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We wrap up our 2022 major championship previews with the oldest of them all, The Open Championship. In what will be the 150th playing of the championship, St. Andrews, The Home of Golf, is set to welcome the world’s best to the Old Course for the 30th time in its storied history.
While it is regularly featured on the European Tour DP World Tour for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship – which Danny Willett (+15000) won this past October – we have not seen it host The Open since 2015. The storylines were endless seven years ago just as they will be seven months from now.
Jordan Spieth (+1400) was in the midst of his career year having won the first two major championships of 2015. Coined “The Spieth Slam,” the young sensation had climbed into a share of the lead at 15-under after an unlikely birdie on No. 16. Making bogey on the Road Hole (No. 17) and finding the “Valley of Sin” in front of the 18th green, the Grand Slam aspirations were put to an end as he would finish one-stroke out of the playoff in a tie for fourth alongside Jason Day (+6600).
The three-man, four-hole aggregate playoff featured Louis Oosthuizen (+2200), Marc Leishman (+6600), and Zach Johnson. The American would eventually lay claim to the Claret Jug, playing Nos. 1, 2, 17, and 18 in 1-under to best Oosthuizen by a single stroke. The South African had his chances in the playoff and will surely be on people’s radars in July given his play this past summer and the fact his lone major championship came at St. Andrews in 2010.
Not in the field that week was the reigning Champion Golfer of the Year, Rory McIlroy (+1600). The Northern Irishman was infamously busy on another field – or dare I say pitch – enjoying a “kickabout” with friends when he ruptured a ligament in his left ankle, thus sidelining his defense efforts.
This was unfortunate due to the nature of his 2010 Open at St. Andrews when he opened with a 9-under 63, only to be caught in the worst of the conditions on Friday. Eventually carding an 8-over 80 in Round 2, McIlroy’s opening round was put to waste as he and the rest of the field watched Oosthuizen run away with the Claret Jug.
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Truth be told, this is why I was a bit hesitant to put up a selection for The Open. Not only is it the furthest away, but it tends to be the most unpredictable major championship. The last two times we have ventured to St. Andrews, weather has played a role in some shape or form, thus upping the importance of tee times, whether fair or not.
However, when searching through the odds at PointsBet Sportsbook and their competitors, there was one large discrepancy which I am comfortable investing in. That would be the price of Sam Burns (+9000) who is listed in the +5000 to +6600 range at most shops. Currently the world No. 11 as we enter the new year, one should not be surprised if Burns climbs into the top-10 or possibly the top-5 in the official world golf rankings by the time The Open rolls around.
There are no real weaknesses in his game and as we learned with Collin Morikawa’s (+1800) victory at Royal St. George’s, these kids are built different. Gone are the days are needing all the experience in the world to contend in major championships, a feat Will Zalatoris (+5000) proved as well in his first Masters appearance.
With two victories and two runner-up performances to his name over the last seven months, Burns appears primed for a memorable 2022. If the 25-year-old collects another victory in the front-half of the year or contends at one of the first three major championships, simply put, this number will drop.
Some may be concerned with it only being his second Open appearance, but St. Andrews lacks a bit of bite for today’s players. Plenty long and arguably a top-10 ball-striker in the world, if Burns keeps his fairway wood in the bag around-the-green, he should be just fine.
Futures Selections (Odds Via PointsBet):
Masters: Harris English (+9000)
PGA Championship: Jason Kokrak (+10000), Talor Gooch (+20000)
U.S. Open: Billy Horschel (+13000)
Open Championship: Sam Burns (+9000)
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