Curtis Strange on Open outsiders and favourites

The two-time US Open winner made his picks for this year's Open

Luke Donald at Hoylake
Luke Donald at Hoylake. Credit: Mike Ehrmann (Getty)
By Will Medlock
published

The two-time US Open winner identified his favourites and outsiders for the 2015 Open

Curtis Strange has told Golf Monthly that he believes Luke Donald could be an outside bet for the 2015 Open.

Donald qualified for the tournament at St Andrews after finishing T7 at the Travelers Championship last month.

The Englishman currently sits at no. 66 in the Official World Golf Rankings, but Strange, a two-time US Open champion, believes he has a chance to win his first major in Scotland.

On the topic of English players who could contend, Strange told GM: "Close to the top of the list would be Luke, right?

"Certainly he has the ability to do it, he knows the Old Course well enough. Could this be his week? Certainly this could be his week."

Credit: Getty

Curtis Strange feels Donald is an outsider for the Open title. Credit: Getty

Donald, who finished T58 at the US Open last month, has never finished higher than T5 at the Open, something he achieved in 2009 and 2012.

His result at the Travelers was his joint best of the season, with Strange admitting he won't be an immediate favourite for the Claret Jug.

"He's going in under the radar, certainly not one of the top favourites, but he has the ability to do it.

"I mean look at Louis Oosthuizen and what we saw in 2010. My goodness, he won by seven shots. Something like that could happen again, absolutely."

Strange, who won the US Open in 1988 and 1989, also backed Justin Rose to perform well.

"Absolutely Justin. He's talented, playing well, has done this in a major and very much one of the top favourites.

"If I was listing players right now, he'd be in my top five or six."

Justin Rose

Strange thinks Justin Rose could have a strong tournament. Credit: Mike Ehrmann (Getty)

With Rory McIlroy out of the 144th edition of the tournament, Strange also expressed his belief that Henrik Stenson could push the outright favourite Jordan Spieth for the year's third major.

"Henrik Stenson is as talented as anybody out there and just hasn't done it yet in a major. Sooner rather than later probably."

"You have a host of others, depending on how they acclimate and adjust to links golf. It's completely different, not only physically but mentally."

Will Medlock
Will Medlock graduated from UEA with a degree in Film and Television before completing a Masters in Sports Journalism at St Mary's in London. Will has had work published by The Independent and the Rugby Paper.
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