The argument has been made that the three best players in the world have won the first three major championships of 2024. Trends pointed to Scottie Scheffler's Masters victory and Xander Schauffele's breakthrough win at the PGA Championship. They narrowly eliminated Bryson DeChambeau at the U.
S. Open, but that is not to say numbers have struggled to identify major contenders so far this season. Of the final five at the U.
S. Open, four finished inside the top 15 with the lone outlier being the world No. 1.
Scheffler is sure to factor in some manner at the 2024 Open as he seeks to join players like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods in winning the Masters and The Open in the same season. Statistically, he is as sound a player one can find in the world of golf, but there is more to winning this tournament. Links-golf pedigree, major championship chops, recent form -- all these factors intertwined with a couple other statistics can help identify the man most likely to raise the Claret Jug come Sunday afternoon at Royal Troon.
With all that in mind, let's take a look back at the 10 most recent winners of The Open and identify what trends exist as we attempt to narrow down the field of 158 players to pinpoint this year's champion. You can also take a gander at a full slate of 2024 Open Championship picks and predictions from our CBS Sports experts. 1.
Official World Golf Rankings The rankings have lost some accuracy and completeness amid the LIV Golf drama, but they are s.