British Open predictions: Sergio Garcia will finally get his major
The British Open begins Thursday at Royal Troon. Here are my predictions for the weekend.
Remember last month, when the U.S. Open was contested at Oakmont and everyone spent so much time talking about the legends that have won on that golf course? Yeah, Royal Troon is almost a polar opposite.
Unlike Sarazen, Jones, Snead, Hogan and Nicklaus, Royal Troon has produced names like Calcavecchia, Leonard and Hamilton. (Seriously, Todd Hamilton! He won here in ’04! Not lying!)
When that’s the case at a course, you have to find at least one deep sleeper to pick, and Piercy seems to be that guy. He has finished second in his past two starts, including Oakmont, has had a great season, finishing in the top 25 10 times in 18 starts, and is an American, which helps considering the past six champions at Troon have been from the States.
This will be just Piercy’s second start ever in an Open Championship, but this seems to be the major where experience isn’t nearly as important as momentum coming in.
The No. 1 player in the world can win on any course, but I don’t see true links-style golf as his cup of tea, and that’s exactly what we will see this week at Troon.
The greens are flat, which will neutralize the advantage of Day’s great putting year, and finding the fairway will be way more important than bombing drives, meaning second shots will be more of a premium.
Day has finished in the top-10 only once in an Open Championship, last year at St. Andrews, and while I still think a bad week is a top-20 for Day, I don’t see this being the week of a second major win for the front-runner for Player of the Year.
I thought this would be the winning score at CordeValle for last weekend's U.S. Women's Open, and I think it’ll be what takes it this week at Troon. There will be wind, there will be nasty rough, but the one or two days it’s down will mean a birdie-fest for these players.
I think this is the week we finally see Garcia win a major, and it’s because he seems happy, healthy and continues to dominate with his stellar iron play. If there was ever a major Sergio was going to win, it’s an Open, and with five top-6 finishes in the Open since 2005, I think good things continue for Sergio.
The No. 2-ranked player in greens in regulation on the PGA Tour this year gets to play a major on flat, slow greens? I like his chances!
