Adam Scott owns one of the near perfect golf swings, but there are times when the Australian destroys contention with triple or double bogeys.
And to add to his problems, his brittle putting is also not far from the surface.
The 2012 Open Championship was the perfect example.
Leading by four shots with four to play, Scott was heading for his first claret jug and first major – it doesn’t get any better than that.
Four bogeys later, and Scott had gift-wrapped The Open Championship to Ernie Els. It’s been ranked as one of the golfing world’s worst chokes.
But that isn’t the real Adam Scott, as he proved months later by becoming the first Australian to don the coveted green jacket at Augusta, having beaten Angel Cabrera in a playoff.
That win took courage, and if that can be repeated at Royal Birkdale, Scott will be in the mix on Sunday.
Much the same can be said of Rory McIlroy, who has missed the cut at the US, Irish, and Scottish Opens.
Worse still, McIlroy was the Irish Open host.
Someone is going to pay for the worst run in McIlroy’s stellar career.
The 146th Open Championship tees off Thursday afternoon (AEST) with defending champion Henrik Stenson heading the elite field.
Those fortunate to see last year’s Open final round will never forget the titanic head to head between Stenson (who shot 63), and former champion Phil Mickelson’s 65 as they finished at 20 and 17 under respectively, with JB Holmes third at six-under – a binocular distance away.
Apart from Stenson and Mickelson, there are 17 other former champions teeing off – Stewart Cink, Darren Clarke, John Daly, David Duval, Ernie Els, Todd Hamilton, Padraig Harrington, Zach Johnson, Paul Lawrie, Tom Lehman, Justin Leonard. Mark Calcavecchia, Sandy Lyle, Mark O’Meara, Louis Oosthuizen, and McIlroy.
The entire top ten in the world rankings will also be on duty – Dustin Johnson (1), Hideki Matsuyama (2), Jordan Spieth (3), McIlroy (4), Sergio Garcia (5), Jason Day (6), Jon Rahm (7), Stenson (8), Alex Noren (9), and Rickie Fowler.
Apart from Scott and Day, nine other Australians will be in the field – including Marc Leishman, Scott Hend, Aaron Baddeley, Ashley Hall, Cameron Smith, and Andrew Dodt.
Spare a thought for 44-year-old Lee Westwood – are the sands of time running out for the Englishman?
He’s never won a major in 77 starts – two seconds and six thirds are his best efforts – with 18 top tens and missing 18 cuts.
Westwood’s in the unwanted category of the best never to salute, and he’d be a very popular winner at Royal Birkdale.
But my pick is 22-year-old Spaniard Jon Rahm.
He is a prodigious striker of the ball and a very reliable putter.
He was world number one amateur for a record 60 weeks, and turned pro after finishing low amateur at last year’s US Open
He started his play for pay ranked 706 in the world, and here he is ranked seventh after a rocket ride up the rankings. From 706th to seventh in 15 months exceeds all expectations.
If he can stay out of the crippling rough, Jon Rahm will give this Open Championship a fright.
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