[madsteve]

Just read the Betfair guide to The Open.

I like it because it backs two of my bets.

Oosterhuizen - not just the most recent Open winner at St Andrews but shot equal best in the Alfred Dunhill St Andrews rounds in 2014 at -14 for two rounds.

Fleetwood - also equal best in Alfred Dunhill for St Andrews rounds at -14 plus -12 in 2013. That is a combined 26 under par for his last four rounds on the course. That is round totals of 65-67-62-68. Reckon that will be enough to win come Sunday.

Some other interesting facts:

Only Jack Nicholas has ever won at St Andrews on The Open when more than two shots off the lead after the first round.

Oosterhuizen is the only St Andrews winner since 1964 not to be a multiple major winner.

St Andrews has 14 par four holes, the most on The Open courses

The last five Open winners all played the Scottish Open the week before The Open.

Only one winner in the last 24 years (Todd Hamilton) played in the States the week before The Open.

Three of the last four winners of The Open were in their 40s.

Only Ben Curtis has won The Open on debut since the 1970s.

This century, 12 of the 15 winners have played at least six previous Open Championships AND finished at least once previously in the Top Six.


So we are looking for a 40+ player who has gone close previously, is a multiple major winner, who is great on links courses , can get off to a flying start and played at the Scottish Open last week.