Open Championship 2015: Latest Pre-Tournament Comments, Odds and Predictions

Steven CookJul 14, 2015

There's nothing quite like the British Open at St. Andrews, and it's on tap again for 2015 as the prestigious third major of the year visits "The Home of Golf" for the 29th time in its history.

The top European golfer and perhaps the leading favorite, Rory McIlroy, won't be a part of the field after his unfortunate ankle injury, but that's still done little to quell the excitement for this year's tournament. The rest of the world's best golfers descend upon Scotland to try their hand at the legendary course, which has posted winning scores of at least 14 under par in four of the last five Open Championships held there.

2015 British Open Odds

Player	Odds
Jordan Spieth	5-1
Dustin Johnson	11-1
Rickie Fowler	16-1
Justin Rose	18-1
Adam Scott	20-1
Henrik Stenson	20-1
Louis Oosthuizen	22-1
Tiger Woods	25-1
Jason Day	28-1
Bubba Watson	33-1
Hideki Matsuyama	33-1
Paul Casey	33-1
Phil Mickelson	33-1
Sergio Garcia	33-1
Martin Kaymer	35-1
Shane Lowry	35-1
Branden Grace	40-1
Brandt Snedeker	40-1
Matt Kuchar	45-1
Brooks Koepka	50-1
Patrick Reed	50-1

Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated July 13

Jon Super/Associated Press

Even if McIlroy hadn't gone down with an ankle injury in the weeks leading up to the British Open, it's safe to say he wouldn't have been the most talked-about golfer in the mix leading up to Thursday.

That title unquestionably goes to Jordan Spieth, the 21-year-old phenom who has dazzled in 2015. As if winning the first two majors of the year and of his career wasn't enough, he's also taken the Valspar Championship as well as last weekend's John Deere Classic in a playoff to add to his win tally.

It's no surprise, then, that Spieth is absolutely shredding the competition in the FedEx Cup, putting up more points than any player has in the last five years, as PGA Tour noted:

As crazy as it is, Spieth hasn't even played his best golf in the last month or so despite winning the last two events he's played in. He told ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski as much:

With the British Open coming up and the PGA Championship following it close by, Spieth could secure a place in history nearly all to his own if he ends up winning both tournaments. He would complete the Grand Slam in 2015 in the process, becoming the first golfer to do so since Bobby Jones in 1930—the pre-Masters era.

One interesting tidbit is that Spieth might be heeding the advice of one Tiger Woods on the course, who is the last golfer to have won four consecutive majors in 2000 and 2001. ESPN's Jason Sobel caught the duo practicing together on the course Monday:

When it comes to expert opinions on St. Andrews, there may not be a more respected voice in the mix this year than Woods. Two of his three British Open titles came at the course, including his fourth career major title in 2000.

At least in comparison to what he saw a month ago, Woods is dazzled by the course's condition, per ESPN.com's Bob Harig:

"I was shocked," Woods said. "I had seen photos of it a month ago. It was bone dry. It looked like it was going to be one of those dust bowls again; hard, fast, like the years I've played St. Andrews. It's changed. They got big rain and a lot of sun. It's totally changed."

Woods is one golfer feeling increasingly confident about his game despite missing the cut in historically bad fashion back at Chambers Bay in the U.S. Open. He bounced back from that to post a seven-under finish at the Greenbrier, in which he finished 32nd.

Adam Scott is also seeing his game peak entering the Open, coming off an under-the-radar fourth-place finish at the U.S. Open last month. He's been working on his game since, which should push him into contention at St. Andrews, as Golf Channel's Todd Lewis noted:

With his comfortable belly putter and his tee game improving as the season rolls along, Scott should up his game as he searches for a breakthrough at the tournament where he famously conceded the Claret Jug to Ernie Els in 2012.

His improvements will put him in position for glory again, but this time, it will be an opponent taking him down and not himself.

Spieth may be just 21 years of age, but he's playing like a veteran well beyond his years. Never playing before in the British Open at St. Andrews shouldn't haunt Spieth, just like his previous shortcomings at Chambers Bay failed to stop him at the U.S. Open.

If he plays anywhere near how he's played in the last several months, nobody will be able to catch Spieth as he continues to write a storybook year.

Prediction: Jordan Spieth wins the British Open, Adam Scott finishes second