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The Open is the most unique of all the golf majors and the most different of the four biggest tournaments of the year. While the Masters, PGA Championship and U.S. Open are not identical in setup nor style, they are at least derivatives of one another. The Open, though? It's a whole other thing altogether.

While too much is probably made of historical success at different tournaments that move around –--like the U.S. Open and PGA Championship -- it's likely more fair to lean on past achievement when it comes to The Open. Opens are hard because it's such a different style of golf, almost to the point where it seems like a different sport altogether. And if you can figure out and even conquer that style at one venue -- because a lot of what you're fighting seemingly has little to do with the course itself and more with the weather and the wind and the draw -- then you can likely do it at other venues as well.

This is not to say that all Open courses are the same. Only that the tentacles of this tournament usually emanate from places outside the actual playing surface more than at the other majors. And while it's insanely difficult to be consistently great across a large period of time at this tournament (mostly because of the reasons mentioned above), a few players have managed to do it.

Let's take a look at the golfers who have netted the most top-10 finishes over the last decade (2010-19) with a minimum of three starts. (Strokes-gained data seems to back what top-10 percentages show.) 

  • Rory McIlroy: 56%
  • Brooks Koepka: 50%
  • Tony Finau: 50%
  • Jordan Spieth: 43%
  • Tiger Woods: 43%
  • Adam Scott: 40%
  • Sergio Garcia: 40%

Only McIlroy and Spieth have won Opens in that span. Woods could have, Scott should have and both Garcia and Koepka had some nice runs in there as well. Still, this is instructive. I would not have said McIlroy has been the best Open golfer of the last decade, but he clearly has the numbers, especially when you consider where some of his other contemporaries reside. Though he would not have been my first thought, this makes sense on paper. He's one of the great ball-strikers of all time and has the raw ability to play in any weather at any time against anyone.

McIlroy even had four consecutive top-five finishes from 2014, when he won, through 2018, when he finished T2 at Carnoustie to Francesco Molinari. It's been arguably his best major over the last five years. However, there are some kinks to work out after a lousy performance (by his standards) at the Irish Open last week in which he struggled with his driver and failed to finish in the top 50.

"I need to do some work with the driver. ... In some ways, it's nice going to two links courses the next two weeks because there isn't as much of an emphasis as hitting driver as a course like here, so sort of looking forward to that," said McIlroy last week ahead of the Scottish Open. "I feel like I've got a pretty good 2-iron that I can hit a lot the next couple of weeks and at least get the ball in play because I feel like when I get the ball in play, I can actually play from there."

"I certainly don't feel as good about where I'm at compared to where I was after the U.S. Open," he added. "But I've got another week to get ready and prepare, and I obviously want to play well next week, as well and have a chance to win. There's nothing better than preparing for a major championship by getting into contention the week before. But I need to work pretty hard on my game the next few days before heading into The Scottish Open."

McIlroy missed the cut at the Scottish Open, shooting 70-71 to sit 1 under and 88th in the field. That speaks more to his inconsistent play as of late than his candidacy for The Open this week. Then again, he contended at the 2014 Scottish Open before going on to win at Hoylake the week after for his only Claret Jug.

Koepka is another fascinating case study. He'd be great if there was a major on Mars, so this is no huge surprise, but he's been a force at the last four Opens he's played dating back to 2015. Three top 10s in four starts with his T4 in 2019 capping off a major season with what was his worst of four finishes.

Spieth, too, has been really good at this tournament. Even during his years of famine, he played well at this tournament. Dating back to 2015, he has a T4, T30, 1st, T9, T20 run. Again, this makes sense. He's an elite iron player, and you can often get away with big misses at Opens (see: 2017) if you have enough creativity and bravery on the recovery.

Traveling further down the list, and you'll encounter some interesting names. Henrik Stenson is three for nine in top 10s. Xander Schauffele has the same percentage with fewer starts. Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, Matt Kuchar, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler and Zach Johnson are all exactly three for 10 in top 10s over the last 10 years.

Others have struggled. Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood and Hideki Matsuyama, Martin Kaymer, Paul Casey and Jason Day -- all quality players who have won at the highest levels -- have just one top 10. Gary Woodland and Webb Simpson have none in eight starts.

All of it is interesting to consider as the 149th Open Champion approaches later this week. Because while it might be as easy as sorting the best players into the most successful ones at most major championships (and maybe even at this one at times), The Open and its wonkiness seems to have a type. You can get a lucky draw or be away from the weather for one year or even two, but not 10. The most consistently great Open players have been revealed over the last decade so don't be surprised when they show out again this year at Royal St. George's.

Who will win the Open Championship, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and best bets, all from the model that's nailed seven golf majors, including Jon Rahm's epic U.S. Open victory.