Pundits’ Picks: The experts’ view of The Senior Open
Ahead of the third Senior Major of the season being held this week at Turnberry, europeantour.com spoke to some of the golfing media’s top pundits, commentators and writers to get their views on who could be set for Senior Open Championship glory this week in Ayrshire.
Dougie Donnelly, World Feed commentator
Winner: Fred Couples
If you’re tying me down to one player I’m going with Fred Couples. The course is playing very long – longer than I thought it would for the Seniors – and Freddy still hits it a long way and from what I’ve seen on the range he’s hitting it very well.
Dark horse: Brad Faxon
Brad’s a wonderful putter and in any tournament you always have to look for the good putters. I wonder if he is perhaps not quite long enough but he’s my dark horse.
Wayne Riley, Sky Sports commentator
Winner: Roger Chapman
Simply because he’s won in two in a row and he’s got to be playing with a lot of confidence.
Dark horse: Wayne Westner
Just turned 50, it’s his first Senior Tour event; not a lot of rough out there and he’s hitting it miles.
John Huggan, golf correspondent for Golf World USA
Winner: Mark Calcavecchia
The form guy from last week, did very well at The Open and hits it a long way. You can eliminate huge numbers of this field just by the length of the golf course. Mark’s one of the few that can hit it far enough to play this course properly; some of them will be struggling to reach the long par fours.
Dark horse: Brad Faxon
Nobody loves links golf more than he does. A dedicated follower of The Open; came over to try and qualify more than once. Loves this kind of golf, loves coming to Scotland, so he’s your man.
Bruce Critchley, Sky Sports commentator
Winner: Tom Watson
Made the cut at The Open last week and although now well into his 60s I would enjoy seeing Tom Watson winning around here. He should have won here three years in 2009; that was the worst I have felt at the end of an Open Championship when he didn’t win when he should have done aged almost 60.
Dark horse: Roger Chapman
Not really a dark horse any more after his two Senior Major wins already this season, but I am fascinated to see Roger Chapman playing competitive golf again because he’s changed. It’s been a wonderful metamorphosis what he has done this year.
Euan McLean, golf correspondent for the Daily Record
Winner: Roger Chapman
He’s the man to beat, holding two Majors at the minute. Looking to make history along with Gary Player if he wins three in a row and I think everyone in the field will be looking at him and thinking he’s the man they’ve got to catch.
Dark horse: Corey Pavin
He’s got pedigree in this tournament. Finished very narrowly runner-up to Bernhard Langer at Carnoustie the last time the Senior Open was held in Scotland, and most of all I hear he’s playing very well.
Denis Hutchinson, World Feed commentator
Winner: Greg Norman
I’ve got a feeling Norman is going to do very well. I don’t think he would have come here unless he thought he could win.
Dark horse: David Frost
As a true South African I’ll have to say Frosty. He was close last year and I have a sneaky feeling he might go a little better this year.
