Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and more -- Reasons why each can and can't win on Sunday at The Open

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — The 150th edition of The Open might very well end up going down as one of the best ones in its storied history, depending on what happens at the Old Course at St. Andrews on Sunday.

Seven of the top 12 players in the Official World Ranking are within eight shots of the co-leaders, Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy, who are 16 under and have a four-shot advantage going into the final 18 holes.

There are plenty of storylines: McIlroy will attempt to end an eight-year drought without a major. Hovland, Cameron Young, Cameron Smith, Si Woo Kim and Tommy Fleetwood will be chasing their first major victories. Scottie Scheffler, who is five shots back, will attempt to put a bow on one of the greatest seasons in golf history. U.S. Open winner Matt Fitzpatrick will try to win a second straight major.

Are we headed for a shootout between Hovland and McIlroy in the final round, or will the Old Course finally show its teeth and allow others back into the mix?

«I don't know,» Hovland said. «There's a lot of things that can happen. In these conditions and these pin placements, you can play fine and shoot around even-par, and then that brings in a lot of other guys as well. So it just depends what the conditions are going to be like [Sunday], the pin locations, and just frankly how we play.»

Who's going to win the Claret Jug on Sunday? Here's why the top contenders will win and why they won't:

Why he can win: Hovland, who learned to play golf in an indoor facility in Norway, is one of the most talented young players in the world. The 24-year-old has already won twice on the European Tour and three times on the PGA Tour, including the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba in November. He is the first