The seasons third major is upon us and the daunting Ailsa Links course of Turnberry is host to this years competition. Open fan favourite Paul Broadhurst will get proceedings underway at 06.30 on Thursday morning with the first tee shot leading the way for some very attractive groupings to try their level best to tame this magnificent course set on the Ayrshire coast, West Scotland.
Duel in the Sun
The iconic course, with it’s lighthouse standing proud between the course and the sea has only held the tournament three times. In 1977 Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus were in a class of their own fighting it out in the ‘duel in the sun’ with Watson narrowly winning. Greg Norman prevailed for his second and final major victory in 1986 beating Gordon Brand Junior into second place by five shots and in 1994 Nick Price overcame Jesper Parnevik in a thrilling finale to claim The Claret Jug.
The course has changed over the years in response to the new technology and equipment that have dramatically affected the players distance. Six tees have been moved up adding 250 yards to the course and 23 new bunkers have been added to the 66 that were already there. The tenth hole, one of the hardest, has new fairway bunkers. The sixteenth is a risk and reward hole whose changes have increased the risk.
Padraig Harrington Winner of The Claret Jug
Padraig Harrington is aiming to become the first player since Australia’s Peter Thompson in the 1950’s to win The Claret Jug three times in a row. He will spend the first two days in good company with US Open winners Jim Furyk and Geoff Ogilvy.
Lee Westwood faces the daunting task of playing with Tiger Woods for the first two days but Westwood has a good record playing with Woods, not least in the final round of The 2008 US Open. It will certainly be daunting for the third member, Japan’s 17 year old Ryo Ishikawa, who qualified by winning a tournament in Japan last week.
Rory McIlroy will tee-off alongside Retief Goosen and Anthony Kim in another star studded grouping. Tom Watson who won the famous duel in the sun at Turnberry against Jack Nicklaus in 1977 will set out with the tournaments youngest player, Italian, Matteo Manassero who won The British Amateur title last month aged just 16.
Tiger Woods Wins The Congressional
The bookies make Tiger Woods roughly 2.5/1 to win, a little higher than normal, partly in response to him not passing every test since his return from knee surgery. He has passed most though, winning The Congressional title on The PGA Tour two weeks ago.
The next best bet in the bookmakers eyes is Sergio Garcia at 20/1. The statistics of recent major winners do not back up hopes for a European winner but a number have a good chance including Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy.
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