2022 British Open predictions, picks, favorites: One of these nine golfers will win at St. Andrews
A look at who will be left standing with the Claret Jug in their grasp after the 150th edition of The Open Championship
By
Kyle Porter
•
4 min read
ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- The time has come to select a champion, or in this case a pool of champions. After walking every inch of the property and talking to various golfers about how the Old Course is playing this week, a group of 156 has been narrowed to the nine who are most likely to win the most consequential golf tournament of the year, the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.
The Old Course has produced some interesting winners in the past. Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Bobby Jones, yes, but also Zach Johnson, John Daly and Louis Oosthuizen. So, it might be a fool's errand to try and determine a winner on Wednesday with 72 holes left to play given how this tournament has gone in the past (an amateur led after 54 holes in 2015!).
Still, that's not going to stop us from trying. A crispy golf course is ready for the world's best this week, and hopefully, we will get an all-time Open in the process. Here's a look at the nine golfers most likely to win the final major championship of the 2022 season.
Don't miss a second of the action at this week's 150th Open. Check out a complete Open TV schedule and coverage guide.
2022 Open Championship predictions
| 1 | |
| McIlroy has actually played better than Scottie Scheffler since the start of 2022, according to Data Golf. He obviously doesn't have the wins to show for it, but after three top 10s at the first three major championships and the confidence he takes into the event of the summer, McIlroy is both an obvious and worthy favorite to (finally) take home what would be his fifth major championship. Odds: 9-1 | |
| 2 | |
| No golfer in the world is hotter than Schauffele right now. He's coming off wins at the Travelers Championship and Scottish Open, and he brings with him a solid major championship record despite no victories. Schauffele might have the best all-around game in the world, which is massive at Open Championships. Ripping off a third consecutive tournament win on Sunday at St. Andrews would not be surprising in the least. Odds: 14-1 | |
| 3 | |
| There is not a more creative golfer on the planet, and the Old Course should unlock his mind and his body. Spieth has some unfinished business from 2015 when he fell one shot short of a playoff, and his contention last week at the Scottish Open -- although not a great facsimile for the Old Course -- portends more contention this weekend at St. Andrews. Odds: 16-1 | |
| 4 | |
| He might be the least-discussed superstar entering Round 1 this week. There are perhaps some worthy concerns about his ability to flight the ball in wind, but Rahm has nearly every shot needed for any major championship course he plays, and he's coming off a top five last year at Royal St. George's. He's also an underrated creative and has the kind of hands that will be needed on this pavement-like turf at the Old. Odds: 16-1 | |
| 5 | |
| You could pick worse places for your first-ever win. Zalatoris has been, unequivocally, the best major championship golfer of 2022 even though he's missed three straight winner's circles. He's one of the handful of best iron players in the field, and though there are obvious concerns about the putter and short game, he's a much better lag putter than a short one. That's where most of the green game will be played this week. Odds: 25-1 | |
| 6 | |
| I'm overjoyed to watch him work the ball both ways in this thumping Scottish wind as he tries to take home his first Open Championship and second major of the year. Oddly, he's struggled at Opens throughout his career, but his arsenal has never been this vast. If it howls like it did at TPC Sawgrass earlier in the season, we could be in for quite a show from the two-time major champion. Odds: 18-1 | |
| 7 | |
| Speaking of two-time major champions, Scheffler is trying to pull off something only the most elite golfers in the sport have ever accomplished: winning the Masters and The Open in the same calendar year. He said Wednesday that he doesn't feel like he's perceived as the No. 1 player in the world. Perhaps that's true, but it won't be an issue if he wins St. Andrews. Odds: 16-1 | |
| 8 | |
| I've been picking Lowry for most of the year, and he has yet to win. He probably wouldn't mind saving those for a win here to collect his second Open Championship. The numbers are tremendous -- fifth in the world in strokes gained since Jan. 1 behind McIlroy, Scheffler, Thomas and Matt Fitzpatrick -- and he can work the ball enough to play this golf course. I'm fascinated to see if Lowry can win two Opens in his last three tries. Odds: 20-1 | |
| 9 | |
| I'm in. He's swayed me. I'm a believer. He's been a completely different major player over the last two months, and while it's a monumental task to ask somebody to win a U.S. Open and Open Championship in the same summer, Fitzpatrick has the perfect kind of game to play this course. I think he contends again this week. Odds: 18-1 | |
Who will win The Open Championship, and which long shots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard and optimal picks, all from the model that's nailed eight golf majors, including this year's Masters.
