Pro Golf Now
Fansided

British Open 2019: Featured pairings for the first two rounds at Royal Portrush

By Brandon Raper

PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 17: General view of the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 17, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 17: General view of the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 17, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 11
Next
Rory McIlroy 2019 British Open Royal Portrush featured groups
PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND – JULY 17: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks on during a practice round prior to the 148th Open Championship held on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 17, 2019 in Portrush, United Kingdom. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) /

4: Rory McIlroy, Gary Woodland, Paul Casey (5:09/10:09)

You were waiting for it, and here it is. Somehow, the 15th-ranked player in the world might be the least-watched guy in his own grouping in the first two rounds of the British Open.

That would be Paul Casey, whose season has been marked by some outstanding weeks (like a victory at the Valspar Championship) and some tougher ones (missed cuts at THE PLAYERS and the Masters), seems to be adapting well to the conditions at Royal Portrush. He even hit a magnificent practice shot out of a shelter tunnel in Wednesday’s session, showing that he’s ready for anything that can be thrown at him this week.

Then, there’s U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland. He’s been one a strong player on the PGA TOUR for a while now, but he’s had two pivotal moments this year that have put him directly in the middle of the brightest spotlight yet: his redeeming-faith-in-humanity, viral time with Amy Bockerstette in Phoenix, and of course his triumph at Pebble Beach.

He’s had some time to settle into the role of a major champion now, but it’s tough to see his game translating that well to a wet links track like Portrush. His only career top-25 in the British Open came in 2016 at a baked out Royal Troon. He finished tied for 12th there, a cool 19 shots behind winner Henrik Stenson. On the plus side, he was inside the top ten when you count the actual competition behind Stenson and Mickelson.

Finally, there’s Rory McIlroy. I’m on record (and far from alone) in picking him as my winner this week in Northern Ireland, and I haven’t seen anything yet that leads me to believe otherwise. Already a two-time champion in 2019 (THE PLAYERS, RBC Canadian Open), he’s got 11 top tens, and he’s handled the old version of this course with incredible skill.

I don’t think much needs to be said about Rory that hasn’t already, but if you’re not watching him this week, then you’re just not watching the tournament at all.

Home/British Open News