The fourth and final golf major of the year is upon us, the Open Championship. The oldest of the majors, the Open is steeped in history and over the years, has seen a number of players become legends of the sport, with records being smashed. This year is set to be no different with Northern Ireland and Royal Portrush hosting the tournament for the second time in its 159-year history and 148 editions.

If you’re looking to bet on golf championship on Betfair, here are a number of things to consider ahead of the tournament:

1.Which Tiger Woods will turn up to the Open?

It’s no longer a secret that Tiger Woods isn’t the player he used to be. As time goes by, the likelihood of seeing vintage Tiger tear-up the field is slowly ebbing. His instincts still might be as killer as they used to be, but his body isn’t in harmony with them, sadly. The ending of great careers is always painful to watch, Tiger’s career is heading towards that sunset.

Just last month he turned out for the US Open at pebble Beach, with a KT tape to support his neck. Seems like the 43-year-old won’t be bedecking his trophy room of 15 major titles with another one soon (or ever?). Although stranger things have happened – after all, he did win the Masters earlier this year when he was some way down the list of favourites.

2. Will Brooks Koepka bounce back from his bittersweet finish at the US Open?

On the pursuit of his third consecutive US Open title, Koepka was backed by everybody to march past the 115-year-old record of Willie Anderson. He did get his hands on a record but it lacks the glorious glimmer. He became the first player to shot in the 60s in all four rounds and yet ended up not winning it… let that sink in.

Although, he did get a fanbase of his own as the tournament came to a close. The people at the gallery were going-gaga, cheering everything that came out of his golf stick.

Whatever the result might have been, Koepka’s efforts were and would be revered by the fans. He will no doubt have a fanbase at Royal Portrush, with his caddie: Ricky Elliot a local lad and more than familiar with the course and the challenges that lie ahead. It won’t be a surprise if he ends up winning another major title in the coming years… or even later this week!

3. Can Gary Woodland win a second major championship?

The bookies say no, with the American currently priced at 55/1, but the veteran certainly proved his mettle at the last major championship: the US Open. The scoreboard doesn’t lie and Woodland etched his name in the record books. He became the fourth player in the world to win the US Open title with four sub-70 rounds. On top of that, he managed to share a 19-year-old record with Tiger woods, by becoming the second player to post a double-digits under-par score at Pebble Beach.

It would be understandable if Woodland’s mind was elsewhere – his wife Gabby is back home in Florida on partial bed-rest, due to give birth to twins in the coming weeks. Woodland almost pulled out of the year’s final major, but it was his wife that told him to go.

While he hasn’t missed a cut in seven tournaments, his best finish was T12 at Royal Troon in 2016. One thing’s different this time though – he’s a major champion and anything is possible.