Open Championship 2014: Top UK Contenders

Golf Monthly takes a look at some of the top contenders hailing from the United Kingdom in the Open Championship

Justin Rose

World Ranking: 6

Best Open Finish: T-4 (1998)

Best 2014 Finish: 1st Quicken Loans National and 1st Scottish Open

Justin Rose will be feeling confident heading into the Open, after winning the Quicken Loans National at Congressional in late June and the Scottish Open just a week before the start of the Open. He has placed in the top 15 in both of this year's majors.

Rory McIlroy

World Ranking: 8

Best Open Finish: T-3 (2010)

Best 2014 Finish: 1st BMW PGA Championship

McIlroy has had an up-and-down 2014, as he looks to get his game in major championships back on track. He started the year by tying for second in both the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship and the Honda Classic, in addition to winning the BMW PGA Championship. However, he disappointingly finished outside of the top 20 in the US Open and recently missed the cut at the Irish Open.

Graeme McDowell

World Ranking: 17

Best Open Finish: T-5 (2012)

Best 2014 Finish: 1st Alstom Open de France

McDowell will look to continue recent good form, after winning the Alstom Open de France, just two weeks before the Open. He has six top 10 finishes this year in 12 tournaments played in.

Luke Donald

World Ranking: 20

Best Open Finish: T-5 (2009, 2012)

Best 2014 Finish: 2nd at RBC Heritage

Luke Donald has now been cut from four consecutive major championships. No one knows what happens to his game under pressure, but he will hope to reverse the trend of poor performances in majors at the Open.

Ian Poulter

World Ranking: 24

Best Open Finish: 2 (2008)

Best 2014 Finish: T-6 FedEx St Jude Classic

Poulter has had a decent 2014, but has yet to really come close to a tournament win.

Jamie Donaldson

World Ranking: 30

Best Open Finish: T-32 (2013)

Best 2014 Finish: T-2 WGC-Cadillac Championship

The Welshman has had a good year so far, finishing in the top 5 in three tournaments, yet he still only has one professional win in his career. He tied for 14th in this year's Masters and missed the cut at the US Open.

Lee Westwood

World Ranking: 32

Best Open Finish: 2 (2010)

Best 2014 Finish: 1st Maybank Malaysian Open

Westwood, who made his Open debut in 1995, would love to finally get his first major championship on home soil. Of those 19 appearances at the Open, he has placed in the top five four times. In recent years, he has played some of his best golf in majors, placing in the top 10 in 7 of 14 major championships since 2011.

Stephen Gallacher

World Ranking: 37

Best Open Finish: T-21 (2013)

Best 2014 Finish: 1st Omega Dubai Desert Classic

The Scot seems to have finally found his form recently, although he has had a very up-and-down year. He has placed in the top 10 in five tournaments in 2014, but has also missed the cut five times.