Winning the Masters to complete a career Grand Sam was a magical moment for Rory McIlroy but he has admitted holding the Claret Jug aloft at Royal Portrush on Sunday evening would be ‘just as emotional’.
McIlroy was born just 62 miles from the site of the 153rd Open Championship and set a new course record of 61 at Dunluce Road when he was just 16-years-old, so expectations were through the roof when he returned to his old haunt for the only major this side of the Atlantic in 2019.
McIlroy, who won the 2014 Open at Royal Liverpool, was fancied to complete a fairytale victory only to have his dreams dashed by an opening-round 79 which started with a tee shot which flew out of bounds leading to a quadruple bogey from which he never recovered, missing the cut by one shot.
Fast forward to this Thursday morning and Rory has a rare chance of redemption and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t grasp it following a tied-second place in last week’s Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.
Before that he was T6 at the Travelers, with a play-off victory at the Players’ Championship, a T5 in Houston and a T7 at the Truist – not to mention that iconic Augusta triumph – defining a campaign which is already truly successful.
The 36-year-old is always the centre of attention but is determined not to be distracted by the hype, instead relishing the opportunity of winning his sixth major and he’s 6/1 with Ladbrokes and Coral to do just that.
Russell Henley was fifth at Troon 12 months ago and has picked up form after a slow start to the year with a share of tenth at the US Open at Oakmont in the middle of a fifth at the Memorial and runner-up at the Travelers which makes him appealing at 45/1 with bet365, while Ben Griffin has enjoyed performing on the biggest stages of them all this year with a T8 at the US PGA and a T10 at Oakmont.
The American is 60/1 with bet365 while his compatriot Cameron Young completes our each-way portfolio at the same price with the same firm after registering a T8 in The Open two years ago and a solo second in 2022 with a T4 at the US Open in May showing he can handle the pressure when it is piled on.
Scottie Scheffler? Last time we dismissed the world No.1’s chances at a major he promptly won the US PGA but the 11/2 tournament favourite with William Hill has not made our cut, despite finishing tied eighth last weekend, as his form over his side of the pond has been inconsistent.
Snap up this bet at the PGA Tour’s Barracuda Championship
Kurt Kitayama can profit from the PGA Tour’s best players being at The Open by taking the Barracuda Championship and is worth an each-way bet at 18/1 with BoyleSports at the Tahoe Mountain Club in Truckee, California.
England v India cricket flutter
England are now 7/4 with bet365, Betway and StarSports to win their five-match Test series with India 3-2 after claiming a sensational victory at Lord’s in a tight finish to go 2-1 up with two to play.