A Redemption Spot For Rory, Must-Win Vibes For Scheffler, A Shot At History For Bryson Lead Open Storylines
We've unfortunately reached the final major championship of 2024, but at least the final major on the calendar is The Open, which tends to deliver from every angle more often than not.
The last time The Open was held at Royal Troon the event turned into a two-man race between Henrik Stenson and Phil Mickelson before the Swede ultimately reached 20-under to best the lefty by three.
The beauty of The Open is that it is by far and away the least predictable major year after year given the variability of the weather and the inexperience of many players in the field at that year's venue. The ‘what ifs’ ahead of The Open add to the mystique of the event itself, and the 2024 iteration is no different with so many noteworthy storylines to follow heading into the week.
Will Rory McIlroy Have A Pulse After His U.S. Open Collapse?
Yes, McIlroy teed it up in last week's Scottish Open and finished T-4 in what was his first start since handing the U.S. Open to Bryson DeChambeau last month. Those four competitive rounds, all of which were under par, were an important first step to eliminating some demons undoubtedly living in his head after the disaster at Pinehurst, but the lights are brighter during a major championship week.
Will Rory McIlroy show out at The Open at Royal Troon, or be a man still haunted by Pinehurst? Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports
It doesn't matter that McIlroy has hoisted the Claret Jug before and has found the winner's circle plenty of times since then, Open Championship week is different, and we'll be able to tell rather quickly if the 35-year-old is up for the challenge this week of a major championship test.
All that matters when it comes to McIlroy from now until the end of his playing career is winning another major championship. Back-door Top 10s, solo seconds, or any other scenario that doesn't involve either him winning or him throwing one away down the stretch on Sunday do not matter.
If McIlroy plays his way into contention on Sunday, it will be fascinating to see him in those high-pressure scenarios around the greens and over the four-footers after the full-on trauma he endured at the U.S. Open.
Why It Feels Like A Must-Win Open For Scottie Scheffler
It's beyond unfair to sit here and say that any tournament, let alone The Open, is a ‘must-win’ for anyone, but it sure does feel like it is for Scottie Scheffler.
Given that he's in the midst of the greatest statistical career since prime Tiger Woods, and he's already won six times in 15 starts this season, it would feel like a letdown if he only wins one major during such an all-time great campaign. He's operating at a different level than any golfer on the planet at the moment when looking at 2024 as a whole, but far more folks will remember this run if he's able to win two majors this season and not just a green jacket.
After his T-41 finish at the U.S. Open, Scheffler was open about how he didn't enjoy the randomness Pinehurst presented when you missed a fairway by just a few yards, and he'll be met with that same sort of randomness at Troon.
Major Championship Bryson DeChambeau Is A Different Animal
Bryson DeChambeau is the best player in the world not named Scottie Scheffler at the moment, and that shouldn't be a controversial opinion.
Bryson DeChambeau has been different, in a good way, at major championship in 2024. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
DeChambeau began his 2024 major season with a T-6 finish at the Masters and a solo second at the PGA Championship before capturing what was his second U.S. Open title a month ago.
How about this stat from CBS Sports' Kyle Porter: if DeChambeau is to finish T-6 or better this week he would join Tiger Woods (twice), Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, and Phil Mickelson as a player to finish in the top six in all four majors in a single year (including a win) since the year 2000. The fact that only four players have been able to accomplish that feat over the last 23.75 years is astounding, and speaks to the history DeChambeau is flirting with this week at Troon.
We Must Refuse To Overlook Xander Schauffele Again
There is just something about Xander Schauffele, at least as of July 2024, that makes him feel like a guy who just always flies under the radar. That same sentiment feels true again this week, despite him having the third-shortest odds to hoist the Claret Jug come Sunday.
And yes, we are all aware he won the PGA Championship just two months ago, but for whatever reason, he still doesn't feel like ‘that guy.’
Surely Xander Schauffele won't fly under the radar entering The Open championship. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
I'm not sitting here saying that Schauffele won't have plenty of people's attention this week and will be mentioned in every preview show across the globe, but with the Scheffler, DeChambeau, and Rory storylines far outshining Schauffele's opportunity to win his second major of the year, we can't fall victim of overlooking the X-man at Troon.
Schauffele has finished no worse than eighth in all three majors in 2024 and also picked up a T-2 at The Players.
Jon Rahm's Last Chance
No, it is not Jon Rahm's last chance to contend for a major championship, but it is quite literally the last chance he has to save face in what has been a bad year for the Spaniard since joining LIV Golf.
After winning the Masters in 2023 and finishing T-2 in last year's Open Championship it felt like 2024 could be a huge year for Rahm. With the added distractions away from the course when he jumped for LIV, he instead finished T-45 in this year's Masters and missed the cut at the PGA Championship before having to withdraw ahead of the U.S. Open due to injury.
Yes, he's finished no worse than 10th in each of his 10 starts on LIV Golf this season, but Rahm is still only 29 years old in the prime of his career and has to contend in major championships to still be considered one of the best players in the world.
Four tournaments is an incredibly small sample size to judge a player on, but that's the path Rahm made for himself when moving to LIV. A solid performance at Troon would go a long, long way for the former World No. 1.
Ludvig Aberg Will Be There Come Sunday
You may want to sit down before reading this scorching take I'm about to deliver:
Ludvig Aberg will contend at The Open this week, and he may very well win it.
Ludvig Aberg will be a factor at Royal Troon, surely. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Many, myself included, do find it concerning that Aberg has broken 70 on Sunday just once over his last eight starts. He also is coming off of the second-worst round of his career this past Sunday at the Scottish Open where he gave up over 4.7 strokes to the field. Those are facts, and not flattering ones for the Swede, but the floor is just too damn high for him not to immediately bounce back and be on the first page of the leaderboard yet again this week.
Aberg has had a pair of second-place finishes and five more Top 10s in 15 starts this year. Pending his knee holding up throughout the week, he'll be where he wants to be come the weekend.
Who Could Be This Year's Brian Harman?
Brian Harman arrived at Royal Liverpool for last year's Open as the No. 26 ranked player in the world, but despite his highly respectable ranking, he was very much flying under the radar with odds of 175-1 entering the week.
While it would be incredibly unlikely to see another longshot of that stature hoist the Claret Jug for a second straight year, it is The Open, where bizarre scenarios present themselves time and time again.
It wouldn't have been bizarre to say this about 18 months ago, but maybe this could be Will Zalatoris' welcome back to the show week.
Zalatoris currently ranks 51st in the world and has odds North of 200-1 heading into the week.
Putting has become a nightmare yet again for the Wake Forest product as he ranks 143rd on Tour in strokes gained on the greens. His ball striking is still there, however, as is his ability to scramble which are two pieces anyone will need on an Open Championship venue.