Jordan Spieth will struggle at St Andrews, insists Paul McGinley

Europe's 2014 Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley, does not fancy Jordan Spieth's chances of being the first golfer since American Ben Hogan in 1953 to land the first three majors of the season.

The 48-year-old Irishman believes St Andrews, venue of this week's British Open, will favour the long drivers rather than someone like Spieth whose game is built around a silky putting stroke.

"The odds are against Jordan next week," McGinley said at the Scottish Open. "I wouldn't be backing him.

"If the course plays to its prevailing wind, which is in off the left on the holes on the way out, it's very advantageous to hit the ball a long way.

"Holes like the par-five fifth, going into that green with a five- or six-iron compared to a three-wood is a massive advantage to the big hitters, particularly when the pin is at the front," said McGinley.

"The par-four ninth is also driveable to the big-hitters, 10 is driveable, 12 is driveable, 14 gets wider the further you hit it, and 18 is driveable too. Jordan not being one of the big hitters means it's going to put even more focus on his putting."