The Phnom Penh Post

Big names in fight for Open form

- Andy Scott

WHILE uncertaint­y surrounds the form of leading names such as Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, the British Open begins at Royal Birkdale today with a clutch of players hopeful of winning the Claret Jug.

When the Open last came to the links at Southport, near Liverpool on the coast of northwest England, it was 2008 and Tiger Woods had just won the US Open.

That was his 14th major, but Woods has not won any since and no longer does any single player dominate the sport.

The last nine majors have all been won by a different name, going back to Jordan Spieth’s back-to-back victories at the Masters and US Open in 2015.

Indeed, the last seven majors have all been claimed by players who had never previously taken one of the sport’s biggest prizes, including Brooks Koepka at last month’s US Open and Henrik Stenson in the Open at Troon 12 months ago.

“I think it’s a really impressive stat and it speaks to the state of the game. There are a lot of tremendous young players right now,” Spieth, the 23year-old world No3, said on Tuesday.

“And then you’ve got guys like Henrik and Dustin, guys who are still young, but guys who have been around in contention many, many times, and it was sooner or later going to happen and it did. It was just a matter of time for them.”

But, with the likes of Japan’s world No2 Hideki Matsuyama looking a threat, can another first-time winner lift the Claret Jug in front of Birkdale’s distinctiv­e white Art Deco clubhouse on Sunday evening?

“I think there’s a lot more guys who haven’t won majors than guys who have that are playing, so the chances are it is going to be somebody that hasn’t won one,” Spieth added.

Spieth’s game is in a better place than world No1 Johnson, who sat out the Masters with a back injury and missed the cut in last month’s US Open at Erin Hills.

Formidable challenge

Neverthele­ss, Johnson, 33, has remained the favourite for the $1.845 million first prize with most bookmakers this week, while fourthrank­ed McIlroy looks to climb out of a worrying slump.

He has missed the cut at three of the last five majors and also failed to make the weekend on the links at the Irish Open and Scottish Open recently.

Padraig Harrington was the last winner at Birkdale, a stunning par-70 course that winds its way through the sand dunes, nine years ago.

He is the last player to successful­ly defend the Claret Jug, and Stenson will hope that is an omen for him, although he must know the sort of golf that saw him defeat Phil Mickelson on the last day at Troon was once-ina-lifetime stuff.

“I think once you win one, obviously, that’s off your shoulder. And it’s more about putting yourself in contention again and trying to win a second one,” the Swede, 41, said on Tuesday.

Five of the last six Open champions have been aged 39 or older. In 1998, Birkdale crowned the 41-yearold Mark O’Meara, although a freshfaced 17-year-old Justin Rose finished fourth as an amateur. Rose, along with local lad Tommy Fleetwood, now look the best bets for a first English winner since Nick Faldo in 1992.

Birkdale is hosting the Open for the 10th time all told. The course has great history and poses a formidable challenge, not least if the weather deteriorat­es. Conditions were glorious on Monday and Tuesday, but it is set to be much cooler and more unsettled for today’s first round, and there is a risk it could be downright unpleasant by Friday.

“I think it’s the fairest links golf course we play, it rewards great golf,” Rose said. “But we really haven’t played this course in good weather. This week might not be great.”

 ?? BEN STANSALL/AFP ?? Last year’s winner Henrik Stenson (left) returns the the Claret Jug, the British Open Golf Championsh­ip trophy, to R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers on Monday.
BEN STANSALL/AFP Last year’s winner Henrik Stenson (left) returns the the Claret Jug, the British Open Golf Championsh­ip trophy, to R&A Chief Executive Martin Slumbers on Monday.

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