Tiger Woods. APP Photos
As the golfing world heads towards another hugely anticipated major championship, it’s interesting to see how the world’s premier golfers are shaping up heading into Turnberry.
As usual, Tiger Woods heads into the Championship as the overwhelming favourite to take out the title.
Searching for his fourth British open championship, Tiger seems to be nearing his best after a long injury layoff. His win at the AT&T national last week proves his ball striking is close to where he wants it.
Come Sunday, Tiger will more than likely be in the reckoning.
When it comes to Tiger’s compatriots, the quality of contenders is perhaps not as extensive as in previous years.
With Phil Mickelson out because of his wife’s battle with cancer, it comes down to the likes of Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk who have all found good form on the PGA tour.
Kenny Perry is facing his on family issues, despite this; his standing of second place in the fed-ex cup leader board proves that the 48 year old is still in ominous form.
There is an air of excitement amongst British golf media and fans alike that there is a fine crop of British contenders for the 2009 Open Championship.
World number three, Paul Casey now has big-time experience and many think a genuine chance to push for a British win.
Fancy pants Ian Poulter and countryman Lee Westwood are both quality ball strikers who are bidding to become the first Englishman to win the Open since Nick Faldo in 1992.
It is impossible to bypass Irishman Padraig Harrington who is gunning for a remarkable third successive British Open.
Harrington’s form has been underwhelming coming into the open but he is sure to perk up when he arrives at the beautiful Alisa course at Turnberry. Sergio Garcia always mounts a strong case and the heartbreak of his infamous choke in 2007 may spur the Spaniard on to his first golfing major.
Vijay Sing, Henrik Stenson and Camillo Villegas are all quality golfers who have the ability to mount a serious challenge at the top of the leaderboard.
Amongst the Australians in the field, Geoff Ogilvy looks the one most likely to mount a challenge. The 2006 U.S. Open Champion has risen to seventh in the current world rankings.
His win in the World Match-play Championships this year proves he is the best placed Aussie to compete in Scotland.
Adam Scott has slumped to a disappointing 43rd in the world rankings.
Will the presence of tennis star Ana Ivanovic in his life be the turning point in his career?
To win at a course like Turnberry, a golfer needs a lot of skill and a little bit of luck.
The style, of course, may suit European players more and the changing weather conditions could be the making or breaking of a round.
This could result in a surprise winner.
Perhaps the Shark might wind back the clock or Anthony Kim could finally live up to his hype.
My tip? It’s on the Tiger.
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Can anyone tell me why Turnberry has not been used for a British Open for 15 years? Is it because the organizers realized that there must be something wrong with a golf course if Greg Norman could win a major on it? Sorry, excuse the pun - I'm just indulging in the Australian national pastime of taking the piss out of each other - in reality I have a healthy admiration for The Shark. Seriously, most of the British Open courses (St Andrews, Troon, Birkdale, Muirfield, etc.) are used on a 6-8 year rotation, so I figure there must be a reason why the big show has not been to Turnberry since Price's win there in 1994.
Elliot Lodge
Roar Pro
Chop - I think its a bit hasty to say that tiger has to play badly for anyone else to win it. In a tournament with so many competitors no matter who the winner is, they have to play very good golf to win it, this goes with Tiger. Justin - I too see this as a great chance for one of the poms you mentioned. It is true that a Turnberry champion needs a solid driving game but in such a remote coastal location accuracy is also paramount. Plenty of players seem to lose their way over this challenging course so it should be interesting viewing.
Chop
Roar Guru
For anyone but Tiger to win it, he has to play badly otherwise game over. If you're looking for some smokey's, I think this course will suit players like Richard Green, Goosen, Stenson and Darren Clarke. The Open Championships just adds to a sensational weekend of sport on TV.
Justin
Guest
From what I have read driving will be crucial around Turnberry. Its no wonder The Shark won it in 86 here, he was the best driver with a persimmon? (ie wooden) driver by a country mile. Tiger has improved off the tee this year but if the wind gets up can he find the short stuff often enough? I am not game to say he cant do anything... Looking forward to it and without looking at form or prices one of Casey, Poulter or Westwood will be right up there at decent odds...
Elliot Lodge
Roar Pro
Pothale - Harringtons form has been very patchy coming into the British open. Just in this year he has slipped from fourth to twelth in the world rankings. For mine, golf is a game where form is so important. Harrington hasnt won on the european tour or the PGA tour since the tenth of August last year (PGA championship). He has failed to make an impact in both of this years majors. I am not saying that Harrington wont win because anyone can win a golf tournament. But rather that he's going to have to find something different in his game to stand a good chance.
Derm
Roar Guru
Paddy Harrington won the Irish PGA in 2007 in a play-off, and went on to win the English Open in a sudden death with Garcia. He won the PGA again in 2008 by 4 at the European Club, and went on to win by the same margin in the Open in Birkdale. He's won the Irish PGA again in 2009, by 7 strokes...............Turnberry??? Is a major three years in a row possible? Yes, according to the Australian golfing great, Peter Thomson. He was the last guy to win a major three years in a row, He's giving Pádraig a chance this week. And he's got 5 Claret Jugs to back up the authority of his judgement even if he is pushing 80. "When I started off on the first day I was very pessimistic. I wasn’t playing well and I had a driver I didn’t like. I wasn’t putting that well, so I thought I would be very lucky to get into the top half a dozen, but as time went by I found that everyone else was having similar troubles. In the end I was the one that was high and dry. I think his (Harrngton) chances must be good. If he’s good enough to win two he’s good enough to win three. But the extraneous issues, such as how well other people play, come into the picture. He’s quite capable of winning three in a row, but whether the other players allow him to do that is in the lap of the gods, I would say."