Category: British Open Championship
Its proper name is the Open Championship, but on my side of the pond, its known as the British Open. The first Open Championship was held in 1860, with Willie Park winning over Tom Morris. As far as the Golf Blogger is concerned, this is the most interesting of Golf's four majors because the courses are generally so different from what we see on the PGA Tour.
Check back with this section for links to articles and updates on the British Open Championship
Open Championship Predictions 2011
Most Likely To Win (Part 1): Someone that none of us are really thinking about. I can see the eventual winner coming from one in this group: Francesco Molinari, Fredrik Jacobson, Henrik Stenson, Hunter Mahan, Louis Oosthuizen, Matteo Manassero, Peter Hanson, Rickie Fowler, Robert Karlsson, Ross Fisher, Y-E Yang, Alvaro Quiros, Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson. All of these are middle of the pack players, odds-wise. Sure, it wouldn’t be as surprising as a Louis Oothuizen or Ben Crane win, but none of these are being pushed by the prognosticators.
Most Likely To Win (Part 2): Luke Donald
Most Likely To Win (Part 3): Rory McIlroy
American Most Likely To Win: Steve Stricker. He has the patience, I think, to put together a run on the unpredictable links.
Who Won’t Win: Lee Westwood. He’s the new Colin Montgomerie.
Guy I Most Want To Win (Part 1): Phil Mickelson. What can I say? I’m a fan. But he won’t win. His gambling style isn’t suited for the Open Championship, where trying to force the issue will kill you.
Guy I Most Want To Win (Part 2): Sergio Garcia.
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
Watson Says Older Player Could Win Open
Tom Watson says that a “fifty-something” player could win this year’s Open Championship.
“I don’t see why it’s not feasible for a 50-something to win this week,” Watson, 61, told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
“Links courses are great equalizers. You don’t have to pound the ball or hit the ball particularly long although they have added length to many of the holes here.”
Other than himself, I wonder which 50+ he could be thinking of.
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
Open Championship Television Times
All of this year’s Open Championship television coverage is on the ESPN network family.
Thursday and Friday: 4 am Eastern on ESPN
Saturday: 7 am Eastern on ESPN
Sunday: 6 am Eastern on ESPN
In addition, ESPN3.Com offers coverage of holes 14, 15 and 16 at 4 am on Thursday and Friday.
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
Economic Impact of the Open Championship
Golf is good for business. A recent analysis says that the Open Championship says that it will generate more than £80 million (about ($127,544,000) for the surrounding Kent county. Press release follows:
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
Odds To Win the Open Championship July 11, 2011
To no one’s surprise, Rory McIlroy is the odds on favorite to win this year’s Open Championship, at 13/2 (meaning that a bet of $2 pays 13 if he wins). Rory has been so close (or winning) in recent Majors that he seems nearly certain to at least be a leader.
Still, there are those who are not convinced. Lee Westwood and Luke Donald (both 11/1) are the two deemed most likely to pick up the standard if Rory falls. In fact, I heard a commentator on The Golf Channel this weekend suggest that Luke Donald’s number one position, coupled with the win in the Scottish Open should make him the favorite. Bettors apparently don’t agree.
I like Luke Donald for the win at the Open Championship. He seems as though he has the steady hand that Championship requires. Length will kill him in the US Open, but in the isles ...
The rest of the top ten are an interesting mix. Martin Kaymer is at 22/1. He’s had a solid year, but I’m still not convinced that he’s the real deal (yes, I know he won the PGA). Graeme McDowell and Sergio Garcia are in at 28/1. I’m putting Sergio on my team along with Donald. I really think this could be his year.
Steve Stricker is the leading American at 28/1. His victory this past weekend was quite the thing, but Stricker’s not had a good run at the Open Championship. His best finish was a T7 in 2008. Other than that, it’s been a long string of cuts, did not plays and finishes no better than 25.
My dark horse (if there can be a dark horse in the top 10) is Jason Day. He’s played so well in recent majors that he’s just got to break through soon. Look at his last three Majors: US Open 2011 - 2nd; Masters 2011 - 2nd; PGA 2010 - t10. Ok, so his best finish at the Open Championship was T60 in 2010, but that was his first appearance in a Major.
Nick Watney at 33/1 is the other American on the list. He’s got game. We’ll see how it holds up on the links.
The rest of the betting odds for the 2011 Open Championship are below, courtesy of Bodog, the world’s largest betting destination.
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
British Open Championship Past Winners
The oldest of golf’s majors, the Open Championship extends back to 1860, when it was played by eight professionals at Prestwick Golf Club. The initial winner was Willie Park, Sr. He defeated the heavily favored “Old” Tom Morris by two strokes.
The tournament is played on a rotation of nine courses—five in Scotland and four in England: The Old Course, Carnoustie, Muirfield, Turnberry, Royal Troon, Royal St. George’s, Royal Birkdale, Royal Lytham and St. Anne’s, and Royal Liverpool.
Harry Vardon holds the record for the most number of victories, with six.
The complete list is below. A = amateur PO = Playoff, a number in parenthesis following a name indicates the number of Open Championships that player had won at that point.
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
Phil Drives A Bike
Only Phil.
This uncredited photo is linked to the article here.
Just a thought: Phil should think about what happened to Thomas Levet in a moment of whimsey.
Posted By The Original Golf Blogger
