DID YOU KNOW? – 141ST OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Should Darren Clarke make a successful defence of his title he would become the first player from the United Kingdom to win back-to-back Open titles since James Braid in 1905-06.
• Royal Lytham and St Annes will be hosting The Open Championship for the 11th time. The Lancashire venue first staged the Championship in 1926 and was won by Bobby Jones. Another American, David Duval won the last time the event was here, back in 2001.
• Royal Lytham and St Annes is the only course on the Open rota to begin with a par three.
• In 1996 at Royal Lytham and St Annes, Tom Lehman established the record for the lowest first 54 hole total of 198 (-15). He eventually won by two shots from Mark McCumber and Ernie Els.
• Seve Ballesteros is the only player to win The Open Championship twice at Royal Lytham and St Annes. He first triumphed there in 1979 and again in 1988.
• The 1988 Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes was the last Open Championship to finish on a Monday. This was due to the course being flooded on the Saturday.
