Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THE 136th Open Golf Championship 2007 will be held at the Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland from tomorrow until July 22 and will see some of the top golfers in the world battle for golf’s oldest and most coveted trophy, The Claret Jug.
A total of 156 golfers will compete, with the leading 70 players after two rounds going on to qualify for the final 36 holes. Recent US Open winner Angel Cabrera and three-time champion Tiger Woods will join the fray as will top British golfers such as Nick Faldo, David Howell and Lee Westwood.
The Open was last held at Carnoustie in 1999 and was won by Paul Lawrie – that was the last time a European golfer enjoyed a major tournament win, so the pressure will really be on this year to outplay Tiger and his fellow Americans.
The venue was dubbed “Car-nasty” in 1999 and has since been lengthened to a massive 7,400 yards.
However, I do not expect it to be quite such a brutal test this year as the rough has apparently not been grown as thick or long as previously.
Many golf fans will remember the scenes during the last round of the ’99 Open when John Van De Velde famously lost the Open on the 18th hole with a disastrous triple bogey, even being reduced to paddling around the Barry burn with his socks and shoes off contemplating how to play his next shot to the 18th green!
There have been a few changes to the course design since then which will certainly reward good shots and make players think twice before taking the driver out of the bag. I would expect to see a long hitting golfer lifting the Claret Jug on Sunday afternoon, but the strength of the field means almost any one of the 156 competitors could be in that position.
Perhaps it will be a European we see lifting the title after a baron eighth year spell in major victories. Obviously, being a Scot, I would love it to be Colin Montgomerie.
Since he is the architect of our new course here at Riffa Views, I think everyone at the club would also love it to be Monty!
The writer is the head professional at Riffa Golf Club.
By Scott Mccraw
