Tour Confidential: Brooks? Rahm? DJ? Who makes a move at the Open?
Dustin Johnson hits out of a bunker on Friday on the 15th hole at Royal St. George's.
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Check in each day of this week’s Open Championship for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topic in the tournament, and join the conversation by tweeting us @golf_com.
We’re halfway through the final major of the year and, like the PGA Championship and U.S. Open, Louis Oosthuizen finds himself at the top of the Open Championship leaderboard. The South African leads with a record 11-under total, which is two shots ahead of Collin Morikawa, and three ahead of Jordan Spieth. Lurking, as expected, are world No. 1 Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and a handful of other stars. Which marquee name do you expect to make the biggest move on Saturday at Royal St. George’s?
Sean Zak, senior editor (@sean_zak): Jon Rahm. He does this at every major, it seems. He starts out slow and then gets more comfortable and then pounces. He did it at Augusta. He did it at Kiawah. And he did it at Torrey Pines in the most successful fashion. Don’t be shocked when he shoots 65 tomorrow.
Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): I’ll go with the slightly lesser light of Scottie Scheffler. He was seventh at the U.S. Open, eighth in the PGA, 18th at the Masters. He’s done pretty much everything on Tour but win. I would not be shocked if he makes the Claret Jug his first claim.
Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): Since Sens took the words out of my mouth with Scottie Scheffler, I’ll go with another fellow Longhorn of mine in Jordan Spieth. He’s in total control of his golf ball this week, and if not for a few missed chances on the greens Friday, he’d be the one who set the 36-hole scoring record. I like Jordan to shoot another low number tomorrow.
Dylan Dethier, Senior Writer (@dylan_dethier): They won’t win, but two guys I liked at the beginning of the week, Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, are going to come out guns blazing on Saturday morning, chock-full of frustration. I’m ready for a rage 63 from one of those two to sneak toward a Sunday top 10.
Louis Oosthuizen is breaking records and leading at a major — again
Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Has anyone snuck up the leaderboard quieter than … the No. 1 player in the world? Dustin Johnson got hot late on Friday and will have a big advantage on some slower, receptive and un-Open-like greens this weekend. He’s keeping it out of trouble (hitting 78 percent of his fairways vs. the field average of 59 percent) and will give himself a ton of opportunities.
James Colgan, assistant editor (@jamescolgan26): This far down and nobody’s mentioned Brooks? Color me shocked. The big fella is six strokes off the lead, yes, but he’s also well within striking distance on a course that (for the moment) appears eminently gettable. If I’m rolling with one man heading into the weekend, it’s Mr. Major.
Jessica Marksbury, multimedia editor (@jess_marksbury): I’m liking Paul Casey for a big move on Saturday. He was T4 at this year’s PGA, and T7 at the U.S. Open. He seems long overdue for a major championship, and maybe a bit of under-the-radar, backdoor contention will be his ticket to the winner’s circle.
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