The Open / Paul Krishnamurty / 09 July 2010 /

Beyond the United Kingdom, Europe and USA there are scores of quality players from different nationalities who all have a chance at The Open. Paul Krishnamurty rates the best of them

Ernie Els [22.0]
Last Five Opens: 8/7/4/3/34
No player in the last two decades can boast a better links or Open record than Ernie. Besides winning at Muirfield in 2002, he's made the top-three six times, the top-ten 11 times, and never finished worse than 34th. Even while struggling on the wider stage in recent years, Ernie has kept that run going in the Open, finishing eighth or better in each of the last four. On that basis, this season's improved campaign must bode well. Els currently heads the Fedex Cup points list, and put up a fierce challenge for last month's US Open. As for St Andrews, a course he knows better than most, he was a distant runner-up to Tiger in 2000, and also challenged for the 1995 Open.

Retief Goosen [60.0]
Last Five Opens: 5/32/23/14/5
If we forget about failures in the last two majors, Goosen's season has been typically consistent, with six top-tens from 11 strokeplay starts. However, after several poor Sundays over the past couple of years, there must be a worry that the dual former US Open champion has forgotten how to win. If he can remember, everything points to a big run at St Andrews. Goosen was prolific when the Dunhill Cup used to be played here, back in the days before he was a regular world-class performer. Nine top-15 finishes in the Open, including fifth both last year and at St Andrews in 2005, is an exemplary return.

Camilo Villegas [90.0]
Last Five Opens: 13/39/-/-/-
Villegas is one of the brightest prospects in world golf, and after running away with the Honda Classic in March, many of us thought this would be the year in which he truly 'arrived'. Though some of that confidence has waned since his results have taken a downward spiral, he is no forlorn hope for St Andrews. Both Camilo's previous attempts at the Open, finishing 39th at Birkdale after challenging at halfway, and last year's 13th, were promising enough given his relative inexperience of links golf.

Charl Schwartzel [90.0]
Last Five Opens: mc/-/mc/22/mc
Still only 25, Schwartzel is at last beginning to make the progress for which he's been tipped since a teenager. His 2010 season, which includes two wins on the Race to Dubai, and PGA Tour top-3s at Redstone and Doral, has been by far his best to date. Even more improvement will be needed to challenge for the Open, in which his record is terrible.

Adam Scott [100.0]
Last Five Opens: mc/16/27/8/34
Apart from a victory at the Texas Open, when his notoriously cold putter could suddenly do no wrong, Scott has had a poor year. With just one top-ten, there is little to recommend in his Open record either, but St Andrews will probably suit better than any other venue. Adam's long, straight driving will create many birdie opportunities around here, and he won't mind if the wind gets up either.

Geoff Ogilvy [120.0]
Last Five Opens: mc/mc/mc/16/5
The former US Open champion has a reputation for saving his best for the big occasions, but since winning the season's opening event, there has been little to shout about. Ogilvy's Open record is interesting in so far as it is terrible, except when finishing fifth at St Andrews and 16th at Hoylake the following year. The clue is that these two Opens were played in calm conditions, on layouts with minimal rough. For my money, Ogilvy's chance depends on the weather.

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