The Open: SB Nation staff picks, predictions for who will lift Claret Jug

After a thrilling Genesis Scottish Open, which saw Scotsman Robert MacIntyre prevail by one over Adam Scott, the focus shifts from Scotland’s East Coast to the West, where The Old Course at Royal Troon awaits.

Troon will host The Open Championship for the 10th time, as the Ayrshire course last welcomed the world’s best in 2016. It’s a proper links-style layout, which receives plenty of wind and rain off the Firth of Clyde. The first six holes run along the coast, often aided by a northerly wind that makes this stretch easier than the rest. Holes 7, 8, and 9 turn inland, with the famous par-3 8th, “The Postage Stamp,” being one of the best short holes in the world. It only measures 123 yards.

The back nine turns towards the clubhouse, a beastly set of holes highlighted by the brutal par-4 11th, known as “The Railway.” This challenging par-4, measuring 498 yards, was the most difficult hole on the PGA Tour during the 2015-2016 season. It runs along a set of train tracks, meaning out-of-bounds is in play down the entire right side, and it most often faces the prevailing wind.

Good ball-strikers and players with imaginative short games tend to do well on this course, so it’s no wonder that Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson produced the greatest Open showdown since “The Duel in the Sun” in 1977, when Tom Watson narrowly defeated Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry.

So, considering all of this, let’s get to our staff picks, as we have RJ Ochoa serving as our guest picker this week once again:

Jack Milko — Staff Writer, Golf

Tyrrell Hatton plays from a bunker during a practice round ahead of The 152nd Open.

Photo by Stuart Kerr/R&A via Getty Images

Eight years ago, in his fifth Open appearance, Tyrrell Hatton made the cut for the first time and tied for fifth at Royal Troon, a result that helped spark the then 24-year-old’s career in the right direction. Hatton has since ascended to become one of the best players in the world.

But a major championship is the one glaring omission on the Englishman’s resume. He has finished in the top 10 at five majors since that first trip to Royal Troon in 2016, which includes a tie for ninth at Augusta National earlier this year. Hatton has also made the cut in 11 straight majors, dating back to The 149th Open at Royal St. George’s.

He also jumped to LIV Golf in late January, which has not affected his game much. Hatton won the LIV Golf Nashville event by six strokes, one week after tying for 26th at Pinehurst No. 2. He then came in solo third in Anadalucía last week, missing out on a playoff with Sergio Garcia and Anirban Lahiri by one stroke.

Hatton is trending in the right direction, and his game suits Royal Troon well. The three-time Ryder Cupper has long been one of the game’s top ball-strikers, but his short game is underrated, too. That combination will help him in Ayrshire, as I envision Hatton becoming the next Champion Golfer of the Year.

DraftKings Odds: +2800
RJ Ochoa — Senior Producer, Blogging the Boys

Tommy Fleetwood during a Monday practice round ahead of The 152nd Open.

Photo by Luke Walker/R&A via Getty Images

The last time I was asked to pick here at Playing Through, I defied logic and chose Rory McIlroy over Scottie Scheffler. That did not work out well!

Since then, McIlroy has been through what we will call “some stuff,” while Scottie has continued to play remarkable golf. Scottie still seems like the logical choice now that we have reached Royal Troon, but things felt that way at Valhalla and Pinehurst as well.

I’m going to go just a bit out of left field and let my heart truly make my pick in the way I thought it did with McIlroy. Give me Tommy Fleetwood to win his first major championship title, which will undoubtedly be a win for the ages. He has been so close, so many times, and this feels like his week.

Let’s ride.

DraftKings Odds: +2200
Savannah Richardson — Staff Writer, Golf

Ludvig Åberg at the Genesis Scottish Open.

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

I’m going with Ludvig Åberg!

He is on the cusp of a run, especially after his strong performances at The Masters and the U.S. Open. He also played well at the Genesis Scottish Open, even though he struggled during the final round—a theme that has unfortunately plagued him as of late. But I think he will overcome those recent struggles and win in his Open Championship debut.

On top of that, Åberg vividly remembers what Henrik Stenson did on this golf course in 2016, even calling that day a “national holiday” in Sweden. He will make it two Swedish winners in a row at Royal Troon.

DraftKings Odds: +1400
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.