Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Championship golf has come a long way from humble beginnings. This week sees golf's oldest tournament, The Open Championship, take centre stage once again.
The Open (or the British Open to give it its common name!) began way back in 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club in Scotland. Eight players took part over three rounds of the 12-hole course to decide the first Open Champion, with Willie Park Senior prevailing in a close contest.
How times have changed; when Padraig Harrington lifted the Claret Jug at Carnoustie last July a worldwide TV audience of millions tuned in to witness the drama unfolding during the final round on Sunday. Spectators flocked to the course in their tens of thousands to witness the action and experience the atmosphere at first hand. It is now a global sporting event up there with the best.
The Open this year pays its ninth visit to Royal Birkdale on the northwest coast of England. I am very lucky to say that I will be there this year in person to witness the action unfold; it's always a thrill to visit the Open.
It is likely to be even more keenly contested with the news that Tiger will not be there - it seems to give players a lift and more belief that they can win when he is not there, a sign of the dominance he has enjoyed over the past 10 years. From a spectators point of view however it is disappointing; the opportunity to witness the world's top sportsman (in my opinion!) in action doesn't happen very often.
Over the years Birkdale has witnessed many exciting championships, and produced many a great champion: Arnold Palmer, Peter Thompson, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller and Tom Watson have all won titles there. Most recently Mark O'Meara won his second major in the space of three months by adding the Claret Jug at Birkdale to the Green Jacket he had won at Augusta in 1998.
Since then all but two of the holes have been altered - a sign of the changes that the older courses have to make in order to keep up with developments in golfing technology. The course is much tighter and with the addition of 20 new bunkers, bunker play and sand saves will be a key element this week.
The Open always provides a great spectacle for golf fans the world over. Let's hope for a closely fought contest come Sunday afternoon.
Pro's Tips: Lee Westwood is playing very well and is due a big win; hopefully his putter will be working! Sergio Garcia is another player in great form and has already won big at the Players Championships in May and I would like to see him go one better than his runner-up spot of last year.
