This year’s Open Championship at the Royal St. George’s Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent will go down in golf history as one of the toughest. World number one Luke Donald, former number one Lee Westwood and former Championship winner Padraig Harrington head a big list of top ranked players who failed to make the half way cut. Of those who did make the cut, Rory McIlroy goes into day four nine shots off the lead and Phil Mickelson begins five shots from the leaders.

Irishman Darren Clarke leads the field into the final day, albeit by a single shot from Dustin Johnson. He is two shots clear of Thomas Bjorn and Rickie Fowler followed by Lucas Glover and Miguel Angel Jimenez a further shot back. Clarke has been ultra consistent carding 68 68 and 69 while Johnson looks to be the main danger carding 70 68 and 68. If they both repeat their day three scores then we’ll be heading for the play-off holes.

In golf betting, online bookmakers have Johnson as the favourite at 11/4 with Clarke hovering around the 3/1 mark. Rickie Fowler and Thomas Bjorn are next best at 7/1. The final day makes for some interesting betting and while a 68 or 69 looks to be a good score on this course, you never know when someone is going to get into the rhythm and suddenly card a 65 or 66 as we saw on day one. While Johnson is favourite, he has been known to crash and burn on day four – and he’s not alone. If the leaders crash then the event becomes anyone’s.

From back in the field, Phil Mickelson, Martin Kaymer, and Adam Scott could spring last day challenges. They will need luck and they will need the leaders to falter. On Clarke’s side is age – this is his 20th appearance in an Open Championship – if he hasn’t learned to control his nerves by now, he never will. We’re tipping Clarke to win with side bets on Kaymer, Scott, and Jimenez – they are at great odds and worth at least an each way ticket.