Tiger Woods British Open: Expert Predictions for Open Performance

Despite the fact that Tiger Woods is a few years removed from his last Major victory, the main storyline heading into every Major is how he will perform and if he will finally end his dry spell.

This week's Open Championship is no different, as Woods has had a strong year with three wins overall and is in pursuit of his fourth British Open win.

It won't be easy, though, as poor weather has made Royal Lytham & St. Anne's Golf Course very difficult to manage. Accuracy will be of the utmost importance in this tournament, and while Woods is often inconsistent in that regard, he was what it takes to win provided he plays his best golf.

Here are some predictions from some of the top experts in the sport regarding how Tiger will fare in golf's oldest major. 

Shane Bacon, CBS Sports

Prior to missing the cut at the Greenbrier Classic, it looked like Woods was really making some strides toward becoming the player that so many golf fans had grown accustomed to. Woods had won the AT&T National as well as the Memorial Tournament, and while he only finished 21st at the U.S. Open, he was very much a contender through two rounds.

Woods' hiccup at Greenbrier didn't deter Shane Bacon of CBS Sports, however, as he picked Woods to win the Open Championship and get the major championship monkey off his back.

Bacon maintains that he doesn't like to pick Woods since he is so often the obvious choice, but he feels like Tiger is playing better than anyone this year and that it will ultimately translate. Woods is the odds-on favorite at 8/1, according to Bovada, so apparently Las Vegas agrees with that assessment.

The fields are so large and competitive right now that it is tough to say how Tiger will react, but it is also tough to argue with Bacon's thought process.

Tony Jacklin, 1969 British Open Winner

As winner of the 1969 British Open, Tony Jacklin certainly knows what it takes to win on a tough links course. That is precisely what the world's top golfers will have to do this week, including Woods.

Tiger said that parts of the course are unplayable and Jacklin retorted that whining won't help players win the Open Championship. He also said that keeping the ball in play and favoring accuracy over power is key to coming out on top.

Jacklin is the last Englishman to win the British Open in England, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he picked Lee Westwood and Luke Donald as his favorites. The talent of both Westwood and Donald is undeniable, but they have yet to break through at a Major and perhaps they don't have what it takes.

Jacklin didn't exactly make a clear prediction regarding where Woods will finish, but he obviously doesn't have him winning and wasn't particularly complimentary of the three-time Open champ.

Ryan Wilson, CBS Sports

Like his colleague Shane Bacon, Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports made his predictions regarding who will win the British Open, but he went in another direction. Wilson decided to pick a bit of a long shot as he took American Dustin Johnson to hoist the Claret Jug.

Johnson's talent is undeniable and he has come close to winning majors in the past, but the big knock on him, as has been the case with Woods in recent years, is that he is too inconsistent to hold up over an entire tournament.

While Wilson went with Johnson rather than Woods to win, he still believes that Tiger will turn in a strong performance. Wilson said that he thinks Tiger is extremely close to reaching his former level, and although he won't win the British Open, he should end up with a top 10.

Woods himself may not be thrilled with a top-10 finish since he is always looking to win, but there is no doubt that would be a step in the right direction for him.

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