Golf 2021

[Villa Lew]

Less than 24 hours to the start of the 149th Open, the oldest major, and as much as I love the Masters, imho the best of the Grand Slams. Venue is Royal St George's, Sandwich, where last time it was held there in 2011, it was won by Darren Clarke, who proved to be a very popular winner. Prior to that it was held in 2003, when Ben Curtis won, which turned out to be one of the biggest upsets in Open history, also in 85, Sandy Lyle famously won his first major there.

If you reckon defending Champion Shane Lowry will win odds are 35/1, hasn't won since his Portrush victory 2 years ago, but he did finish a creditable joint 4th in this years PGA Championship.

Rory is the best British hope, but as always the question is can he put 4 good rounds together, on current form that look's doubtful. The last Englishman to win it was Faldo 29 years ago, a Scotsman has won it since then, Paul Lawrie in 99. Sadly I can't see an English win this year.

Who's going to win the Claret Jug, if I was a betting man, I'd probably have a few pennies on Jordan Spieth, has returned to form this year. Unsurprisingly Jon Rahm is the favourite after his US Open win.

Rahm 8/1, Koepka 16, Spieth and Schaffele 18, McIlroy and Thomas 20, Johnson 22, Hovland and Hatton 30, DeChambeau 33.

[Villa Lew]

So they allow 65k into Wembley, but only 32k into the Open, makes no sense at all.

[Villa Lew]

DeChambeau only hit 4 fairways, so to finish on 1 over, is about as good as he could expect. Good round from Spieth 5 under, only 1 shot dropped.

[UK Redsox]

Looks like you’d need a scythe to get out of some of the rough.

Love to see DeChambeau and Koepka play together on the weekend, just to see if one of them whacks the other up side the head with a six iron.

[Villa Lew]

Yeah that would be fun. Mickelson just finished with an 80, at least he was consistent 40 out 40 in.

[Villa Lew]

Oosthuizen leads with a superb 64, a man in form, finished 2nd in the US Open, only 1 behind Rahm. Good to see 5 Englishmen, Sullivan, Willett, Senior, Rose and Fleetwood, just 3 off the lead.

It was great to see the crowds back, at the start at 6.35, the stands around the first tee were almost full, it's been a long wait for golf fans.

[Villa Lew]

Morikawa looking good 4 under for his front 9.

[Villa Lew]

Some cracking golf played, especially from Oosthuizen, leading, with lowest 36 hole score in Open history, Morikawa 2 behind, with Spieth a further shot back, looking good for the weekend.

[Villa Lew]

Nick Faldo the last Englishman to win the Open 29 years ago, Tony Jacklin the last Englishman to win the Open in England 52 years ago. These records look safe, unless Sullivan, Casey, Willett or Rose do something pretty special over today and tomorrow.

[UK Redsox]

Good first nine from Rory, which looked to be setting up a round in the low 60s

Unfortunately he’s playing like me on the back nine.

[Villa Lew]

Eagle 2 for Danny Willett, you don't see too many of those!

[Villa Lew]

Oosthuizen leading by one from Morikawa with Spieth a further 2 shots back. A bogey, bogey finish from Spieth is not what I was expecting, his missed putt on the last was a shocker. If anyone is going to make a charge it's probably going to be Rahm, but that's looking very doubtful.

A word for the young Scot Robert McIntyre finished with a 65, the best round of the day.

[Villa Lew]

McIlroy finishes level par, yet another disappointing major.

[Villa Lew]

Good front nine from Lowry, is he gonna make a charge?

[Villa Lew]

Superb 65 from Koepka, but 8 under won't be good enough.