The Open Championship is back, and the historic major championship will be played on British soil for the first time since 2017 when the 2021 Open Championship tees off Thursday at Royal St. George's. The last time it was played in England was in 2017, when Jordan Spieth won his third major at Royal Birkdale. The Open Championship 2021 marks the 15th time Royal St. George's will host the major, and 42-year-old Darren Clarke won it the last time it was played there in 2011. Jon Rahm is the 7-1 favorite in the latest 2021 Open Championship odds from William Hill Sportsbook, but how high should he be in your 2021 Open Championship Fantasy golf rankings?

Will two-time major winner Dustin Johnson break out of an extended funk to make him one of the strongest 2021 Open Championship Fantasy golf picks? Or will an under-the radar option like Patrick Cantlay (33-1) be one of the top Fantasy golf sleepers? Before you make any of your 2021 Open Championship Fantasy golf picks, you really need to see the latest Fantasy golf rankings from data scientist Rick Gehman.

With his expansive database of golf statistics, course data and betting odds, Gehman creates advanced models and back-tests them constantly. These models have produced 13 outright winners in the past 18 months and four this season, including Viktor Hovland at 25-1 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic and Daniel Berger at 20-1 at Pebble Beach.

At last week's John Deere Classic, six of Gehman's top 20 selections were in the top 11 on the final leaderboard. That included Lucas Glover, whom the golf expert pegged as a player coming in with a lot of momentum who could thrive against a weaker field.  

"Glover shot his best round of the week on Sunday in Detroit (67), which is encouraging," Gehman told SportsLine before the event. "He has two top-eight finishes in his last eight starts, and this will certainly be the weakest field during that stretch." The result: The 2009 U.S. Open champion went out and shot a final-round 64 to win by two strokes for his first victory in more than a decade. Anyone who followed his advice cashed in huge.

Now, Gehman, co-host of "The First Cut" podcast on CBS Sports, has revealed his top 30 players for the Open Championship 2021. Be sure to head over to SportsLine so you can cash in big with your Fantasy golf picks. 

2021 Open Championship Fantasy golf picks

This week, Gehman is all-in on Rahm, who is one of the few elite players coming in without question marks. The Spaniard won the U.S. Open a week after having to withdraw with a large lead at the Memorial, and he was seventh at last week's Scottish Open. The 26-year-old has six tour wins and leads the tour in total strokes gained and scoring average (69.602). He also is No. 1 in total driving, which combines distance (21st) and accuracy (65th). Rahm is fifth in greens in regulation, hitting more than 71 percent.    

On the other hand, Gehman is fading DeChambeau, even though he is just behind Rahm among the favorites. The 27-year-old has played the Open Championship three times, missing the cut twice and finishing 51st. His already wayward drives could find even more trouble with the unpredictable bounces off the fairways and the deep rough at Royal St. George's. DeChambeau leads the tour in driving distance (321.9 yards) but is 73rd in total driving, as he ranks 189th in accuracy, hitting the fairway less than 54 percent of the time.

How to set your Open Championship Fantasy golf lineups

This week, the golf analyst is backing a massive long-shot. This veteran has been in the mix at the Open Championship before and comes in looking like he is in top form. You should see who it is, and what else Gehman is saying before you make any 2021 Open Championship bets or finalizing your 2021 Open Championship Fantasy golf strategy.

Who wins the Open Championship 2021? Who are the top players to target in your Fantasy golf rankings? And which overlooked players can help you win your league this week? Visit SportsLine now to get Rick Gehman's Fantasy golf rankings for the 2021 Open Championship, all from the data scientist who's called 13 outright winners in the past 18 months.