After returning to the ‘Home of Golf’ last week for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the European Tour and the golfing world turn their collective attention to The 145th Open Championship. Here is all you need to know about professional golf’s oldest competition...
Rewind
America’s Zach Johnson held his nerve to beat Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen in a four-hole play-off to win The Open last year. The 2007 Masters Tournament champion made a crucial birdie at the 18th to sign for a sublime final round of 66 to claim the clubhouse lead at St Andrews. Leishman also shot 66 to finish on 15 under par alongside Oosthuizen, after the 2010 champion birdied the last. Johnson was pushed all the way by the South African, who narrowly missed a birdie putt at the fourth play-off hole to hand the American his second Major Championship.
Bite-sized history
The oldest of the four Major Championships, The Open was first played in 1860 at Prestwick’s Old Course. Winners of the event were originally awarded the Challenge Belt, a red leather belt with a silver buckle, but in 1872 three clubs due to host The Open each paid £10 towards a new trophy – the Claret Jug. Since its inception, the tournament has become the most famous golf competition in the world, being played at Britain’s finest links courses.
Seven-time Major champion Sam Snead was the first post-war winner of the event in 1946, while Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Greg Norman and Tiger Woods are just some of golf’s greatest names who have lifted the Claret Jug on multiple occasions. Norman holds the record for the lowest score over 72 holes – 267 strokes in 1993 – whilst Woods’ aggregate winning score of 19 under par in 2000 is the lowest by any player in the history of The Open.
The field
The best players in the world will tee it up at Royal Troon this week. World Number Four Rory McIlroy will play at The Open for the first time since he won the competition in 2014 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. The Northern Irishman will have to overcome World Number Two Dustin Johnson, who is in red hot form after winning the US Open and the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in his last two starts.
Also looking to add to their Major hauls will be World Numbers One and Three, Jason Day and Jordan Spieth, who both finished one shot outside the play-off at St Andrews last year. Spieth’s compatriots Todd Hamilton, Justin Leonard and Mark Calcavecchia will be returning to Royal Troon with fond memories, having won The Open there in 2004, 1997 and 1989 respectively.
Reigning Masters Tournament winner Danny Willett and 2013 victor Phil Mickelson are two of the other high-profile names in a truly world-class field which contains 31 Major Champions, ten World Number Ones, 17 WGC winners, 22 winners from the 2016 European Tour season and 16 former Open Champions.
The course
Adjacent to the Firth of Clyde on the South Ayrshire coast, Royal Troon Golf Club offers classic links golf at a legendary venue that is steeped in history. Opened in 1878 this magnificent course is famous for its variety, and can boast to having the longest and shortest holes in Open Championship golf.
Known as the Postage Stamp, the par three eighth measures just 123 yards with a tiny green which is only 420 square feet, while the par five sixth is a lengthy 601 yards. Players are advised to make their score on the outward nine, as prevailing north-westerly winds can make the back nine fiendishly difficult.
