Golf betting tips: Preview and tips for the 2023 British Open Championship

This year, the 151^st Open Championship returns to Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England. It will mark the 13^th time the course has hosted the Open Championship.

Royal Liverpool (or Hoylake) last hosted the tournament in 2014 when Rory McIlroy emerged victorious to become Champion Golfer of the Year.

The British Open, often referred to as The Open or the Open Championship, is the oldest golf tournament in the world. The tournament is one of the four men’s major golf tournaments.

Since the PGA Championship moved to May in 2019, the British Open has been the fourth and final major tournament of the year.

British Open Past Champions (2000 – 2022)

Royal Liverpool Course Overview

Royal Liverpool was founded in 1869 on what was then the racecourse of the Liverpool Hunt Club. Robert Chambers and George Morris (younger brother of Old Tom Morris) were commissioned to lay out the original 9-hole course. The layout was extended to 18 holes in 1871.

Royal Liverpool is also known as Hoylake because of its location in the small town of Hoylake in Merseyside in the North West of England.

Harry Colt, one of the world’s leading golf course architects, redesigned the course early in the 20^th century. Royal Liverpool is the second oldest links in England and will play as a 7,350+ yard Par 71 for this week’s Open Championship.

Royal Liverpool is mostly built across a flat and sandy plain with its primary defense being the strong winds which blow across from the Dee Estuary. The tight turf provides the additional challenge of firm and fast conditions.

The course has a classic feel and can be best described as a collection of quality holes with impressive fundamental features including challenging greens, deep and well positioned pot bunkers and plenty of directional change.

Holes are not overly bunkered but each hazard is extremely punishing and cleverly positioned to catch those who stray. Also, the greens are orientated in a manner that encourages a variety of approach shots for those hoping to score well.

Royal Liverpool Scorecard

2014 British Open at Royal Liverpool | Top 10

In order to win the Claret Jug around Royal Liverpool, a player will need superb course management, an ability to play in windy conditions, shape the ball both ways and putt and scramble brilliantly.

Royal Liverpool hosted the Open Championship for the first time in 39 years in 2006 and the wind was conspicuous by its absence that year. However, such was winner Tiger Woods’ respect for the need for strategic play that he only hit his driver once during the tournament.

Conclusion

Royal Liverpool, while not the sternest test on the Open Championship rota, will challenge every aspect of a player’s game. It is a very tough driving course and Driving Accuracy will be key. Finding fairways will offer Birdie opportunities while missing them will only encourage the potential for a ‘card-wrecker’.

Good course management, lots of Open Championship experience, top-notch scrambling and an ability to play in windy conditions will all be important this week.

Patience will be key. Players will need to take their medicine after wayward shots and deal with whatever presents. More importantly, it will be imperative to capitalize on scoring opportunities when they arise.

British Open Tips 2023

Shane Lowry 22/1 (E/W) – a past Champion Golfer of the Year, winning the Open Championship back in in 2019 when played at Royal Portrush. He followed with a T12 in 2021 and a T21 last year. His game has heated up recently with a T20 in the US Open followed by a T19 in the Travelers Championship and a T12 in last week’s Genesis Scottish Open. Statistically balanced, the 36-year-old Irishman is well versed with the nuances of links golf. He is currently 9^th on Tour for Total Driving and 13^th for Strokes Gained Approach-The-Green. Fits the archetype for success this week and no doubting he has the potential and skill-set to make some noise come Sunday.

Jordan Spieth 25/1 (E/W) – a past Open Champion winning at Royal Birkdale in 2017. His Open Championship results since then read T9-T20-2-T8. Has 6 x Top 10’s among 8 x Top 25’s so far this season including a T4 in this year’s Masters. Places just inside the Top 30 in this week’s Stats Analysis, he is also 25^th on Tour for Scoring Average. His recent regular appearances on leaderboards can be attributed to improving metrics greenside. This coupled with his Open Championship pedigree makes him hard to ignore. Excellent each way value.