2011 British Open

The world's best golfers head across the pond for a chance to win the Open Championship. The links golf course holding the 140th Open this year is Royal Saint George's. A windy test is sure to wait, and Royal Saint George's is as unpredictable a course as the world may have. The last time the Open was played at this course in Sandwich, England was in 2003 when Ben Curtis took home the Claret Jug. To nobody's surprise, the favorite heading into the Open is Rory McIlroy. McIlroy has drawn comparisons to Tiger Woods since dominating the competition throughout the US Open at the young age of 22. Vegas has McIlroy listed at 5 to 1 odds to win back to back majors. Englishmen and the world's top 2 ranked players are the only other players with odds of 10 to 1 or better in Lee Westwood (8 to 1) and Luke Donald (10 to 1). It has been 21 years since an Englishmen took home the Jug when Nick Faldo won it in 1990. It should be interesting to see what happens in this most unpredictable of Opens.

1. Ernie Els - South Africa (50 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 24th
Best British Open Finish: 2002 Champion
Average 2011 Score: 72.29

2. Lee Westwood - England (8 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 2nd
Best British Open Finish: 2nd in 2010
Average 2011 Score: 70.13

3. Steve Stricker - USA (30 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 5th
Best British Open Finish: 7th in 2008
Average 2011 Score: 69.09

4. Sergio Garcia - Spain (25 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 53rd
Best British Open Finish: 2nd in 2007
Average 2011 Score: 70.47

5. KJ Choi - Korea (40 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 13th
Best British Open Finish: 8th in 2007
Average 2011 Score: 70.50

6. Adam Scott - Australia (50 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 17th
Best British Open Finish: 8th in 2006
Average 2011 Score: 71.09

7. Louis Oosthuizen - South Africa (80 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 32nd
Best British Open Finish: 2010 Champion
Average 2011 Score: 71.59

8. Rory McIlroy - Northern Ireland (5 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 3rd
Best British Open Finish: 3rd in 2010
Average 2011 Score: 70.55

9. Henrik Stenson - Sweden (60 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 124th
Best British Open Finish: 3rd in 2008, 2010
Average 2011 Score: 72.60

10. Paul Casey - England (50 to 1)
World Golf Ranking: 14th
Best British Open Finish: 3rd in 2010
Average 2011 Score: 71.10

Prediction - Call it a hunch but I'm going to take Ernie Els to win his 2nd Open title. The Big South African has not played his best golf in 2011. But he always plays well in majors, and has finished in the top 10 of the British Open 9 times. With such a wide open field, and an unpredictable course, you could probably pull a name out of a hat and have a shot. Everyone is on the Rory McIlroy train, but I'm going a different route. I don't know how you can consider a 3-time major winner a longshot, but that's exactly what Els is. At 50 to 1 odds, I'll take Els to win his 2nd Claret Jug.