- Robin Hodgetts
- Thu 16 Jul 09, 09:58 PM
The lady had no defence on Thursday but it was a mild-mannered 59-year-old that beat off a host of young tyros vying for her modesty.
Turnberry offered as benign a test as she is ever likely to and five-time Open champion Tom Watson took advantage to lead for most of the opening day.
The winner of the famous Duel in the Sun at Turnberry in 1977 was pipped for the overnight lead late on by Miguel Angel Jimenez, but Watson proved that experience, guile and charm often works better with the ladies than muscles and flash clothes.
Whether the venerable veteran can pull the same trick on Friday is largely dependent on what mood the old girl is in and whether his ageing body can remember the moves.
Continue reading "Veteran Watson turns on the charm "
- Philip Bernie
- Thu 16 Jul 09, 03:16 PM
The 138th Open Championship started today. There are plenty of people trying to predict who will be lifting the famous Claret Jug come Sunday. Could Padraig Harrington make history be claiming his third consecutive Championship title? His form hasn't been great of late, but he's shown before that he's a man for the big occasion. To ensure you don't have to miss a moment of the action, we'll be providing our most comprehensive coverage of The Open ever.
Our live coverage starts on BBC Two. Over the course of the four days we will have over 40 hours of coverage on BBC One and BBC Two. BBC Red Button will also broadcast comprehensive coverage on each day of The Open, providing viewers with the choice to select a three-hole option where you can see play exclusively through holes 9, 10 and 11.
Continue reading "The Open field"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Thu 16 Jul 09, 03:01 PM
Our men Rob Hodgetts and Mark Orlovac give their latest updates from the Open at Turnberry...
Continue reading "Tales from Turnberry"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Thu 16 Jul 09, 12:39 PM
"Today, we're really going to earn our money," whispers one of the special security guards as he watches his man warm up on the range.
Tiger Woods is back at the Open after a year out through injury and the crowd is expectant.
The grandstand and surrounds of the first tee are packed well ahead of time. Battalions of photographers line both sides of the fairway near the tee, huge cameras primed for action.
Some lurk in the rough, inquisitive lenses barely poking above the tall grass, like a posse of wildlife photographers who have discovered a new species. Pressmen fill in the gaps, crouching and clutching notebooks.
There is a hum and officials on the tee busy themselves. Everyone knows what's coming, and it isn't Robert Allenby's opening drive.
Continue reading "Can't see the Woods for the lenses "
- Robin Hodgetts
- Wed 15 Jul 09, 08:10 PM
It can't go on forever. Or at least, it's very unlikely to, statistically.
As we all know, the British major drought has gone on for 10 years now but there's a distinct feeling in the air that it could be over soon.
There's just too many good British players at the moment for it not to, goes the argument.
Maybe it's just because it's the Open and we are swept up in patriotic fervour.
But with the world number three Paul Casey hailing from England, his countrymen Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood joint second in the betting for the Open and six Englishmen and two from Northern Ireland in the top 50 in the world rankings, the prospects do look rosy.
Continue reading "Britons face familiar challenge"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Wed 15 Jul 09, 01:47 PM
Sergio Garcia has a new putter, seems to have mended his broken heart and fortunately for him (not that he sees it that way) is still the best player in the world never to have won a major.
Being the best at something is nothing to be sniffed at, especially if you've been struggling.
But this is one honour that has negative connotations and which every incumbent wants to shift on as quickly as possible.
Continue reading "Gunning for Garcia"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Tue 14 Jul 09, 07:18 PM
On the eve of the 138th Open, and with the phoney war coming to an end, we thought it might help to find out who the pundits are picking as the likely champion at Turnberry.
We canvassed a cross-section from the assembled media here in Ayrshire, asking for their idea of the winner and another player who will feature prominently this week.
Here's what they said:
Continue reading "Picking an Open winner"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Tue 14 Jul 09, 12:44 PM
Padraig Harrington backers need to ask themselves two questions.
Can he win the Open at Turnberry this week? And can he get in the position to win?
