WHO will win this year's Claret Jug? The Open Championships are certainly living up to their name.
The 72-hole tournament begins at Hoylake tomorrow (Thursday) with the field looking as open as it has done for a long time.
The return of Tiger Woods is bound to attract attention and the former World number one has said that nothing else but victory will do for him as he goes in search of a 15th major title and his first since 2008.
The 38-year-old, who won at Royal Liverpool back in 2006, but has only played two competitive rounds since undergoing back surgery in March, is priced at 25-1 with several bookmakers.
However, it is hard to pick a clear favourite for the tournament, with the shortest odds of 12-1 on offer for World number one Australian Adam Scott.
The in-form Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose – the great British hope who has won his last two tournaments, including last week's Scottish Open, are priced at 14-1 or 16-1 depending on which bookmaker you go to, and both are in with a decent shout.
Last year's Open champion Phil Mickelson is available at 25-1, behind Rory McIlroy at 18-1 and US Open champion Martin Kaymer at 22-1, but there are several good outside bets that are worth a punt, particularly on each-way bets.
Just outside the top ten in the betting, Rickie Fowler represents good value at 40-1, particularly given his eighth place finish at the Scottish Open, while ambitious 20-year-old Jordan Spieth, who finished second behind Bubba Watson (50-1) at the Masters, is also good value at 33-1 as he looks to win his first Major.
If you are looking for other English hopes, Paul Casey is worth a punt at 70-1, while Lee Westwood (50-1) and Ian Poulter (66-1) are still looking to break their Major ducks.
However, if it is former Major winners that you are after, Angel Cabrera (66-1), Ernie Els (66-1) and Charl Schwartzel (80-1) represent good value on each-way bets particularly, with Louis Oosthuizen also worth a flutter at 100-1.
It has been known at the Open to see a winner come from nowhere – just think of Paul Lawrie in 1999, Ben Curtis in 2003 and Todd Hamilton in 2004, and that could just as easily happen again this year.
With that in mind, Irishman Shane Lowry is a good bet at 100-1, having finished fourth at the Scottish Open, and Jonas Blixt (125-1) has the talent to surprise a few people.
As for me, I am going with Spieth, who says he is already hoping to break Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles.
He will have to start somewhere and this week is a prime opportunity for him to take that first step towards fulfilling that ambition.
