Long wait for a home winner goes on Jacklin

THERE were few signs that an Englishman would win the Open on home soil for the first time since my victory at Royal Lytham in 1969.

God knows when this sequence is going to end. It’s been a long-enough wait already. Lee Westwood and Luke Donald have had their chances but fluffed them.

Majors define a career. Lee Trevino finished me when he beat me at the Open in 1972 but until then I had chances from 1967.

When Nick Faldo was reeling off his Major wins there was no luck to it; he was the best around.

Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood and Andy Sullivan are probably our great Open hopes, looking ahead. Donald has gone off the boil and didn’t even qualify for Birkdale. I hope I’m not being unkind but he’s yesterday’s man now. Westwood continues to be consistent but his performance at last year’s Ryder Cup was found wanting. His putting was really weak, I even thought he had the yips, but he has managed to come back strongly.

I’m not sure Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston is quite Major-winning material yet. He’s entertaining and plays some good golf from time to time but you can’t see into a player’s mind. We saw yesterday that golf is unquestionably a total mind game.

Winner Jordan Spieth was really tenderminded on the front nine. Holding a three-shot overnight lead, his putting became tentative.

But out of nowhere and after his calamity on the 13th, he was a different guy. He started pumping himself up, driving himself on.

It’s all about what you are thinking in your head, what you believe, what you visualise. I used to visualise winning and so did Seve Ballesteros. You have to believe in yourself because no one else will. ●Interview by Tony Jimenez. Tony Jacklin is brand ambassador for Glenmorangie, the creative spirit of the Open.