Bjorn can give Scandinavia first major victory at British Open
Published:Given the quality of golfers to emerge from Scandinavia over time, it is somewhat of a surprise that the region is still waiting to celebrate its first ever major winner.
After all, Thomas Bjorn and Robert Karlsson both need more than two hands to count their respective number of European Tour career victories, while Jesper Parnevik was a nine-time winner across the European and PGA Tours.
And it is Denmark’s Bjorn that seems to have the best chance of ending the wait for a major success at the British Open at 66/1.
Firstly, he has proven previously that his game is well suited to the demands of the Muirfield course, as he finished in a share of eighth on the last occasion that the venue hosted the British Open in 2002.
Meanwhile, he has knocked on the door at majors in the past, most notably when he led the British Open in 2003 with four holes left and at the 2005 PGA Championship when again blowing the lead to take second behind Phil Mickelson.
His more recent major performances leave a little to be desired, but there are signs on the European Tour of late that Bjorn is putting his best foot forward again.
The Dane has finished in the top 10 on four of his last six starts since flopping in the Balentine’s Championship in late April.
Alternatively, it is 8/1 that any Scandinavian wins the British Open and this brings in a few other 66/1 chances in Peter Hanson and Henrik Stenson, with Thorbjorn Olesen the most fancied from the region at 50/1.
Olesen finished in a share of ninth on his British Open debut last year and has also showed some pedigree to go well in a major already in 2013, when a tied sixth at the Masters.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
