With less than 24 hours to go before the 158th British Open Championship takes place at Symphony Hall in Birmingham, we thought we had better give you the low down on the ‘informed’ (or misinformed) predictions.

For readers who follow the intelligent scientific approach of 4BR then our top six before a note has been blown is as follows:

4BR Prediction:

1. Cory
2. Black Dyke
3. Foden’s
4. Brighouse & Rastrick
5. Grimethorpe
6. Desford

Dark Horse: Fairey (Geneva)

Meanwhile, the British Bandsman has opted for the following top half a dozen:

British Bandsman

1. Cory
2. Black Dyke
3. Foden’s
4. Brighouse & Rastrick
5. Fairey (Geneva)
6. Kirkintilloch

On the basis of average final places over the last five years, the top six would look a little different:

5 Year average

1. Cory
2. Black Dyke
3. Foden’s
4. Grimethorpe Colliery
5. Brighouse & Rastrick
6. Fairey (Geneva)

The brilliantly successful Paddy Flower on themouthpiece.com website has been racking in the pounds over the past few weeks and has a line up of fancied runners as follows:

Go to: http://www.themouthpiece.com/

Paddy Flower

1. Cory
2. Black Dyke
3. Brighouse & Rastrick
4. Grimethorpe Colliery
5. Foden's
6. Fairey (Geneva)

So which of the ‘experts’ will get it as close as the three men in the box we wonder?