British Open 2011 Preview: 10 Players That Could Hoist the Claret Jug

Rarely is the word gluttony associated with the game of golf.  After all, gluttony means over-indulgence in food, drink or items to the point of waste.  

Sounds more like a Coney Island hot dog eating contest than the sport of golf.  Joey Chestnut will win the British Open!  

How does eating 52 hot dogs translate to this year's British Open?  Consider the bunkers on the Royal St. George's layout as small sandwich's at Sandwich, England.

For the player that manages to avoid the granules of sand, goes the spoils, the Claret Jug.  Success at Royal St. George's will not be defined by the greens complexes but rather the intermediate shots that must penetrate the wind off the North Sea and avoid the daunting bunkers.  

Wind-aided bad bounces, as we have come to expect in these conditions, will also be a factor.  

In the 2003 OPEN Championship played at Royal St. George's, Thomas Bjorn failed to escape the bunker on the 70th hold that led to his demise.  It took Bjorn three shots to escape the green-side bunker on 16.  

American Ben Curtis seized the opportunity and the Claret Jug. 

The player that best executes the risk reward of the approach shots has a better shot at touching the Claret Jug.  The player that learns to be conservative on the shorter holes like the ninth, 10th and 12th may get to hoist the Claret Jug.  

And don't underestimate the combination of the recovery shot execution and the weather.  

The heavy European laden list is largely because of this situational experience.  When longtime first tee starter Ivor Robson's voice resonates over the Sandwich land, maybe he could interject the importance of temperance to each group?

Now on the tee....

10. Matteo Manassero

The recent trend in young majors champions could continue.  And Manassero would be a good bet to hold the Claret Jug on Sunday.  

He is young and has a game that has proven itself on the European Tour.  Manassero has a no fear approach which earned him the Maybank Malaysian Open in April.  His 16-under(-par) 272 was a little better than France’s Gregory Bourdy and a 22-year-old named Mcllroy.

Oh, and it was two days before he turned 18 years old.

9. Davis Love III

He led the 2003 British Open at Sandwich after 36 holes and he finished tied for fourth.  And, this is his 25th consecutive OPEN championship.

An experienced player always manages to hover around the leaderboard at majors.  He's our pick.  These ingredients are a great recipe for success this year.  And a British Love story would be a popular headline for the British tabloids.  

Let's try on: LOVE ROYALLY CONQUERS ALL - BY GEORGE.

8. Martin Kaymer

The 2010 PGA Champion said he would concentrate on the European Tour in 2011.  And so, the British Open must be circled on his calendar.  

It's just that his recent showings make him a little bit of a darkhorse.  He won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship in January.  His steady iron play will serve him well.

 Would he have been ranked higher if not for missing the cut at the Masters and a tie for 39th at Congressional?  We will know the answer in two weeks.

7. Adam Scott

He has always had the tee to green game.  Can the belly putter be the difference in Sandwich?  And he has played well in recent weeks.

The only problem with this out on the limb candidacy, he shot 82-74 and missed the cut at Royal St. George's in 2003.  But, that has to be in the far reaches of his mind.

He has everything in place to create a messy divorce between Tiger Woods and his longtime caddy.  Now that would be a story.

6. Ian Poulter

He is a player that has worked hard carving a niche off the course.  A major win could help move products.

He needs more than a branded driver cover to play well in the British Open.  He has been close several times.  A great bunker player.  When he does get wayward, which he will, he has the ability to recover.  

Like with Westwood, he has a knack for climbing into contention.  But, the British is an endurance test.  If he doesn't win, he could make money as a ventriloquist with his driver cover.

5. Luke Donald

He's too great an iron and a bunker player to miss the leaderboard at Royal St. George's.  He's worked hard to climb the world rankings.  

This kind of signature win would be his first major and would be a smashingly popular victory.  

4. Graeme McDowell

He has been Rory Mcllroy's biggest cheerleader.  But, the big brother, wants to make sure his Northern Ireland little brother knows who's boss.  

This would be a statement win for McDowell.  Major win No. 2 and Guiness for everyone.

No. 3 Louis Schwartzel

Excuse the malapropism. Flip a coin.  

This South African major tandem might as well be linked (together) as favorites to win at Royal St. George's.  They were not on the map at St. Andrews or Augusta.  They are friends.

They have absorbed the adulation of winning one.  And, they could turn this into an alternating shot feast, just not sure the R & A is ready for that one.

No. 2 Rory Mcllroy

You probably don't remember.  It was last year's OPEN at St Andrews, when he shot a nine-under(-par) 63 on the opening day, tying the course record and recording the lowest first round score in the 150-year history of the tournament.  

Psst, he actually could have holed a putt on the Road Hole for the outright record.  Then, the blustery conditions on Friday hit the doppler, the Winnie the Pooh like blustery conditions, caused him to shoot 80 in the second round.  

An 80 in a major championship...the second time he shot 80 in a major championship, oh, never mind.

A solid No. 2 pick.  I mean really solid.

No. 1 Lee Westwood

If he can get into contention, this is the kind of friendly environment that may jump start a run at more majors.  

A run that will last at least until the second week in August at the PGA Championship.  Overdue? Yes.  If his flatstick is even remotely in sync, this hometown boy could turn Sandwich into a feast that will not be subdued until Wednesday.