Hi Bruce,

I’ve had a good look around the main site but couldn’t see an Open form guide anywhere. Have you done one?

daacha

Daacha email me at b-young@bigpond.net.au

Daacha here is one I did for one of the betting organisations. iseekgolf prefer that I do the shorter verison and here is the link to that article http://www.iseekgolf.com/ne...

The following is a lengthy form guide – sorry about the late response

The 2007 Open Championship begins on July 19th at the famed Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland.

Tiger Woods is looking to become only the second golfer – other than Peter Thomson – in the last 124 years of this event to win on three consecutive occasions and his recent comments indicate that he is on target to do so. “The British Open Championship is my favourite major,” said Woods this week. “I’ve worked hard on my game this week with Hank Haney and hope it carries over to the British. I’ve had two close calls in majors this year and would love to get a win.”

That aside there are many who have chances to break Tiger’s run. Interestingly, despite the fact that this event is considered the most ‘international’ of the majors, Americans have dominated the event in recent years, winning ten of the last twelve stagings of the Championship.

The Carnoustie Golf Links is one of the best layouts on the rota of Open Championship courses but the manner in which it was set up in 1999 was a disgrace and the R&A will not fall into that same trap again in 2007. The course can stand on its own as a great test of golf without too much tinkering but like all links layouts its degree of difficulty is determined by the elements of the day. After all that’s what makes links golf so intriguing.

Let’s look at the chances

Tiger Woods – Many have suggested that fatherhood and the distractions it brings might impact on Wood’s career but clearly this is a man who has a great capacity to switch on and off when required. He is looking to win his third Open Championship in succession and his fourth overall and if he did no-one would be surprised. He recorded a reasonable effort at the AT&T National tournament in Washington given his hosting obligations there and that he was only two weeks into fatherhood. Finished 7th at this venue in 1999 but given the debacle of the setup that year not much can be taken from that statistic. He is the most likely winner but no certainty.

Jim Furyk has, on occasions, played well at the Open Championship including when 4th last year at Hoylake. After an injury earlier in the year, Furyk has returned to his best in recent weeks and has finished inside the top five in four of his last five starts. He stands a good chance over a golf course that will require all the skills he brings to the game.

Phil Mickelson – and the Open Championship have hardly been soulmates over the years but the American has, in recent years, changed his preparation for the event and as a consequence the results have improved, more especially when he finished third in 2007. He appears to be well and truly over the wrist injury that brought to a halt what had been a good run of form prior to the Memorial tournament. Mickelson’s playoff loss at the Scottish Open further confirms his readiness for this week.

Ernie Els – His good week last week in Scotland where he finished third confirms that he is on the verge of is on the verge of a return to the form we know he is capable of. He has not played badly but has not been at the level we know he is capable of. Nine top tens in 16 times to the Open Championship including his win in 2002 tells the story of the suitability of his game for this style of golf and the long awaited return to winning contention may not be far away.

Vijay Singh – has been practicing all week at Carnoustie in an endeavour to have himself totally prepared for what appears to be a great opportunity for him. His best in this event was when he was runner up to Ben Curtis at a rather tricked up Royal St Georges in 2003 but such is the consistency of his game of late that he must be a threat to those ahead of him in the world rankings. He has not missed a cut in his last 29 starts worldwide and given that he appears to be focused on his preparation he stands a good chance.

Henrik Stenson – three months ago Stenson would have been considered one of the favourites to contend in this event but, while he has not played badly since, he has not been at the peak he was then. If he can rediscover that form he might well better his previous best in majors (14th at the 06 PGA) but there is that question mark at present.

Angel Cabrera – finished very close when one shot out of the playoff in this event when it was last played here in 1999. Despite not having the same record at the Open as his impressive and consistent US Open record, Cabrera arrives here as the US Open Champion and with a greater capacity to win this event than ever before. Good last round in Scotland has him back in focus for this week.

Geoff Ogilvy – was a little disappointing at the recent US Open but he has been playing solidly, if not spectacularly, in recent months. He has developed into a big event player in the past two years and his 5th place at the 2005 Open at St Andrews was the catalyst for a marked improvement in the majors which eventually led to his US Open win. His last start 12th place finish at the AT&T National at Congressional suggests he is not too far away from the sort of form he needs to contend this week.

Padraig Harrington – is preparing for this event by playing the Irish PGA Championship at the European Club in County Wicklow south of Dublin, preferring to be there instead of at the Scottish Open because the European Club offers a golf course more in keeping with the Carnoustie layout. Harrington’s record at the Open Championship is perhaps less than could be expected for a player of his status but there have been excuses the last couple of years for missed cuts there. He has not played well however since his win at the Irish Open earlier this season and will need to be at his peak to win this week.

