British Open Picks 2012: 5 Players Sure to Be in Hunt on Sunday

Predicting a winner at a golf tournament—let alone a major—is nearly impossible.

There are always favorites, sure, but golf is a unique sport in that it's not really surprising when those same favorites lose, or even miss the cut.

Even the best players can go out and shoot a 75 on any given day. It's golf. It happens.

But while guessing who will win the British Open involves being part psychic, it is still possible to predict who will at least be in the fray on the final day. 

Some golfers, even if they don't always win, are just more consistent and less likely to have a terrible round.

With that being said, let's take a look at who you can expect to see near the top of the final leaderboard at Royal Lytham and St. Annes. 

Zach Johnson

Zach Johnson is coming off a win at the John Deere Classic, and while it's uncommon for golfers to win two tournaments in a row, he has been one of the most consistent players on the tour this year. 

Johnson's win was his second of the season, and he also has two second-place finishes, a fifth top-10 finish and an impressive eight top-25 finishes. Throw in his 16 cuts made at 17 tournaments, and it's hard to find anyone who has been better than the 36-year-old in 2012. 

The 11th-ranked golfer in the world has been a model of consistency, and while he has never finished in the Top 10 at the British Open, Johnson had his best finish there last year and should only build off his recent success.

Matt Kuchar

If Zach Johnson is the model of consistency, then Matt Kuchar is doing a very good job of, um, modeling the model. 

Kuch has played in three less tournaments than Johnson but has still managed to rack up a win, six top-10 finishes and a ridiculous 10 top-25 finishes.

That's 10 top-25s in just 14 tournaments played for Kuchar, who has yet to miss a cut this season and has found himself consistently near the top of the leaderboard.

The American proved at the Masters that he is ready for the big time, and if he continues to play like he has been, there's no question he will, at the very least, make the cut at the British Open for just the second time in his career. 

Rickie Fowler

I'm pretty sure it's impossible for me to write a predictions piece without recommending Rickie Fowler. Just look at him. It's impossible not to like him. 

But even on top of his terrific wardrobe and amazing mustache, the 23-year-old Fowler has really brought his game to a new level in 2012. 

He hasn't played since he struggled at the U.S. Open (struggled in the first two rounds, at least. He had a nice weekend, but it was too little, too late), but Fowler has five top-10 finishes under his belt and has made 14 of 16 cuts. 

The 20th-ranked golfer in the world finished fifth at the British Open last year, and now that he's playing the best golf of his career, he should find himself in contention once again.  

Lee Westwood

It would be foolish to not include an Englishman for a tournament that takes place in Lancashire, and while plenty of Brits will likely surprise for a solid finish, Lee Westwood is easily the favorite. 

The 39-year-old has yet to secure a victory on the PGA Tour this season, but in just eight starts he has five top-10 finishes and has made every cut. 

And two of those top-10s? Yeah, they both came at majors. Westwood finished third at the Masters and 10th at the U.S. Open.

He is zeroing in on his first major, and it would only be appropriate for it to come at the Open Championship.

Westwood is my pick for this week. At the very least, he'll be making the leaders very nervous on Sunday. 

Tiger Woods

I'm certainly not going to be the one that doesn't put faith in Tiger Woods at a major.

Yes, he has failed to finish in the top 20 at the first two majors of the year, but as long as Eldrick is walking on two feet, he'll be the favorite, and it will be silly to bet against him.

Despite the small struggles at majors, Woods is climbing his way back to the top of the golf rankings, as he leads the tour with three wins in 2012 and has secured seven top-25 finishes in 12 tournaments.

He still isn't quite vintage Tiger, but he's playing his best golf of the last few years, and that has to scare everyone else on the tour. 

Since 1996, Woods has never gone a year without finishing in the Top 10 in at least one major. Don't be surprised if he continues that streak at St. Annes.