Six Australians will tee it up this week on the 152nd version of The Open, happening on the testing Royal Troon in Scotland’s southwest.
From new faces seeking to study and develop their recreation on the hardest stage, to a former champion and different contenders for the highest of the leaderboard, there’s loads to stay up for from the inexperienced and gold contingent.
Aussie former US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and professional analyst and former professional Paul Gow joined Fox Sports activities’ Aussies at The Open preview program to measurement up the Aussie stars in motion this weekend.
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ADAM SCOTT
After nearly lacking out on enjoying the US Open this 12 months, he saved his unimaginable 23-year streak alive and can be competing in his 93rd consecutive main. It’s greater than double the following greatest energetic participant – Jordan Spieth at 46 – however it’s nonetheless a world away from the good Jack Nicklaus’ file of 146.
And Adam Scott has been at Royal Troon for The Open earlier than, in 2004 and 2016, so expertise is actually on his aspect.
Gow mentioned: “That (93-major streak) is kind of wonderful … It has been an incredible run.
“He’s had such a constant profession in golf with that stunning golf swing. His placing has come of age, I’ll let you know what, he’s doing that quite a bit higher.”
“43 years of age and I can let you know, Adam Scott continues to be considering of successful this golf match. There’s little question.
“He’s performed some actually good golf this 12 months with out successful. However I feel he’ll be quietly assured he’ll contend this week as a result of he loves that atmosphere.”
Can Scott contend at 93rd straight main | 01:25
Gow added: “He’s nonetheless hitting these forms of pictures we’re used to. These skyrocketing pictures that are available in delicate into the greens. He’s been an amazing at flighting his golf ball by way of the years so anticipate extra (of that).
Scott loved a sensational weekend on the Scottish Open, the normal warm-up occasion to the most important, together with hitting an unbelievable driver shot off the deck, earlier than ending second in dramatic circumstances — his greatest PGA Tour lead to three years.
He mentioned on the weekend that competing on the majors stays a major motivating issue – and that he nonetheless believes he can win.
“It’s actually the motivating issue for me to maintain my recreation at a excessive degree,” he mentioned. “You recognize, the percentages are beginning to get in my favour of successful one other one. If I maintain raking them up, I’ll get one other one.
“I’m excited for The Open subsequent week.”
CAM SMITH
The Australian claimed the Claret Jug in 2022 at St Andrews, and is actually one to observe once more this week – even when he hasn’t hit those self same heights within the majors this 12 months.
Geoff Ogilvy mentioned: “It’s humorous with Cam, I really feel prefer it’s a distinct world enjoying out on LIV than enjoying towards (Scottie) Scheffler and Xander (Schauffele) and people guys each week.
“He performed effectively on the Masters with out ever type of contending. He was all the time type of there on the underside of the leaderboard. He didn’t actually play amazingly on the US Open.”
However there’s little question about his skill.
“He’s clearly a top quality participant, one in every of Australia’s greatest probabilities to win a serious each time he tees it up,” Ogilvy added.
“He loves the massive moments, I really feel like Cam is constructed for the massive moments.
“His quick recreation’s outrageous, clearly, two years in the past he gained the Open on the Outdated Course (St Andrews). He can do that match, he is aware of he can win it.
“When he will get himself within the combine he’s arduous to shake.
“Cam’s an opportunity, he simply must get off to a superb begin and get that putter rolling.”
‘He is aware of he can win it’ | 00:57
JASON DAY
The 36-year-old has been glorious this season after rebuilding his swing over the past couple of years, with 4 top-ten finishes and strong performances on the majors, although he missed the reduce on the US Open.
Paul Gow mentioned: “He’s a man who has modified his recreation. He clearly needed to get his golf swing in test so he might be wholesome sufficient to play the sport. This 12 months has been a very constant 12 months – there’s no up and downs for Jase, he’s performed actually constantly.
“He’s had 4 prime tens on the US Tour and appeared good at completely different instances. He appeared good on the Masters this 12 months. He appeared good on the PGA (Championship) at instances.
“We all know his quick recreation is immaculate when all of it clicks …. He wasn’t fairly positive when (his recreation) would come alongside however I feel it’s simply progressing,” he added.
“Don’t go away him out. He’s actually modified his recreation. He’s re-manufactured the way in which he performs the sport.”
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Regular Day cannot be dominated out at Open | 00:55
MIN WOO LEE
We’ve all been ready for Min Woo Lee to interrupt by way of and win on the most important stage. He’s completed runner-up in two occasions this season and solely missed the reduce as soon as in 13 PGA Tour occasions in 2024.
And he’s acquired type on hyperlinks programs, with the 25-year-old successful the Scottish Open in 2021.
“He’s clearly among the finest gamers on this planet,” Geoff Ogilvy declared. “Everyone talks about ‘this man’s going to begin successful some massive tournaments.’
“He performed in Europe a bit, he gained the Scottish Open so he likes hyperlinks golf.
“He’s had three fairly good majors this 12 months with out actually ever contending, he’s been round twentieth in all three majors, made all three cuts.”
However he’s coming into type on the excellent time – and Ogilvy believes he’s primed to carry out on the most important stage.
“He simply completed second in Detroit a few weeks in the past so he’s discovering a little bit of type,” Ogilvy mentioned.
“He loves this match and loves the stage. He’s constructed to indicate off. He’s constructed to indicate everybody how good he’s.
“Coming to the Open after an honest 12 months within the majors, I feel he’s an actual likelihood to do effectively.”
JASPER STUBBS
22-year-old Jasper Stubbs is an newbie getting ready to turning skilled after a meteoric rise in recent times. That additionally noticed him compete within the Masters this 12 months, which specialists consider can be an enormous enhance this time round.
“Completely I feel it would assist,” Gow mentioned. “Simply strolling into the atmosphere understanding among the gamers there, teaming up with the likes of Adam Scott, Min Woo Lee, and Jason Day to have apply rounds and simply study.
“This can be a actual studying curve for this younger man earlier than he turns professional. It’s about time for him to show professional after successful the Asian Novice that acquired him standing to play this week.”
He added: “He’s acquired an actual, actual tidy recreation. He’s lengthy off the tee, he can transfer the ball each methods. When he gained the Asian Novice at Royal Melbourne final 12 months his placing was completely distinctive. His distance management with every little thing was incredible.
“He discovered quite a bit from the Masters. Will he win this week? Most likely not, however geez he’ll study quite a bit.”
ELVIS SMYLIE
22-year-old Queenslander Elvis Smylie is one other Aussie teen on the rise, and eventually burst by way of to the most important stage by combating by way of qualifying to make his main debut this week.
The son of two former skilled tennis gamers, Smylie is a sensational expertise with a vivid future forward.
Ogilvy mentioned: “We’ve been ready for Elvis to type of get thus far for a very long time. We heard about him when he was very younger. Extremely strong golfer, clearly some good golf DNA in his household!
“He’s been coming and he’s been coming and eventually this 12 months on the Australian tour he had an amazing summer season, he made each reduce, prime 10 seven instances.
“Now he’s lastly acquired himself into a serious, it’s going to be enjoyable to see how he does.”