The 147th Open Championship gets underway at Carnoustie in Scotland on Thursday morning and what a tournament it promises to be as the world's best golfers compete for the famous Claret Jug. This is a hugely competitive betting heat and there are 20/1 players currently priced 40/1 or shorter! The Sportsman's golf experts have gone in search of value though as they have each picked out their long shot for glory, with the author who picks the highest finishing player set to scoop the jackpot on Sunday...
Steve Chambers: Stewart Cink @ 200/1
A memorable winner of the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry, where he famously denied veteran Tom Watson in a play-off, Stewart Cink is a real consistent performer and he is a monster 200/1 shot in the 2018 event at Carnoustie.
Sixth in the Open the last time it was played at Carnoustie in 2007, the American has played in 19 Open Championships during his illustrious career, so is aware of what is needed to shine on the Links courses, and the 45-year-old showed when finishing second in the Travelers Championship last month that his game is in a good place, and he is a lively outsider.
Sean Raymond: Thorbjorn Olesen @ 100/1
The prodigiously talented Dane is yet to fulfil his undoubted potential at the very highest level but comes to Carnoustie in good form and overpriced. The 28-year-old has won the Italian Open and picked up top ten finishes at the BMW and Irish Open in his last six starts, so should be bursting with confidence.
Open record is only average but won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2015 and is due for a big week in the race for the Claret Jug.
Chris Knight: Haotong Li @ 150/1
Haotong Li has the golfing world at his feet. The Chinese star may be tender in years but he has already won twice on the European Tour, including a nerveless one-stroke victory when going toe-to-toe with Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Desert Classic earlier this year, and he is sneaking under the radar at Carnoustie.
He has continued to impress on both the PGA and European Tours during an ultra-consistent 2018 campaign, including a solid tie for 23rd when warming up for this week's major at the Scottish Open.
Crucially, Li thrives when the pressure is highest and he will relish playing alongside major winner Jason Day on Thursday afternoon. The 22-year-old only played his first major last year and he has previous Open form as he fired a sensational final round of 63 to finish in 3rd place at Royal Birkdale twelve months ago, while he has since tied 32nd on debut at Augusta and he tied 16th when the US Open was played at the ridiculously difficult Shinnecock Hills last month.
Haotong Li clearly loves a challenge and the 150/1 shot is one to watch at Carnoustie, and beyond...
Russell Palmer: Kiradech Aphibarnrat @ 150/1
150/1 - Get on the big man! This cigarette puffing juggernaut cuts a mean figure on the links amongst the modern game's plethora of gym bunnies and he's really stepped up a level over the last 18 months. The man from Thailand has two top-five finishes in World Golf Championships this season plus a tie for fifteenth at the US Open last month. He's got a fourth place finish in the Alfred Dunhill Links and he's in a marquee group alongside Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth for the first two rounds. His Open record is a negative but I'm confident he can rise to the occasion this week with some really impressive general stats on the European Tour this year.
Jack Kitson: Tony Finau @ 100/1
If you’re after a sizzling 100/1 outsider then Tony Finau is your man this week at Carnoustie Golf Links. The American has enjoyed an excellent showing at majors so far this year, finishing T10 on his Masters debut - with a dislocated ankle - and then 5th at the US Open. He’s now primed for glory at The Open.
Finau, 10th in the current FedExCup standings, has been in fine form in the last 18 months with a host of top-10 finishes, while in his last two appearances at The Open he’s registered T18 and T27, and I now expect the talented big-hitter to draw on that valuable experience and conjure up something special in Scotland this time around.