The answer to the first is yes, if he does the second. The answer to the second requires a far more complicated debate.
And that, in a nutshell, is the enigma that is Harrington.
Continue reading "On the couch with Padraig Harrington"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Tue 14 Jul 09, 08:51 AM
There's an old saying in these parts: "If ye can see Ailsa Craig, it's gaun tae rain. If ye canny see it, it's already raining."
The first part is definitely true. It was lovely when we went out and the granite isle was shining in the Firth of Clyde.
The second, I couldn't tell you. Head bowed, eyes screwed up against the deluge, I was too busy scuttling back off the course to check as it fair belted it down.
"Turnberry is a magnificent setting," Peter Allis told me last week. "When the weather's nice it's one of the great venues of the world."
Continue reading "A jewel in the, er, sun"
- Iain Carter
- Mon 13 Jul 09, 01:48 PM
It is hard to know which was the rarer sight, Tiger Woods' pearly whites or the driver in his hands. It was a largely unsmiling, poker-faced world number one who was plotting his way during his Turnberry dawn patrol.
Just a handful of spectators were following, but his personal bodyguards and the police were in attendance, as Woods began his early morning recce. It was his second round at the South Ayrshire course having teed off when he arrived on Sunday.
It was head down, hands in pockets, straight-faced stuff. Time to work, but not necessarily grind - this was all about getting a feel for the course.
The driver was used sparingly. On the par 5 seventh (it's really a par 4 ΒΌ unless the wind switches dramatically) Woods tugged his drive left and Stevie was left with a search on his hands.
Continue reading "Woods ready to light up Turnberry"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Mon 13 Jul 09, 01:12 PM
Golf fans, are you excited? You should be, the wait is over. It's Open week again, and this year's 138th Open Championship takes place at Turnberry on the west coast of Scotland.
To get in the mood, here's an A-Z guide:
A is for Ayrshire, the region of western Scotland that hosts Turnberry as well as Royal Troon just up the road. It's also for Ailsa Craig, the offshore granite islet which gave its name to Turnberry's Ailsa course. And airfield - Turnberry was used as a RAF base during World War Two and you can still see the runway.
Continue reading "A-Z of the Open"
- Robin Hodgetts
- Mon 13 Jul 09, 10:30 AM
Mention the words Open Championship and I drift off to a scene of brilliant blue skies, sun-scorched fairways, rolling sand dunes, the whiff of the sea, and Rupert the Bear trousers the first time around.
In my mind's eye, the Open is like those memories of childhood summer holidays - perfect weather, permanent excitement and ice creams on tap.
It's not always like that, of course, and the last two years have been especially inclement at times with roaring winds and lashing rain.
There's one Open in particular I'm thinking of, and it just happens to be one of the most iconic Opens ever played.
I am, of course, talking about the 1977 classic, dubbed "the Duel in the Sun", held at Turnberry, venue for this week's 138th Open Championship.
(Not that I saw it at the time - I was only five - but it's since seeped into my sub-conscious).
Continue reading "The greatest Open ever?"
- Iain Carter
- Mon 6 Jul 09, 09:36 AM
It seems absurd that events in a different sport can influence another, but doesn't Roger Federer's Wimbledon success further shorten the odds on a Tiger Woods win at the Open?
Federer's record-breaking 15th Grand Slam title generated a congratulatory text from the Woods mobile just as soon as Tiger had wrapped up business in Bethesda where he enjoyed his latest PGA Tour win at the Congressional Country Club.
"We texted," said Woods. "He won the French and I won Memorial, so it was kind of let's do it on the same day, let's do it again today. That would be nice. His are a hell of a lot bigger than mine, though. He won two Slams and I won two Tour events. Hopefully I can get the majors now."
The two greatest individual sports stars of our time (who don't propel darts for a living) are big buddies. They have us believe their bond is down the unique insight they share on how to utterly dominate a global sport.
Their conversation topics must include how to keep the opposition down, the media at arms length and how to make sure the noughts keep being added to the sponsor contracts they share.
Continue reading "Who's the greatest?"
