HOYLAKE, England (AP) — Ten players expected to contend in the 151st British Open, which starts Thursday at Royal Liverpool (listed in predicted order of finish):
SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
Age: 27.
The British Open returns to Royal Liverpool and all eyes are on Rory McIlroy. He has gone nine years since winning his last major.
Byeong “Ben” Hun An doesn’t have a spot in the British Open next week. He might get one if he keeps playing like he did in the Scottish Open.
The British Open is raising its prize fund from $14 million to $16.5 million. That means the winner next week at Royal Liverpool will earn $3 million.
Golf’s major championship season comes to a close at the British Open. It’s the last chance of the year for Rory McIlroy to end his nine-year drought in the majors.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 1.
Worldwide wins: 6.
Majors: Masters (2022).
2023 Majors: Masters-T10, PGA-T2, US Open-3.
Backspin: No one has played more consistent golf this year than Scheffler, who had not finished out of the top 12 since October. He has two wins and has challenged to win the last two majors.
JON RAHM
Age: 28.
Country: Spain.
World ranking: 2.
Worldwide wins: 21.
Majors: Masters (2023), U.S. Open (2021).
2023 Majors: Masters-Won, PGA-T50, US Open-T10.
Backspin: Rahm still leads the PGA Tour with four victories, the last one at the Masters. He challenged for the claret jug two years ago at Royal St. George’s. He hasn’t played since missing the cut at the Travelers a week after the U.S. Open.
RORY MCILROY
Age: 34.
Country: Northern Ireland.
World ranking: 3.
Worldwide wins: 32.
Majors: U.S. Open (2011), British Open (2014), PGA Championship (2012, 2014).
2023 Majors: Masters-Cut, PGA-T7, US Open-2.
Backspin: He won the British Open the last time it was at Royal Liverpool in 2014. McIlroy has gone nine years since his last major championship and he has failed to convert his last two good chances, at the U.S. Open this year and the British Open last year.
XANDER SCHAUFFELE
Age: 29.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 6.
Worldwide wins: 8.
Majors: None.
2023 Majors: Masters-T10, PGA-T18, US Open-T10.
Backspin: He can be listed among the best without a major simply for giving himself chances. He has finished in the top 10 in 12 of the 25 majors he has played and was runner-up at Carnoustie in 2018. Schauffele has yet to win this year.
JORDAN SPIETH
Age: 29.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 10.
Worldwide wins: 16.
Majors: Masters (2015), U.S. Open (2015), British Open (2017).
2023 Majors: Masters-T4, PGA-T29, US Open-Cut.
Backspin: This is his 10th British Open and the only major where he has never missed the cut. He won at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and was runner-up two years ago at Royal St. George’s. Putting and short game goes a long way in links golf.
CAMERON SMITH
Age: 29.
Country: Australia.
World ranking: 7.
Worldwide wins: 11.
Majors: British Open (2022).
2023 Majors: Masters-T34, PGA-T9, US Open-4.
Backspin: He will try to become the first back-to-back winner since Padraig Harrington in 2007-08. Smith goes to Royal Liverpool coming off his second win in LIV Golf. He has finished in the top 10 in his last two majors without a serious chance of winning either.
PATRICK CANTLAY
Age: 31.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 4.
Worldwide wins: 8.
Majors: None.
2023 Majors: Masters-T14, PGA-T-9, US Open-T-14.
Backspin: Cantlay is going on five consecutive majors finishing in the top 15, but he has yet to seriously contend in any of them. His game is built on doing everything well. In the majors, he just isn’t doing it good enough.
BROOKS KOEPKA
Age: 33.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 12.
Worldwide wins: 14.
Majors: US Open (2017, 2018), PGA Championship (2018, 2019, 2023).
2023 Majors: Masters-T2, PGA-Won, US Open-T17.
Backspin: The U.S. Open is the only major where he wasn’t in contention. With his legs in good shape, he is back to being a major force in the majors. A British Open title would give him the third leg of the Grand Slam and tie him with Phil Mickelson in the major count.
MATT FITZPATRICK
Age: 28.
Country: England.
World ranking: 9.
Worldwide wins: 9.
Majors: U.S. Open (2022).
2023 Majors: Masters-T10, PGA-Cut, US Open-T17.
Backspin: His game has been bubbling just below the surface going into the final major of the year. The last Englishman to win the British Open was Nick Faldo in 1992. The last Englishman to win an Open in England was Tony Jacklin in 1969.
RICKIE FOWLER
Age: 34.
Country: United States.
World ranking: 21.
Worldwide wins: 10.
Majors: None.
2023 Majors: Masters-DNP, PGA-Cut, US Open-T5.
Backspin: The fact Fowler wasn’t in the Masters indicates how much his game is trending. It was capped off by his win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit. Now he’s back on the path toward trying to bag that first major.
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