St Andrews, he did so in sensational style - dominating proceedings to finish seven strokes clear of the second-placed Lee Westwood.
The South African’s career has been hampered by back problems, but five top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this year indicate he is coming back to his best.
He was tied for second behind Spieth at the U.S. Open and will surely be high on confidence when he gets under way at the venue of his career highlight to date.
Justin Rose (World ranking: 8, best Open finish: T4, 1998)
Here is a fact to make you feel old: it is now 17 years since Rose burst onto the scene with a fourth-placed finish as an amateur in his first Open.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Englishman has still to improve on that spectacular debut showing at Royal Birkdale.
However, victory in the 2013 U.S. Open showed that Rose has what it takes to land one of golf’s premier prizes - and he can be expected to figure near the top of the leaderboard this week.
Henrick Stenson (World ranking: 7, best Open finish: Runner-up, 2013)
Arguably the best active player yet to win a major, Stenson will once again be fancied by many to break his duck.
The winner of the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and European Tour’s Race to Dubai in 2013, Stenson also finished as the runner-up in The Open that year at Muirfield.
That marked his third top-three finish in the event and he was tied third at St Andrews in 2010, meaning he is likely to feel comfortable at the ‘Home of Golf’.
Rickie Fowler (World ranking: 5, best Open finish: T2, 2014)
Fowler did everything but win a major in 2014, recording top-five finishes at all four of golf’s premier strokeplay events.
The 26-year-old fell well short of expectations at Chambers Bay last month, missing the cut after an opening round of 81.
However, he showed his pedigree with a superb performance to win this year’s Players Championship and heads to St Andrews on the back of victory at the Scottish Open – the latter success providing further evidence of his capacity to excel on a links course.
Tiger Woods (World ranking: 241, best Open finish: Winner, 2000, 2005, 2006)
Not for the first time in recent months, it is hard to know what to expect from Woods as he continues his search for a 15th major.
On the one hand, this is a man who has slumped to 241st in the world rankings, developed an unhappy knack of shooting scores of 80+ and missed the cut by some distance at the U.S. Open.
And yet there is still reason for optimism. Woods showed signs of improvement in his last outing at the Greenbrier Classic and certainly loves St Andrews, the scene of his record-breaking Open success in 2000 and another triumph five years later. If he can rediscover his mojo anywhere, it is here.
Shane Lowry all the way.
Give it a rest with Tiger…he’s finished as a serious golfer. I’ll be amazed if he makes the cut
Exactly. Or withdraws half way through Friday due to injury (i.e. shit score)
Dustin Johnston..
Jason day, if he’s anywhere near full health he should go close.
Look out for Joost Luiten
Players to look out for????ah here….hardly crazy outside bets now are they?
Tiger Woods? I hope I’m wrong but really? Coming to six years since everything went belly up.
Tommy Fleetwood at 70s
Ben Martin, Matt Jones and Robert Streb a few big outsiders worth a punt
The one thing I’ll say about Tiger and St Andrews is that he doesn’t really have to use the driver and go hunting for eagles on the par 5s. His iron and 3 wood play is as good as it’s always been.
Oosthuizen for me lads. He has the track record of winning here last time and he has form. Played some unreal golf at the US Open. Played the final 3 rounds in -11. Ticks all the boxes!