2021 Open Championship Power Rankings: Top 10
10. Harris English
When we last saw Harris English, we saw a LOT of Harris English. Two weeks ago at the Travelers Championship, the 31-year-old survived 8(!) playoff holes, parring the first seven before sinking a clinching birdie putt on the eighth.
That victory, his second of the season, came off the heels of a third-place finish at the U.S. Open.
Ranked second in the FedExCup standings and 12th in the world rankings, English has not played particularly well in the majors outside the U.S. Open, but his current edition has shown incredible fight and resiliency.
Odds: 66-1
World Rank: 12th
2019 OPEN: DNQ
2021 PLAYERS: DNP
2021 MASTERS: T21
2021 PGA: T64
2021 US OPEN: 3rd
9. Tyrrell Hatton
It’s a home game for Hatton this week, as the world’s highest-ranked Brit (world No. 10), is from Buckinghamshire, which is roughly two hours away from Royal St. George’s.
Someone who runs largely on momentum, Hatton will hope to draw positive vibes from the fans as he attempts to win a major in his 20s for the final time.
The 29-year-old has been hit-or-miss in this event, with a T5 and a T6 on his Open resume, but also five missed cuts and a T51 in his other six starts. He won the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January by four strokes, and was a runner-up at the PGA Tour’s recent Palmetto Championship at Congaree.
Hatton sports some of the most gorgeous shotmaking in golf when his confidence is going.
Odds: 28-1
World Rank: 10th
2019 OPEN: T6
2021 PLAYERS: MC
2021 MASTERS: T18
2021 PGA: T38
2021 US OPEN: MC
8. Jordan Spieth
The former world No. 1 turned-world No. 92 as recently as January emphatically re-entered the ranks of the Tour’s best players, with a nine-start streak from February through May where he finished in the top 15 eight times, including a victory at the Valero Texas Open.
Now up to 23rd in the OWGR, he can re-enter the elites if he is able to capture his first major championship since an inspiring three-stroke victory at the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
The 27-year-old three-time major champion has had to play catch-up in his last two starts, rebounding from an opening 76 at The Memorial Tournament to finish T18, and from an opening 77 at the U.S. Open to finish T19.
His game is basically built for an Open (he has two top 10s in addition to the win), but he will need to be better with his driver if he wants that second Claret Jug. The Open is not the place to miss fairways.
Odds: 18-1
World Rank: 23rd
2019 OPEN: T20
2021 PLAYERS: T48
2021 MASTERS: T3
2021 PGA: T30
2021 US OPEN: T19
7. Paul Casey
In the past 11 months, the 43-year-old Englishman has played like he may not have too many chances left to win a first career major, given how much he has stepped up his play on that stage.
He contended at three of the five majors held in that time, and has gone T4-T7 in his last two. Casey also finished T5 at both THE PLAYERS Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, in addition to a four-stroke victory at the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January.
Casey currently ranks 7th on Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green. He could make it three straight major winners from the Arizona State golf program.
Odds: 40-1
World Rank: 10th
2019 OPEN: T57
2021 PLAYERS: T5
2021 MASTERS: T26
2021 PGA: T4
2021 US OPEN: T7
6. Justin Thomas
The world No. 3 has been a top-10 machine in his career, notching 39 of them in the four seasons prior to 2021. That’s why his recent stretch of eight straight starts outside the top 10 felt especially significant, and why he had to feel so relieved to have finished T8 at last week’s abrdn Scottish Open.
And he does more than place on the PGA Tour, with 14 career victories; putting him in elite company at the age of 27. However, as tremendous as he has been, he has not been able to add a second major championship (2017 PGA), nor has he contended at an Open Championship.
Granted, his March victory at THE PLAYERS was as big as it gets outside the majors.
Odds: 18-1
World Rank: 3rd
2019 OPEN: T11
2021 PLAYERS: 1st
2021 MASTERS: T21
2021 PGA: MC
2021 US OPEN: T19
5. Collin Morikawa
Given that the 24-year-old will be making his Open debut, it could be somewhat concerning that he did not do better than T71 at the Scottish Open. But he has been on fire on the PGA, finishing in the top 18 in six consecutive starts, including a runner-up last month at The Memorial Tournament.
Morikawa also won the WGC-Workday Championship at the Concession in February, his fourth career victory in fewer than 50 career starts. Those who place extra importance on iron play for The Open, should especially love Morikawa.
