Justin Rose is second favourite to win this year’s Open – that’s according to more than half a century’s worth of data.

Ahead of The Open, Golf Care has looked into the personal and performance statistics of every Open winner since 1966, when play was extended to four days.

This analysis has found that Rose has a 79 per cent compatibility with the average Open winner. Just in front of him as favourite for the claret jug is Dustin Johnson, with an 81 per cent overall compatibility.

If Rose is to emerge victorious, he might have a battle on his hands – the last three champions at Carnoustie all won via a play-off!

Golf Care’s resource, entitled ‘What Makes An Open Champion’, looks at a variety of personal and performance metrics including age, marital status, overall score and average driving distance and number of putts. 3-time Ryder Cup Captain and Golf Care ambassador Bernard Gallacher said: “Having played at The Open 18 times in my career, I’ve been lucky enough to compete with some of the greatest golfers of all time. What Makes An Open Champion provides an encyclopaedic insight into what makes these players unique and is a must-read for any golf enthusiast.”

Out of the 35 Open winners over the last 52 years, one in seven were aged 33 when they won. And did you know that 43% of Open winners since 1966 had three or more children – showing that a big family can be the formula for success!

As well as providing an in-depth look at every Open winner over the last 52 years, this website allows golf fans to pit previous winners against each other and assesses who would win based on their statistics. Some of the ‘battles of the legends’ include Jack Nicklaus vs Tiger Woods, Nick Faldo vs Greg Norman and Gary Player vs Tom Watson.

To explore ‘What Makes An Open Champion’ in more detail, click on golfcare.uk