5 Potential First Time Major Winners At The Open

Here we take a look at who may win their first Major at Royal St George's

Potential First Time Major Winners At The Open
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Here we take a look at who may win their first Major at Royal St George's.

Potential First Time Major Winners At The Open

The Open takes place at Royal St George's where there's a history of first-time winners; Darren Clarke and Ben Curtis previously claimed their only Major wins there in 2011 and 2003.

The venue has staged the event 14 times, with 2021 being it's 15th edition, but will a first-time Major winner once again be lifting the Claret Jug?

Last time out, Shane Lowry played some phenomenal golf, including a course record 63 and a 54-hole scoring record at The Open, to secure his first Major title at Royal Portrush.

Here we take a look at who may win their first Major at Royal St George's...

Tyrrell Hatton 

Potential First Time Major Winners At The Open

(Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)

The Englishman has two T6 finishes in his last four starts at The Open.

Hatton has been one of golf's most in-form players over the last 18 months, picking up three Rolex Series events on the European Tour, as well as his first PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The 29-year-old is one of the game's best ball strikers, with a T18 finish at last week's Scottish Open a good indicator of what form Hatton will be in for Open week.

Xander Schauffele

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Schauffele was runner-up in 2018 and has nine Major top-10's in 17 starts.

The American has had a great season so far, claiming a T3 and T7 finish at The Masters and US Open, as well as a T10 finish at last week's Scottish Open.

With the 27-year-old being one of the most consistent players on the Tour, it's only a matter of time before he becomes a Major champion.

Matthew Fitzpatrick

Potential First Time Major Winners At The Open

(Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)

The Englishman comes into the event off the back of a runner-up finish at last week's Scottish Open.

Fitzpatrick has enjoyed a good season on Tour so far, securing four top-25 finishes in only seven starts.

The 26-year-old's record at Major championships isn't the greatest, although he did finish T20 at Royal Portrush in 2019.

Marc Leishman

(Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

The Aussie has had three top six finishes at the Open including a runner-up in 2015 when he lost out to Zach Johnson in a playoff.

Leishman, who claimed his sixth PGA Tour win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, finished third in his last Tour start, the Travelers Championship.

The 37-year-old is great at flighting the ball down with his game suiting links golf well, hence why he's had his best Major results in the Open.

Ian Poulter

Potential First Time Major Winners At The Open

(Photo by Oisin Keniry/Getty Images)

Poulter arrives at Royal St George's in great form, with a final round 63 securing him a T4 finish at the Scottish Open last week.

The 45-year-old has three top-10 finishes at The Open, with his best result a runner-up finish in 2008 when Padraig Harrington defended his title.

The Englishman is one of the most experienced players in the tournament, featuring in his 19th Open Championship this week.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV