British Open 2016: Latest Pre-Tournament Comments, Odds and Predictions
Now that Dustin Johnson won the U.S. Open and picked up his first major championship, will his onslaught begin? Can he string together a number of titles?
That's part of the discussion as the world of golf descends on Royal Troon in Scotland for the British Open.
Johnson has long been admired for his tremendous distance off the tee and his ability to keep it in the fairway. In a world where average professionals regularly hit the ball 300 yards or more off the tee, Johnson has consistently shown the ability to overpower the ball and hit it 20 or 30 yards past his competitors.
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But that was never good enough for Johnson to enter the realm of major champions. He had come close several times, with the most painful being his near miss at the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. When Johnson reached the 72nd hole, he had a 15-foot eagle putt that would have given him the championship outright and a short putt for a birdie that would have put him in a playoff. He missed both, and the three-putt cost him that championship.
| Dustin Johnson | 8-1 | Second place |
| Jason Day | 8-1 | Champion |
| Rory McIlroy | 9-1 | Fifth place |
| Jordan Spieth | 10-1 | 10th place |
| Adam Scott | 22-1 | Sixth place |
| Branden Grace | 22-1 | Third Place |
| Sergio Garcia | 25-1 | Not in Top 10 |
| Henrik Stenson | 28-1 | Ninth place |
| Rickie Fowler | 28-1 | Not in Top 10 |
| Justin Rose | 33-1 | Not in Top 10 |
| Phil Mickelson | 33-1 | Seventh place |
| Louis Oosthuizen | 45-1 | Fourth Place |
| Shane Lowry | 45-1 | Eighth Place |
Johnson finally put it all together last month at Oakmont in the U.S. Open, and now he is one of golf's darlings. The Big Three of Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy may become the Big Four with the inclusion of DJ.
"We can talk about his prowess, [but] there's not many guys who can do what he does," defending Open champion Zach Johnson told Gene Wojciechowski of ESPN.com. "I just like watching him play golf. There are only so many guys you can watch. He's one you can watch."
Dustin Johnson's improvement with his wedges may have keyed his improvement, according to analyst and former PGA star David Duval.
"I've thought for a couple years...that's he's the most talented player there is in golf," Duval told Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press. "He has that weapon that is just basically unbeatable—driving the golf ball—and as he's improved his wedges...that almost becomes unbeatable."
Johnson is the co-favorite in the field along with Day to win the British Open at odds of 8-1, according to Odds Shark. Johnson had been the favorite by himself prior to Tuesday, but Day's consistency and ability to put the ball close to the pin with his short irons regularly impresses the bettors.
Americans have dominated at Royal Troon over the years. Bobby Locke won the 1950 British Open at the famed course, but Americans have won the six British Opens that have followed at the Scottish tract.
Some believe Royal Troon has become an "Americanized" course, and that's why golfers from the United States have done well there.
"I wouldn't say it's more Americanized. Birkdale has probably a little of that," Jim Furyk said, via Ferguson. "We had a hell of a run there starting in the mid-'90s (10 victories by Americans in 12 years). I think it's just one of those things that happens."
Predictions: Royal Troon is a golf course that has yielded low scores in the past, and there's no reason to think that won't change here. Unless the winds are howling consistently and playing havoc with players' accuracy off the tee or from the fairway, this will play the opposite of a typical U.S. Open when players struggle to shoot par or better.
The best golfers in the world should be able to play their best game. That means players like Day, McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Zach Johnson should be at their best.
However, there are a lot of excellent golfers in the field that can play with the game's elite players. Two of those players are South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen and Branden Grace.
Look for both men to remain in contention throughout all four rounds. However, when the smoke clears, we expect Day to edge out DJ and bring home the Claret Jug.
Johnson's confidence has never been higher, but Day's ability to fire at the pin with his magnificent short game will be the difference here.
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