Features

When will Major drought end?

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 25/01/2010
Golf betting

With Tiger Woods potentially out of the picture, surely 2010 offers the best chance for a home player to end Britain's barren run in the Majors?

It's now 11 long years since a Briton last got his hands on one of the game's four great prizes and, for the nation that gave the game to the rest of the world, that is simply too long.

Europe has had a Major winner though after the three (two Open Championships and one PGA Championship) victories of Ireland's Padraig Harrington in recent years.

However, Paul Lawrie's success in the Open Championship at Carnoustie in 1999 remains British golf's last day in the sun.

When will a British player next win a Major? - Latest Golf Betting

So if 2010 does present the best opportunity for a first British Major win in more than a decade, which players are most likely to make the breakthrough?

The online betting favourite is Lee Westwood and it's hard to disagree as the Englishman is currently playing some of the best golf of his career.

The 36-year-old heads into the new season as Europe's top-ranked played after winning the inaugural Race to Dubai last year.

More importantly, he also has more than a decade of experience of competing in the Majors and has finished third in The Open and US Open in recent seasons.

Perhaps the US Open at Pebble Beach in June represents Westwood's greatest chance of winning a Major as tee to green he is one of the best players in the world.

If his often cumbersome, but vastly improving, short-game can be mastered over a course which has a premium on accuracy then he could just become the first British or European winner of the event since Tony Jacklin in 1970.

Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy certainly has the game to win a Major as his stunning start to life in the paid ranks proves.

The 20-year-old is believed to be the heir apparent to Woods' world number one spot and finished in the top ten at both The Open Championship and PGA Championship last season.

However, his experience of the Majors is limited - just five - and it could be that 2010 will be one year too soon for his hopes.

Paul Casey has long been expected to win a Major due to the Englishman's prodigious length and accuracy off the tee. Now 32, Casey went to college in America and resides in Arizona so it is no surprise that his record in The Open Championship is comparatively poor.

Thee missed cuts in his first four appearances suggests that St Andrew's this summer will not be a happy hunting ground for Casey.

However, the former European number one has enjoyed top-ten finishes in the Masters and US Open and they would appear to be his best bet for glory.

Elsewhere, there is a gaggle of British players who will be jostling for position in a Ryder Cup year. The likes of Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Luke Donald, Justin Rose and Graeme McDowell could all win a Major championship.

Lawrie and British golf fans will certainly be watching on with interest.

BET NOW