Top 5 sleeper picks for The Open Championship 2023
Like any major, The Open Championship is a star-studded affair. The biggest names in golf come to these tournaments to be followed, sought after by fans and the press and, of course, to win. But it doesn't always work out for them.
Keen followers of the sport will remember dark horses such as Darren Clark, Todd Hamilton, Ben Curtis, among others, who shocked everyone by winning previous editions of The Open Championship.
That is why it never hurts to take more than one look at the sleeper picks, players who could very well spring a surprise. It's golf, after all, and almost anything can happen.
On that note, here are our top five sleeper picks to watch out for at the 151st The Open Championship.
#1. Padraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington is hardly a sleeper pick, given that he is a three-time major champion, including a two-time winner of The Open Championship (2007 and 2008).
However, given that his last victory on the PGA Tour dates back to 2015, and that he has not won a major for 15 years, many might think that Harrington is already in the twilight of his career.
But be warned: he has played six tournaments on the PGA Tour this season, where he has been in good form. He has not been cut in any of his appearances and has as his best result a T10 at the Valero Open last May.
Last month, Harrington finished T27 at the US Open. It was his first at the event since 2013. More recently, he was at the Scottish Open and, although he finished T42, managed to make par or better in three of the four rounds.
#2. Denny McCarthy
Denny McCarthy has never won on the PGA Tour, yet he is currently ranked 33rd in the world. How can that be? Well, because of the stability of his game in recent times.
In the current season, the American has started 25 tournaments and has 13 Top 25s, with only four missed cuts. In the last month, he has played four tournaments with three Top 10s, and his only result outside the Top 10 coming at the US Open, where he finished T20. Not bad coming into The Open Championship.
#3. Corey Conners
Corey Conners has also had an excellent season, in which came his second PGA Tour victory (Valero Texas Open) in addition to other interesting results.
True, he has been cut in two of his last five appearances, but the other three results have been solid, with a T20 in front of his home crowd at the Canadian Open, T9 at the Travelers Championship and T19 a week ago at the Scottish Open.
#4. Adam Scott
Another golfer who knows what it's like to win a major (The Masters, 2013) in addition to 13 other PGA Tour victories. Adam Scott does not wear the favorite's tag due to the fact that he has not won for three years, while in majors he has not achieved a Top 10 since 2019.
However, the Australian's quality is still there, the current season is proof of that. Only two missed cuts in 15 tournaments, with three Top 10 and two Top 25s, speak well of his chances.
The downside is that these two cuts have come in the last month (US Open and Scottish Open). Let's see what he can do at The Open Championship.
#5. Nicolaj Hojgaard
The young Dane is an interesting option, because he is still on his way to his best as a golfer. At 22 years of age, Nicolaj Hojgaard does not even have his official PGA Tour membership yet.
However, he has already shown credentials. This season he has played in nine PGA Tour tournaments with only two missed cuts and three Top 25s, including a runner up finish at the Corales Punta Cana Championship.
In the main European circuit, he is already a solid player, with two victories (2021 DS Automobiles Italian Open and 2022 Ras al Khaimah Championship). This season, he has played nine tournaments, with four T10s and without missing any cut.
His last three appearances (all in July) joining the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, have been T6 in the Scottish Open, T72 in the Made in HimmerLand tournament, and T21 in the Rocket Mortgage Calssic. Let's see how he fares in his third appearance at The Open Championship.