British Open Picks 2012: Which Top Stars Are Going to Perform Well?

The 2012 British Open is just a few days away. As we head into the third major of the 2012 PGA Tour, there are a few golfers who are rising to the top, and there are others who just can't seem to get their acts together.

Royal Lytham will prove to be a challenge for players who struggle in their mid-range iron game and in their short game close to the greens.

The 2012 British Open is truly up for grabs, with no true favorite. There are however a number of top stars who are ready to perform up to their potential.

Ahead are the top five picks of star golfers who are going to perform well in the 2012 British Open. 

Rickie Fowler

2011 British Open finish: T5 with a 280

The 2010 PGA Rookie of the Year is bound to have his career-defining moment soon, and it could be in the next few days at the 2012 British Open.

Fowler has had a relatively successful 2012 campaign, gaining his first PGA Tour win at the Wells Fargo Championship. At the Players Championship, just a week after his first PGA Tour win, Fowler finished second, just two strokes behind winner Matt Kuchar.

It's evident that Fowler is ready for a big win, and he'll be heading into the 2012 British Open with a decent amount of momentum.

Fowler hits the ball well off the tee, and he plays the ball well in his mid-range game, which will help him during the Open at Royal Lytham this year.

Rory Mcllroy

2011 British Open Finish: T25 at 287

Watching Rory Mcllroy play in the U.S. Open, you would have thought he was an amateur playing in his first professional event.

While it's going to be tough for Mcllroy to rebound after such a bad major performance, there's no doubt that his strengths fit well with the course at the Royal Lytham.

The biggest hurdle for Mcllroy is going to be getting out of his own head, which he failed to do at the U.S. Open. Mcllroy is his biggest enemy, but when he plays confidently he's one of the most unstoppable players on the PGA Tour.

It's time for Mcllroy to return to his dominant 2011 form, and there's no better place for him to start than at the 2012 British Open. 

Hunter Mahan

2011 British Open Finish: Cut at 144

Hunter Mahan has been struggling as of late in British Opens, and he'll need to make sure that his accuracy is at its peak when the 2012 British Open gets underway.

So far, in 2012, Mahan has accumulated two PGA Tour wins—the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Shell Houston Open. Based on his recent success, it's time for Mahan to win his first major, and the Open could certainly be his time to shine.

The biggest question facing Mahan heading into the Open is how accurate he'll be in his short game. If Mahan can compliment his lack of polish on his short game by hitting the green on his second or third shot he'll be able to stay in the race for his first major title.

It's time for Mahan to rise to the top. Keep an eye out for Mahan to put on quite a show in the 2012 British Open. 

Lee Westwood

2011 British Open Finish: Cut at 144

Lee Westwood fell apart during the 2012 U.S Open, and that's the major reason why he's going to do so well in the 2012 British Open.

Westwood is too good of a golfer to put together back-to-back abysmal performances. Don't forget, Westwood, just a few months ago, finished third at the Masters.

Westwood has come extremely close to winning his first major title quite a few times, and what better way to bounce back from a tough outing at the U.S. Open than to follow it up with an impressive performance, competing for the Open Championship.

The good news for Westwood is that he'll be playing home country of England, which will help give him confidence to bring his best game to the Open. Hitting the ball straight off the tee is going to be an absolute must for Westwood. If he can do that though, he'll certainly be in contention for his first major this week. 

Tiger Woods

2011 British Open Finish: DNP

Tiger Woods has been the definition of inconsistent on the PGA Tour this year.

One week he'll win the AT&T National at Congressional and then the next week he'll miss the cut on another PGA Tour match.

It's time for Woods to finally prove that he's back, and the best way for him to do that is to win his first major title since 2008 when he won the U.S. Open.

Woods will need to focus on controlling his swing off the tee, which has been a major issue for him since he returned to the game.

Woods has what it takes to win the 2012 British Open, he just needs to let the game come to him, instead of forcing himself on the game. It's as easy, and as complicated as that.