Fantasy League: Open Championship preview

The Today’s Golfer Fantasy League gets underway this week with the greatest tournament in world golf and the third Major of the season.

This year’s Open Championship has headed to Royal St George’s, Kent, and it’s as open as an Open has been for a long time.

The course should play somewhat easier that when Ben Curtis won in Sandwich with a score of -1 in 2003 as a dry spring and early summer has meant the rough isn’t as deep or thick and some of the fairways have been widened.

But the best golfers on the planet will still face a stern links test, especially if the wind blows. The forecast is for comfortable temperatures around the 20-degree mark and largely sunny skies with the chance of showers.

The six tips below conform to the $15m budget and emphasise the strength of European golf at the moment.

TG’s Fantasy League team for the Open Championship is:

George Coetzee, $0.8m
You may not be familiar with the name but the South African is enjoying a fine first season on the European Tour and represents great value for money. He sits 37th in the Race to Dubai, having notched seven top 13s this year, including two tied-thirds in his last three starts.

Sergio Garcia, $2.0m
El Nino is starting to garner some success with his new claw putting grip and that has seen him return to form in recent months. He finished tied-seventh at the US Open in a run of nine top 20s in 13 starts. Also has six top 10s in his last 10 Opens.

Scott Jamieson, $0.7m
Another lesser-known pick, but the young Scot has real pedigree and is familiar with links golf. He earnt his place in the field by finishing tied-third in the Scottish Open last week – one of five top 6 finishes already in his debut season.

Rory McIlroy, $4.0m
He’s an obvious choice for a reason. The Northern Irishman blew the field away at the US Open, after leading the Masters through three rounds earlier in the year. He shot an opening 63 in The Open last year on his way to a tied-third finish. Don’t be put off by the fact he hasn’t played a tournament since Congressional.

Justin Rose, $2.3m
The American-based Englishman is coming into form at the right time. His last two starts have yielded top 15 finishes and he has a good Open record. He shot onto the scene by finishing leading amateur as a teenager at Royal Birkdale in 1998 and has performed solidly since.

Lee Westwood, $5.0m
It’s surely only a matter of time until the world number two breaks his Major duck, and this could be the week he does it. He’s finished tied-third and second in the last two Opens and comes into this week off the back of a T14 in the shortened Scottish Open that included an opening 65.

> You can register for the free Today’s Golfer Fantasy League and pick your team here.