The Cal Berkeley product leads the Tour in strokes gained: approach-the-green, strokes gained: tee-to-green, birdie average, and is second in greens in regulation. He will likely be among the best at Royal St. George’s in staying out of trouble.
The question with him is will be how much of that will he offset on the greens. The World No. 4 finished T8, T4 in his last two major starts, and lack of experience did not matter when he won his PGA Championship debut last August.
Odds: 33-1
World Rank: 4th
2019 OPEN: DNQ
2021 PLAYERS: T41
2021 MASTERS: T18
2021 PGA: T8
2021 US OPEN: T4
4. Xander Schauffele
One major after another, it keeps feeling like it’s Xander’s time, but the world No. 5 keeps coming up a bit short. With a T3 at The Masters and a T7 at the U.S. Open, Schauffele has finished in the top 10 of two majors in each of the past four years.
One of his closest calls came at the 2018 Open Championship, where he held the 54-hole co-lead before finishing as one of the four runner-ups to Francesco Molinari.
Aiming for his first Tour victory since January of 2019, Xander has finished runner-up eight times since, including three times in 2021. He gets himself into the mix so often, he has to be beyond ready for his moment.
His game has shown no glaring weaknesses, a big reason why his scoring average is the third best on Tour, and his prowess out of the bunkers makes him an especially good fit at an Open.
Odds: 18-1
World Rank: 5th
2019 OPEN: T41
2021 PLAYERS: MC
2021 MASTERS: T3
2021 PGA: MC
2021 US OPEN: T7
3. Jon Rahm
Rahm’s play as of late has been so incredible, that “only” finishing seventh, two strokes out of the three-man playoff, at last week’s abrdn Scottish Open, felt like a minor disappointment. He actually ended up dropping from No. 1 in the world rankings, as he was passed by Dustin Johnson, who did not play anywhere last week.
In Rahm’s two starts prior, he was forced to withdraw from The Memorial Tournament after a positive COVID-19 test, while holding a six-stroke lead through three rounds, and then his breakthrough major, where he came back from three strokes down to win the U.S. Open.
Rahm is the betting favorite this week, and for good reason: he leads the Tour in scoring average and strokes gained: total, while sitting at second in strokes gained: off-the-tee and strokes gained: tee-to-green.
Rahm has also finished in the top 10 in seven of his last 11 major starts, although none of those were at The Open, where he finished T11 in 2019.
Odds: 7-1
World Rank: 2nd
2019 OPEN: T11
2021 PLAYERS: T9
2021 MASTERS: T5
2021 PGA: T8
2021 US OPEN: 1st
2. Louis Oosthuizen
The co-runner-up to Phil Mickelson at the PGA Championship, and the solo runner-up to Jon Rahm at the U.S. Open, Oosthuizen remains a fixture at the majors in his late 30s. Those two second-places this year give him six for his career, to go with one victory, when he won the 2010 Open Championship at St. Andrews by seven strokes.
Louis will not be surprising anyone this time, and while it would be fair to question his mindset if he does get into contention again, his 2021 version has been tremendous.
The South African leads the Tour in strokes gained: putting, has the fourth-best scoring average, and ranks highly in scrambling (14th total). He is built for Royal St. George’s.
Odds: 28-1
World Rank: 13th
2019 OPEN: T20
2021 PLAYERS: T41
2021 MASTERS: T26
2021 PGA: T2
2021 US OPEN: 2nd
1. Brooks Koepka
Did somebody say major? Enter four-time major champion Brooks Koepka, who has finished in the top 7 in 11 of the 15 played. He missed the cut at The Masters this year, which is forgivable given the shape his knee was in, but was back to his big game hunting at the PGA Championship, where he finished T2, and at the U.S. Open, where he finished T4.
Brooks is among the favorites regardless of the venue, and regardless of recent form. That recent form is excellent by the way, with his last start being a T5 at the Travelers Championship.
It also bodes well for his chances of a first career Open win that he ranks third on Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green.
Odds: 16-1
World Rank: 8th
2019 OPEN: T4
2021 PLAYERS: DNP-INJ
2021 MASTERS: MC
2021 PGA: T2
2021 US OPEN: T4
Next Five: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Max Homa, Ian Poulter, Jason Day, Guido Migliozzi
Koepka is best on big stage. Xander and Louis too.
Rahm is easily best player in world tho. He’s just a bit weird and not charismatic so he doesn’t get promo like DJ, JT, Koepka and Rory.