Royal St. George's - 2011 Open Championship

With the list of qualifiers all sorted and the field complete, the attention of the golfing world will soon turn to the South-Eastern English coastline as Royal St. George's hosts the Open Championship for the 14th time.

‘Sandwich’ as it’s known was the first course to hold the Open outside of Scotland back in 1894 with greats such as Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen and Henry Cotton all winning there in the past.

1985

The last three winners have all brought about different stories. Back in 1985 Sandy Lyle won his first Open with a score of +2 and a one shot victory over the late Payne Stewart.

This was the last year the Open Championship featured the double cut (one after two rounds, one after three rounds).

Christy O’Connor Jnr led after the first day with a six under round of 64. The Ryder Cup hero would fall back ending in a tie for third.

Australian David Graham and Germany’s Bernhard Langer took a one shot lead into the final day but would both shoot five over allowing Lyle who was level par on the day to take the title.

1993

Eight years later fan favourite Greg Norman would claim his second and last major with an incredible 13 under total.

After an opening 66 Norman would tie for the lead after day one with the course playing very different to the one back in 85’. The cut line was plus three a shot more than what Lyle won with previously.

In the second round Sir Nick Faldo was a shot ahead and looking to defend the title after a stunning 63 and would go into the final day tied for the lead with last year’s American Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin.

Langer would again challenge and eventually finish in third on 10 under.

Norman went into the final day tied with the German on seven under and would produce what many people say is the finest final round of golf in Open Championship history, shooting a 64 to take the Claret Jug.

2003

The last time the Open was held at Sandwich back in 2003 it was unknown American Ben Curtis who would shock the golfing world winning on one under from Dane Thomas Bjorn and Fiji’s Vijay Singh.

Norman would turn back the clock on the opening day with a two under 69 on a course that was lengthened and where the par was up by one.

Unfortunately the Great White Shark would fall back and Bjorn would lead by one going into the final day.
Curtis, two shots behind would shoot one under on the day to win by one after Bjorn shot a 72 to finish level par for the tournament.

2011

The course is back at a par 70 and has been lengthened again by some 100 yards with the rough being grown (See right) to punish wayward driving.

However the pundits predict more of what happened in 1993 when the scores were quite low.

Sky Sports pundit and coach Denis Pugh recently played the course and tweeted:

“Very fair course but will need wind or scores going to be very low. These players are too good, look at the scoring at Congressional”.

So look at the winning score to be anything from eight to 12 under.

Traditionally in the last few visits to Sandwich and as I’ve mentioned, the winner has been in contention from day one or in Curtis’s case at the halfway mark so look out for someone that shoots low on day one to be there challenging on Sunday.

Colin Montgomerie predicts another European victory and names the top five players to be there or there abouts come Sunday.

Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell would therefore head the challenge according to the victorious Ryder Cup captain and I would have to agree.

A notorious slow starter in majors Westwood would be my pick if he has a good opening day and doesn’t have to fight back over the next few rounds as he has done in the last few majors.

I’ve said in the past I don’t think he will ever win a major but I hope he proves me wrong and lifts the Claret Jug in front of his home crowd.

A third place back in 2009 followed by a runners-up position last year would suggest that he can go one better this year.

A few outside picks would make me look at a consistent Matt Kuchar (33/1) or a Paul Casey (50/1) who has two top-ten’s in his last three Opens.

If you want to look at nostalgia and look for someone to follow in the footsteps of Tom Watson in 2009 or Norman back in 08 then Langer (250/1) would love to rekindle his love affair with the course he has traditionally performed well at over the years.

What we can expect is it to be another great major championship as the Open always is. Everyone loves to watch and play links golf and it’s something the players always look forward to and so am I.