The third major for the PGA TOUR season is here and the world’s best players are in Scotland for the 138th Open Championship at Turnberry Resort. Padraig Harrington looks to win his third straight Open Championship this week on the Ailsa Championship Course, looking to be the first since Peter Thompson (1954-56) to do so. Only three other players have won three straight Open Championships – Robert Ferguson (1880-82), Jamie Anderson (1877-79) and Tom Morris Jr. (1868-70).
Can Harrington make history? Well, he comes into this week as he has the past three years, winning the Irish PGA Championship. Tiger Woods had won the two previous Opens before Harrington. Woods enters this week coming off a win as well, at the AT&T National. He has three wins in 2009, remarkable considering he is coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Woods finished in the top 10 in both the Masters Tournament and the U. S. Open and is likely to contend here as well.
Other players to watch this week are Kenny Perry, who has two wins this season and missed last year’s Open to focus on the Ryder Cup. Also, Martin Kaymer has won the last two tournament on the European TOUR. Other players looking to make a statement this week are Geoff Ogilvy, Zach Johnson and Paul Casey, who is looking to become the first English player in 17 years to hoist the Claret Jug.
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry Resort is not to be taken lightly. It is currently the number one ranked course in Britain and has been host to three previous Open’s – 1977, 1986 and 1994. This links course was redesigned in 1951 by Mackenzie Ross and added 247 yards this past year to place more emphasis on accurate shot-making. Narrow fairways lined with bunkers and edged closely by thick rough, the Ailsa Course will, once again, deliver a true champion.
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Preview: Open Championship at Turnberry
Can Harrington make history? Well, he comes into this week as he has the past three years, winning the Irish PGA Championship. Tiger Woods had won the two previous Opens before Harrington. Woods enters this week coming off a win as well, at the AT&T National. He has three wins in 2009, remarkable considering he is coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Woods finished in the top 10 in both the Masters Tournament and the U. S. Open and is likely to contend here as well.
Other players to watch this week are Kenny Perry, who has two wins this season and missed last year’s Open to focus on the Ryder Cup. Also, Martin Kaymer has won the last two tournament on the European TOUR. Other players looking to make a statement this week are Geoff Ogilvy, Zach Johnson and Paul Casey, who is looking to become the first English player in 17 years to hoist the Claret Jug.
The Ailsa Course at Turnberry Resort is not to be taken lightly. It is currently the number one ranked course in Britain and has been host to three previous Open’s – 1977, 1986 and 1994. This links course was redesigned in 1951 by Mackenzie Ross and added 247 yards this past year to place more emphasis on accurate shot-making. Narrow fairways lined with bunkers and edged closely by thick rough, the Ailsa Course will, once again, deliver a true champion.