__ Predicted Winner:__ Tiger Woods. No one has won three straight Opens since Peter Thomson in 1954-56. He has motivation aplenty.Keep An Eye On: Colin Montgomerie. Talented enough to make another run at 44.Don't Expect Much From: Ernie Els. Would need a huge reversal of form from Masters (MC) and U.S. Open (T-51).
John Hawkins's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__ Jim Furyk. It will take a talented tactician to tame Carnoustie, and nobody owns a better skill/strategy combination than Furyk. Plays his best golf in the warm-weather months.Keep An Eye On: Luke Donald. Control types will prevail at the toughest venue on the British Open rota. Donald is a straight driver and terrific iron player who is ready to take the next step.Don't Expect Much From: Colin Montgomerie. For many years Europe's best hope to win a major, Monty puts too much pressure on himself in his homeland and isn't a good wind player.
Ryan Herrington's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__ Tiger Woods. A chance at history (first to win the Open three straight times in 50 years), plus the claret jug is a nice present to bring back to Sam Alexis from this business trip.Keep An Eye On: Padraig Harrington. Hasn't played all that great since the Masters but has the talent to win a major and the Open might be his best chance.Don't Expect Much From: Zach Johnson. Masters champ not only hasn't made the cut in three previous British Open starts but has broken par in just one of six rounds.
Mike Johnson's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__Ernie Els. Strong showing at Loch Lomond boosts confidence heading into an event where he has posted a half-dozen top 3s. Granted, Carnoustie in 1999 (T-24) was not one of them.__Keep An Eye On:__Justin Rose. His back appears fully healed and with five international wins to his credit, this soon-to-be 27-year-old has the head and the game to contend.Don't Expect Much From: Jim Furyk. Yes, he finished fourth in the Open Championship last year, but Furyk had missed the cut in the five previous British Opens.
Ron Kaspriske's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__ Henrik Stenson. The Swede has all the tools and is leading the European tour's Order of Merit despite playing in less than half the events.__Keep An Eye On:__Phil Mickelson. He's been showing signs of improving since the injury and won't be on anyone's mind since he doesn't normally play well at the British.Don't Expect Much From: Sergio Garcia. He clearly has a mental block when it comes to the majors. He's only contended in two on Sunday in the last decade. And neither was a British Open (1999 PGA and 2002 U.S. Open).
Matt Rudy's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__ Ernie Els. Els has basically disappeared since hurting his knee two summers ago but he putted great last week at Loch Lomond. When was the last time the Big Easy came into Carnoustie with no hoopla or expectations?__Keep An Eye On:__Padraig Harrington. We're still waiting for Harrington to separate himself from the large group of talented Euros who have yet to win a major. Carnoustie would seem like the best venue for his kind of grinding (think Jim Furyk with a brogue).Don't Expect Much From: Phil Mickelson. He seems to have the ability to give himself a competitive lobotomy -- to forget about the smash ups and failures and come through when we least expect it -- but this week is going to tax those powers.
Ron Sirak's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__Paul Casey. The Brit follows the trend established by Zach Johnson and Angel Cabrera and becomes another first-time major championship winner.Keep An Eye On: Jim Furyk. He keeps his ball out of trouble as well as anyone, and he can make those big par-saving putts that maintain momentum.Don't Expect Much From: Phil Mickelson. Has rarely played the British Open well. There is just too much trouble for him to find -- and he will find it.
Mike Stachura's Picks
__ Predicted Winner:__ Padraig Harrington. He won last year at the Dunhill Links, which included Carnoustie in the rota, and he's more due than Elin was the Monday after the U.S. Open.__Keep An Eye On:__Niclas Fasth. Fiery, coming off a good major on a tough course and just the sort of quirky character who might find himself with a three-shot lead on the 18th tee on Sunday. And in a playoff 20 minutes later.__Don't Expect Much From:__Sergio Garcia. Even though he's found new life with the cheater putter, the scars from the 89 eight years ago run deep.
