The Open: Ewen Murray assesses the contenders and Carnoustie test
Thursday 19 July 2018 06:05, UK
Ewen Murray shares his love for Carnoustie and explains why this year's Open could be one of the best ever.
I've never seen Carnoustie look more beautiful than it does right now, just as it should do in mid-July. It's a great golf course and definitely the best on the Open rota.
The course offers pretty much every challenge the game of golf offers. It's tough and it's fair, although it is a venue that needs a 10-15 mile per hour wind to defend it.
Come Sunday night you will have seen every single shot in every golfer's repertoire, which is the bit I'm looking forward to because no two players will play this course in the same way.
It's the first really dry Open we've had since Hoylake, where the fairways are firm and first, so strategy and imagination are going to be key for the players this week.
All of the players in the field are good players and are capable of hitting the shots, it's whether or not they pick them at the right time.
The champion on Sunday night will be the player to have passed all of the tests it offers, which there as many as 25 of around the course. It's the variety you need to conquer Carnoustie that I enjoy.
I honestly think this could be one of the greatest Opens ever. The setting is fantastic and you can make a genuine case for maybe as many as 100 of the 156-man field, it's that open.
You look at the top of the world rankings and would think that the world's top two of Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas will enjoy themselves around here, while Justin Rose is capable of going well despite not having a great Open record for such a world-class player.
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Charley Hoffman is my outside tip for the week, although he hasn't got the best of Open records either. He is a beautiful ball-striker, which is what you need around here.
Looking ahead
We have a great team in the commentary box this week, with Darren Clarke, Paul Lawrie and Jean van de Velde just a few extra names to mention. It's going to be such a great spectacle and we're all looking forward to it.
You don't get tired on a week like this, even with the long hours. The adrenaline sees you through, although I may end up having to be scraped off the floor come Monday!
Watch The Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 6.30am on Sky Sports The Open and Sky Sports Main Event.
