2024 Open Championship: Time for the Range

Posted on July 16, 2024
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The final major of the year, The Open Championship shapes as the toughest of them all. It will be a mental marathon and will test every facet of your physical and mental wits.

No time for a long preview mail? Just head over to get your PICKS in! Picks are already pouring in.



Keep an eye open for the majorpunter changes introduced last year, with a no-subs option, adding a 6th pick and the addition of another wildcard. See the updated RULES on the site, which also include a no-sympathy approach to players withdrawing once the first tee shot has gone off.



News from the course indicates that Royal Troon is looking as good as ever, with the famed bunkers (like The Coffin behind The Postage Stamp 8th) patched around the course and undulating greens. Stray drives finding some wispy linklsland gauze will fill golf pursuits with much glee and anticipation.



Royal Troon holds significant pedigree in The Open roster having hosted some of the finest Open championships over the years. The most recent being Stenner winning in 2016 over Lefty which ranks as one of the best, with both players going at it all day, Stenner finishing with a birdie to really nail his only major championship win!



The field is now locked, pending late withdrawals, and The Big Cat & The Big Easy will be there, who are the only multiple winners of the Claret Jug in the field. Could Rory join them there this week?


The defending champ, Harmie, was out and about prepping amidst much more fan fare than he would normally get. Can he defend this week? He has struggled more this year than last and the 2023 win might just sit as an anomaly on his resume. The Links course will give him some reward for his skills, like usual, but promises to be significantly tougher.


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Any major presents so many potentials, obviously littered with favourites of proven top end players, but we all know there is a surprise out there just like Harmie last year.

The course is going to be firm, though the weather is forecast to be cold, wet and windy, players will be out there grinding as the prep for the final major of the year.

History does tend to repeat itself, like in 2016, Stenner was in a rich vein of form entering the week and continued this, with his putting prowess at its best. Though Lefty took him down to the wire and was not in the same golden form headed into the major. In 2004, the form person was The Big Easy, but stumbled as the finish neared with little-known, Todd Hamilton, coming him for the win and the famed Claret Jug.


The Challengers
The DATA GOLF RANKINGS have a top 10 that is drifting apart with a heavy top 3 and then the rest. Scottie does keep pulling further and further away.

The top 10 has lost a little of its veteran status and rather being filled with some charging youth: Scottie, Rory, Rahmbo & Collin are all multiple major winners with plenty of pedigree and form to boot, while Aberg, The Hov, Henley & Tommy Lad are all seeking their first major win.

There are no grand slam hunters at the The Open but players like BK & Rahmbo would love to add it to their growing list of major trophies on the counter top!


But what of the sleeper picks or data?

Sneaky form and improved putting prowess from Scotty definitely turned a few heads at the Scottish Open, plus a serious contingent of followers from the Bobby Mac corner. The course generally an intricate tee ball without needing to be long, though there have been changes since 2016. The Open always places a premium on ball-striking and for that look no further than Collin or Conners who both had their moments at The Scottish.

Troon can be gettable from time to time, there have been birdie surges in the past and will exist again when conitions allow. Pretenders to the thrown will get hot, but burn out as quickly. Look out for a charge from Straka & Burmy, who have both been in good form.
For an in-depth analysis of the top candidates from CBS GOLF and GOLF DIGEST.

The Open Championship Pairings
The Tee times were released earlier today and there are some absolute cracker’s to get us going.

Serious Contenders: Scottie, Jordan, Other Cam
Big Mates: Tiger, X, Cant(p)lay
Past major Champs: Lowry, Cambo, Fitzy
Long & Far: Wyndie, Hideki, BK
Grumpy Cats: Hatton, Max, Rory
20 sumsing power players: Aberg, The Bulk, TKim
Local Heroes: Bobby Mac, Tommy, Rahmbo



Your Picks
Dig hard into DATA GOLF RANKINGS, seeking value. There has been some impressive form without winning, so there are probably some players considered due for a big win. Winners from last week though did include Bobby with his 2nd win of the year and The Big Easy with his 3rd win of the year, including a senior major! Both also seem keen on a beer post round!


Keep an eye open for majorpunter changes, with us trialing a no-subs option, adding a 6th pick and the addition of another wildcard. See the updated RULES on the site, which also include a no-sympathy approach to players withdrawing once the first tee shot has gone off.

The Buckets
Top bucket: Hard to see anything past the Big 3, but there has been a serious resurgence from Collin this year at all the majors, whose accuracy might be the key attribute this week. Will Aberg continue his form or is the blips freaking him out?


2nd bucket: Have to love Tommy on a links course and in a major. Showed his usual charge at The Scottish and knows he needs to start that earlier at Troon. Some other nice form players like Conners & Rai, who both had had decent weeks heading into the major. Surely no takers for The Hov though he keeps showing some potential!

3rd Bucket: some interesting form players here like Fitzy, TKim & Scotty though plenty of possible passengers too. JT has not looked himself this year but we all know his pedigree when its major time! King Louis finally makes a return to the majors, but will the real test of 72 holes be too much for the 54 hole veteran!


Bottom Bucket: The long shots, presents many options, like ceremonial picks for Tiger, Ernie & Lefty but perhaps better form is showing for Detry, Jordan or Eric VR.

Head over to DATA GOLF RANKINGS to find your team!



Take on your Mates
As always, the more the merrier so send this on to the other golf fans in your life to get them involved and swell the winner's purse!
Remember we have Side Pots for punters to directly compete with each other’s friends, families, colleagues, local clubs, whatever you feel necessary. Give it a try and maybe get some side wagers going!

LIVE SCORING will be up and running on the site for all punters to see where they stand in real time. We are constantly looking to improve so keep us updated on some new trends (or bugs) that we might have missed.

For more news, head over to majorpunter!

Remember to ensure your teams are entered and paid before the first tee off time wherever you might be around the globe.