Open Championship Longshots & Barracuda Tips 2024

2024 has been a breakout year for Akshay Bhatia. Up over 75 spots in the World Golf Rankings to the around the top 25 mark, Akshay won his 2nd PGA Tour victory at the Valero Texas Open in April, has had his first top 16 finish in a Major Championship at the U.S. Open, and arrives in Ayrshire in the form of his life. 5th at the Signature event level Travelers Championship saw Akshay in Sunday’s Final Group with Scottie Scheffler and Tom Kim. Then T2 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit saw Bhatia in the heart of the battle throughout, before a shocking 3-putt on the 18th green cost the Californian a place in a play-off with Cameron Davis.

An Open Championship debutant, how he settles on the links of The Old Course remains to be seen, but I’m hopeful. An excellent player in windy conditions, Akshay is only 22 years of age but has already shown a liking for coastal golf. His 2021 Korn Ferry Tour title came on a coastal assignment in the Bahamas and once on the main PGA Tour he’s finished 2nd in Puerto Rico plus has top 15 finishes across Kapalua (2nd after 54 holes), Waialae Country Club and Torrey Pines. RESULT: MC

An uncertain weather forecast with rain and potentially an unusual south-westerly wind at varying strengths could well be a leveller. So a player with the combination of Major experience allied to a premier-level short game could be an angle for success. Jason Day hasn’t had a stellar 2024 and now finds himself a little under pressure from the likes of Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott and Corey Conners for an automatic spot in the International President’s Cup team. Yes he’ll get a pick from Captain Mike Weir, but Jason will undoubtedly want to take care of business himself.

Day of course is a Major Champion and over recent years at The Open he’s finished 4th at St Andrews (2015), 17th at Carnoustie (2018) and 2nd at Hoylake (2023). I can see similarities year-on-year from Hoylake to the Old Course here at Royal Troon and Day is arriving in Scotland after 23rd at the John Deere Classic where he was T8 for weekend scoring. Confidence boosting no doubt.

23rd for Scrambling, 39th for Strokes Gained Around the Green, 16th for Sand Save Percentage & 5th for Strokes Gained Putting so far on the PGA Tour in 2024, the ability to plot and scramble your way around Royal Troon this week, could, hopefully see Jason Day appear on the first page of the leaderboard. RESULT: T13

Frenchman Victor Perez is playing some nice golf and has had some success in Scotland in his career to date. Up to 66th in the PGA Tour FedEx Cup, his card has effectively been secured for 2025 so now the 31 year-old, who lives in the Bahamas when playing his State-side golf, can relax and look to qualify for the Play-Offs in August. A top 10 at The Open would be very nice, thank you.

Form of 3rd (Canadian Open), 12th (The Memorial), 44th (Travelers) and 10th last week (Scottish Open) surround a Missed Cut at the U.S. Open. Strong stuff and Perez has got a Major top 12 finish to his name after landing a T12 at the Oak Hill PGA Championship.

Victor has fond memories of Scotland as well winning the 2019 Alfred Dunhill Championship which is played across St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingbarns. I’m taking the full 12 places each-way available via bet365’s Each Way Extra. RESULT: MC

Nick Dunlap in January became the first amateur to win a PGA Tour event since Phil Mickelson won the Tucson Open in 1991. Some accolade! With that Dunlap turned pro with a 2 year Tour exemption in his pocket, but no $1.51 prize money from his American Express win or FedEx Cup points.

Being able to play all of the Signature events has seen Nick play in the biggest tournaments, and we’ve been able to watch a precocious talent develop. Of late there has definitely been an up-shift in results – 12th at The Memorial saw the 20 year-old 7th heading into Sunday. The Barracuda is undoubtedly a couple of steps down from that performance. Since then 10th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic just 3 weeks ago was his first top 10 since his January win – on a course, like here at Old Greenwood which features Bent/Poa Annua mix greens.

At 95th in the FedEx Cup and with the top 70 Playoff cut-off around the corner, you can see why he’s playing this week at the Barracuda and I think the Stableford scoring format will suit. 19th for Birdie Average (6th in this field) and 16th for Eagles per Hole (8th in this field) highlight a player whose natural instincts are attacking play. Plus Dunlap won his American Express title in California (at -29/259) and has also had further amateur success on the West Coast having won the 2023 U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club at altitude in Denver, Colorado. RESULT: Winner

Neal Shipley just so happens to be the player that Dunlap beat 4&3 in last year’s U.S. Amateur Final, and like Dunlap this 23 year-old also has plenty of game.

Since turning pro the week after finishing 26th at the U.S. Open, Shipley has finished 9th (Victoria Open – PGA Tour Americas), 20th (Rocket Mortgage Classic) and 6th (ISCO Championship) in 4 outings. Impressive stuff, but as a non-member Shipley has to continue churning out results to grab a full card for 2025.

PGA Tour stats are pretty meaningless at this stage of his embryonic career, but rest assured he can make plenty of birdies as 65-66 during the middle rounds of the ISCO Championship last week highlight. He also ranks 8th in this field across my 8-week trackers for Strokes Gained Tee to Green. RESULT: T40

Pierceson Coody is maturing nicely and at this price is a spot of value, considering he finished T1 with five other players last week at the ISCO Championship over 72 holes. It wasn’t to be ultimately for Pierceson who lost to Harry Hall’s chip in on the 3rd extra hole of the play off, but what we did learn about the 24 year-old Texan was all good. The 18, 36 and 54 hole leader, Coody showed plenty of mental strength birdieing 18 (4th hardest hole across the tournament) to actually get into extra time. He never lost the tournament – Harry Hall simply won it.

If the past is a precursor to the future, we’ve also seen across his Korn Ferry Tour career that Coody is a multiple winner, whose game both hangs around and travels. 3 wins have come in Maine, Panama and Montana, with his first win coming in 2022 at Falmouth Country Club which features Bentgrass Poa Annua greens. That maiden Korn Ferry win arrived after 4th place the week before in Kansas.

2023 then saw him win on Bentgrass greens at Highland Springs Country Club, Montana (played at altitude), which he backed-up with 6th the appearance after at Oakridge Country Club, Utah (played at altitude) which features Poa Annua putting surfaces.

A superb driver of the ball whose putter is the hottest in this week’s Barracuda field by some margin, at 21st for Birdie Average (7th in this field) this season, it’s worth remembering that he shot an opening -11/61 at Keene Trace last week. Plus across my 8-week Strokes Gained metrics he ranks Number 1 for Current Form. RESULT: WD Pre-Event