British Open predictions have a distinctly English flavor

Originally Published: July 14, 2008

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Some of the biggest names in the history of golf have won the British Open at the eight previous majors held at Royal Birkdale, including guys named Palmer, Trevino and Miller.

So will the 137th Open Championship crown a player of similar stature? Or will a surprise winner like Ben Curtis or Todd Hamilton have his name etched onto the Claret Jug?

Our experts seem to be leaning toward the Englishmen.

Take a look below to see their predictions.

Want a different viewpoint on who might win the year's third major? Try the ESPN.com FOREcaster.

British Open predictions
	Bob Harig ESPN.com golf contributor	Jason Sobel ESPN.com golf writer	John Antonini Golf World senior editor	Ron Sirak Golf World executive editor
Horse for the Course	Jim Furyk is among several players who competed in the last Open at Birkdale in 1998. While Mark O'Meara defeated Brian Watts in a playoff, and Tiger Woods finished third, Furyk quietly finished tied for fourth, giving him some good memories.	Royal Birkdale will place a premium on accuracy and on ball striking. If the wind kicks up, it'll be best to have each of those come from a low-ball hitter, so Justin Leonard could excel.	How about Justin Rose, who finished fourth as a 17-year-old amateur the last time the Open was held at Royal Birkdale.	Ernie Els. A great links player who just might have one more major championship left in him.
Birdie Buster	Ernie Els. There have been so many recent woes, but this would be the ideal place for Els to bounce back. With eight top-5 finishes at the Open, including his win in 2002, this has been a very successful tournament for Els.	Sergio Garcia is so good with his irons that he can even make some putts from where his approach shots land. Actually, he's been rolling the ball much better lately, so expect a handful of red numbers from El Nino.	Arguably, no player has let Tiger Woods into his head more than Ernie Els, so there is one distraction Els won't have to deal with this week, and his T-9 at the Scottish Open was a step in the right direction.	Phil Mickelson. Lefty can make the birdies, the question is: Will he avoid the double-bogeys?
Super Sleeper	Justin Rose. It's hard to call him a long shot, but Rose has never won on the PGA Tour, despite moving into the top 10 in the world. He is certainly a sentimental pick based on his fourth-place finish as a 17-year-old amateur a decade ago.	He might not be that much of a sleeper anymore, but just in case you snoozed through Graeme McDowell's Scottish Open win, here's a hint: He's really good.	Robert Karlsson had top-10 finishes in the Masters and the U.S. Open. He could make it three straight in majors with a good week at Birkdale.	Kenny Perry. Oh, that's right, he's in Milwaukee. Make it Anthony Kim.
Winner	Lee West- wood. He's been knocking on the door all year, including at last month's U.S. Open, where Westwood had a 20-foot birdie putt to tie on the 72nd hole. He would be the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.	This just feels like a week that is set up for Jim Furyk, a guy who's been playing well lately, likes this course and is better than the one major trophy currently on his mantel.	It's time for an English- man to win at Royal Birkdale, and Lee Westwood, who has seven top-10s on the European Tour this year, is the choice.	Justin Rose. This is where it all started for Rose in the 1998 Open Championship. Nice symmetry.