Adam Scott – despite being one of the games leading players for the last couple of years, Scott’s record at the elite level does not match his world ranking. The 8th place finish in this event last year was only his second top ten in majors although he did go on a few weeks later to finish third at the PGA Championship. He has missed the cut in his last two starts including a very disappointing effort at the US Open. Scott is too much of a golfing enigma for him to be backed with confidence this week.

Luke Donald – was recently married and with that now behind him he now settles into the routine needed to produce the sort of form he is capable of. Donald has an ordinary record at the Open Championship his best in seven starts being when 35th last year but now as one of the leading players in the world more can be expected from him. A last round of 64 at the Scottish Open has him in entering this week with his game in great shape.

Sergio Garcia – has recorded five top tens in his last six times to the Open Championship and although his memory of Carnoustie will be soured by the rounds of 89 and 83 he recorded there in his first major as a professional in 1999, this is a different player now and to a large extent a different golf course. He had a reasonable week at Loch Lomond and will arrive at Carnoustie with his game in good shape.

K.J. Choi – is in red hot form at present but cannot boast a great Open Championship record. This is his eighth start in the event and might be reaching a stage where he could better his previous best of 16th at Royal Troon. It might be a bit much to expect him to do a lot better however.

Rory Sabbatini – has had a very good season in 2007 winning at the Colonial Country Club in May and producing several other good performances of late including when runner up at Augusta National. His record at the Open is not great but he has made four of five cuts and is a much more credentialed player now. He has taken a break since Oakmont and his lack of recent tournament play might count against him.

Colin Mongomerie – has rediscovered form in recent weeks culminating in his win at the European Open. He surprised by missing the cut at the Scottish Open and in general his record at the Open Championship has been very ordinary give him position in world golf. That said he did finish runner up at St Andrews in 2005 and his form overall at present is such that he might find a way to equal that.

Niclas Fasth – is arguably the hottest player in the game at present but perhaps surprisingly has not had a good run at the Open Championship other than a surprise runner up placing to David Duval in 2001. He has however only played the tournament on four occasions, missing the cut twice.

Justin Rose – has only played four Open Championships since his stunning debut in 1998 when as a 17 year old he finished fourth behind Mark O’Meara. He has not played the event in the past three years but such is his form right now that he could well be a contender. He has made 22 of his last 23 cuts and has recorded several very good finishes amongst those. Rose finished 10th at the US Open and is on the verge of going to an even higher level.

Scott Verplank – is playing very consistently of late, finishing inside the top ten in five of his last seven starts including his win at the Colonial tournament in May. He has played well on occasions in this event and, given the manner in which he is playing, has a chance for his best ever finish this year.

Carl Petterson – is playing very consistently of late and although he has played the Open Championship just three times he has made the cut on all three occasions and finished 8th last year. He is playing the John Deere Classic and has made a good start to the event. He might be a very good long shot each way bet.

Ian Poulter – is reaching a stage in his career and with his game where it would not surprise if he was to contend in this event. His previous best has been 11th in 2005. After a run of outs in recent weeks he finished 9th at the French Open and then played very well at Loch Lomond to suggest he has his game in reasonable shape for this week.

Richard Sterne – has developed into one of Europe’s best in 2007 and although he has played this event only once for one missed cut in 2006, Sterne is a much improved player and capable of winning this event in future years. This year might be a little early but don’t be surprised by a bold showing. He played very well last week in Scotland.

Justin Leonard – has finally found the form he is capable of after a horror two years by his standards. He won the Open in 1997 and in 1999 was beaten in a playoff at this very course. He finished runner up at the recent Buick Open and was 25th at the AT&T National two weeks ago.

Sean O’Hair – has played this event well in his two visits. O’Hair is playing well enough in recent weeks to be a consideration at longer odds.

Leading Australasians other than Scott and Ogilvy (above)

Stuart Appleby – has only one top ten in ten starts at the Open but he did go very close in 2002 when beaten in a playoff by Ernie Els. His form has been a mixed bag in 2007, leading both the Masters and the AST&T into the final rounds before falling back

Robert Allenby – seems to have lost his way since a great start to the season and with just one top ten in 11 starts in this event seems unlikely to challenge here.

Rod Pampling – returns to the place where he played his first major in 1999 and led after round one. He then missed the cut so his memories will be mixed but Pampling is having another good season in the US and might be a good bet to be the leading Australian.

Aaron Baddeley – having a good season but has struggled in this event previously. Mind you that could have been said about his US Open record before Oakmont and look what happened there. The Victorian has made 14 consecutive cuts and is playing close to his best right now but whether that will be good enough here is debatable.

Nick O’Hern – has mixed his form of late but has the type of game to suit major golf. Has a best of 15th in this event at the 2005 Open and is capable on his day of challenging for a top ten. Two starts ago he finished third in Hartford but then missed the cut at the AT&T National two weeks ago.

Thanks bruce,

Still plenty of time for a quick read and a visit to the TAB.