With the 2016 British Open about to tee off, not many (if any) are talking about the forgotten man of Australian golf Rod Pampling.
Despite being one of 11 Australians to have made the cut for this year, there’s no buzz about the Queenslander’s chances.
Sure there’s rightly plenty of expectation and banter around world number 1 Jason Day, and the enigma that is Adam Scott. Should that mean that the 1000-1 shot is no hope?
In a sporting season of upsets, Rod Pampling can become the new Iceland or Leicester City.
We explain ourselves below.
- Troon has the same par as his local course at Caboolture (71). It also has the same front and back par (36 Out – 35 In).
- With some wild weather predicted, a golfer who can find the fairway is going to be finding the front. Rod Pampling is 57th on Fairway Hit compared to his overall US PGA Tour Fed Ex ranking of 199th.
- In the 1999 British Open Golf, Rod Pampling was the only golfer in the field to make par after the first round. Only Rod Pampling could truly handle the conditions on offer that day. Conditions which could repeat over this weekend.
- Rod Pampling qualified via a fourth in the 2015 Australian Open. His last round, a course record 61 showed the hunger to make the British Open.
- He is a good guy, and a Queenslander. It has been a good year for Queesnlanders. The last two major wins by Australians were from the Sunshine State. Six of the last eight too.
- He has made the cut in four of his last five tournaments on the US PGA Tour. Including both high profile tournaments The Memorial and Byron Nelson.
- He is ranked 6th in approaches from 250-275 yards on the PGA Tour and 19th from 200+ yards from the rough. All good on a long golf course.
- With plenty O Bunkers, his 33rd ranking for sand saves may be significant too.
If Rod Pampling doesn’t win, who do we think can?
As always we will suggest the great entertainer of world golf – Miguel Angle Jiminez.
Those unfamiliar with the Spaniard’s work will need to catch up with a few videos below.
The cigar smoking, car enthusiast known as The Mechanic is an ever present identity at the British Open, and is a welcome change from the dullards that these golfing fields usually consist of.
He spends most of his time on the US Senior Tour these days, but that hasn’t stopped tremendous performances from the old guard like Bernard Langer, Peter Senior and Tom Watson is recent years.
The king of the Hole in One, he has plenty to offer on and off the course, and the $401 would be a nice payday for the entertainment of him winning.
On the Australian front, other than Rod Pampling, why not try Scott Hend to be top Australian at $23.
Or if you really want to win, US Golfers have won the last 6 at Royal Troon. But that is the boring way out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29N_9l9guYw
