The world’s best will swing for glory in the 150th running of golf’s greatest prize. Here is a Major Guide worthy of the occasion.
Eighteen Hundred and Sixty; the year Abraham Lincoln was elected 16th President of the United States, Burke and Wills left Melbourne in their quest to cross the Australian continent, and the inaugural Open Championship was played at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The Open was born in the wake of professional Allan Robertson’s death in 1859. Robertson was widely regarded as the finest golfer in the region from 1843 until the time of his passing, thus the tournament was formed the following year in a bid to crown a new ‘Champion Golfer’.
In what can only be described as humble beginnings, Willie Park Snr proved too strong for an extremely modest eight-man field at the conclusion of three 12-hole rounds to forever etch his name in history as the first Open Champion.
The tournament remained Scottish-centric over the next three decades and experienced a period of slow growth with the only major developments being the awarding of the Claret Jug to the victor in place of the Challenge Belt, and the decision to start rotating the Championship over multiple golf courses from 1873 – traditions still followed to this day.
It was not until Englishman John Ball’s victory in 1890 that the tournament started to gain traction on a larger scale. His win was the first by a golfer not of Scottish nationality and would prove to be the catalyst for exponential growth. A then record 84 golfers would enter the field the following year and in 1892 the championship was extended from 36 to 72 holes as it will forever remain.
Over the next decade The Open began to trickle its way down the coastline on to English shores where it was contested outside of Scotland for the first time with Royal St Georges and Royal Liverpool joining the course rotation. Golfers from around Europe started to regularly make the voyage and Frenchman Arnaud Massy forged new ground becoming the first golfer not of British descent to claim the Claret Jug in 1907.
After an unwelcome hiatus due to World War 1 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club became the sole organiser of The Open in 1920.
The beginning of their now 102-year reign was greeted with a period of American domination set in motion by Walter Hagen’s famous victory in 1922 – the first by a golfer not born on the continent of Europe. This success from those travelling across the Atlantic Ocean created worldwide press and officially placed The Open Championship on the international sporting map.
The Open Championship today is undoubtedly the most prestigious tournament in the world of golf. Its history and traditions are underpinned by a timeless, rustic charm that pays tribute to the tournaments of old where the pioneers paved the way for the professionals of the modern day.
It is the only Major played outside of America and the unique, historical coastal links courses on which it is played offer challenges in conditions and terrain rarely found around the world – it is a true test of talent, temperament and tenacity.
The most famous of these battle grounds is the Old Course at St Andrews Scotland – endearingly known as the “Home of Golf”. The game has been played on these famed links since the early 15th century and has prospered despite a 45 year interruption when King of Scots James II banned the game from 1457-1502 as it was distracting young men from practising their archery.
The Old Course first held The Open in 1873 and will now be hosting for a record 30th time. Its hallowed turf boasts a long list of decorated champions who have celebrated victory in the foreground of the famous Royal and Ancient Clubhouse, and an interesting trend has been emerging amongst them.
Over the past 76 years the previous 14 champions at St Andrews were either previous Open winners or had never won a tournament on British soil before. A perplexing pattern that suggests in order to win here you will require a wealth of winning experience in such conditions, or seemingly none at all.
With history having a funny way of repeating itself, let us focus on the top contenders in both of these categories.
Past Champions
Rory McIlroy
The World Number 2 is rightful favourite with the bookmakers following a 2nd, 8th and T5 in the season’s Majors to date. He has endured an eight year Major drought that stretches back to his 2014 Open Championship win at Royal Liverpool but is poised to break it on a course where he recorded a T3 in 2010. His game is nearing the levels that saw him spend over 100 weeks at World Number One throughout his career and it would take a brave person to bet against him. A win at The Old Course would be a fitting way for Rory to signal his second coming.
Embed from Getty ImagesJordan Spieth
The 2017 Open Champion is almost there, you can feel it. He loves links golf and in addition to his win five years ago has a 2nd place finish at Royal St Georges last year and a T4 at St Andrews in 2015 to prove it. A bogey on the famous Road Hole in the final round that year saw him miss the three-man playoff by a single stroke and he will be eager to make amends. The lessons learned there and more recently in his disappointing finish enroute to T10 at the Scottish Open last week could prove vital in his quest for a second Claret Jug.
Collin Morikawa
The defending champion won The Open on his first attempt and very few would suggest he could not make it two from two. His Major record so early in his career is incredible with two wins along with three Top 5’s in his past eight appearances. It would be wise not to read too much into his missed cut at the Scottish Open last week and to simply write it off as an opportunity to clear the cobwebs.
Shane Lowry
The lovable Irishman has not won a professional tournament since his 2019 Open Championship victory but is playing the most consistent golf of his career. His three Top-3 finishes on the PGA Tour this season – including a T3 at The Masters – plus a T9 at his National Open a fortnight ago suggest he is on the cusp of ending his unwanted streak. He revels playing golf in testing, windy conditions so if the gusts pick-up expect Shane to remain steady while the field falls around him.
Yet to Win on British Soil
Cameron Smith
It has taken Cam a little time to regroup following his crushing Masters defeat but he finally looks to be trending in the right direction. His T10 at the Scottish Open last week was his first since Augusta but it was his 68 and 67 on the weekend that caught the eye. He has the imagination and talent around the greens that is perfectly suited to links golf and with a bit of confidence and form in Scottish conditions under his belt, he looks set to contend on the biggest stage once again and improve on his career best finish of T20 at The Open.
Embed from Getty ImagesTony Finau
His nine Top 10’s at Major Championships over the past five years indicates that Tony has been the most consistent recent performer at this level without claiming a victory. He is an obvious talent that regularly places himself into contention but the one criticism of his game is a perceived inability to get the job done in the final round. His 3rd place finish at The Open in 2019 proves that he has the game for links golf and with two Top 5’s in his past four starts on the PGA Tour, do not be surprised if he takes this form to The Old Course and bombs his way to a breakthrough win.
Dustin Johnson
A true indication of recent form is tough to formulate for DJ following his defection to the LIV Golf Tour. His game looks solid enough but it is his performances in full strength fields this season that deserve attention. Despite not being anywhere near his best he still managed a 4th at The World Matchplay, 9th at the Players Championship, T12 at The Masters and T24 at the US Open. He is also an exponent of links golf with four Top 10’s at The Open and was even the 36-hole leader at St Andrews in 2015 before consecutive 75’s saw him fallout of contention. He has not won since his Masters victory in 2020 and will be longing to validate his dubious career choice with a third Major title this week.
Patrick Cantlay
Although a serial underperformer at this level it is only a matter of time before Cantlay seriously puts himself in the mix in a Major Championship. With six Top 5’s on the PGA Tour this season, including a T4 at the Scottish Open last week, this could finally be the week Cantlay rises into the upper echelon of men’s golf.
Embed from Getty ImagesRegardless of whether history repeats or not, it is guaranteed to be an occasion of historical sporting significance. Perhaps alone for the storyline surrounding Tiger Woods in what might be his final appearance at The Home of Golf where he has won twice previously.
When reflecting on his legacy and all that has come before at The Open, it is unlikely that one person’s passing has or will ever spark a sporting revolution quite like Robertson’s. Without him and the men who trail-blazed golf in the south east of Scotland throughout the 19th century we would not have the game we enjoy today. The celebration this week is a testament to them and the tournament that made it all possible.
