Buzzin Golf

The 138th British Open Golf Championship is set to tee off on Thursday,  making a welcome return to The Turnberry Resort Alisa course on the beautiful south west coast of Scotland.

The British Open has only been held at Turnberry three times in it’s history, but has delivered three worthy champions in, Jack Nicklaus in 1977, Greg Norman in 1986 and Nick Price at the most recent 1994 Open.

Favourite to win this years Open is obviously Tiger Woods, who will be hoping to emulate ’such high quality champions’ as Nicklaus, Norman and Price and claim his 15th major title. Woods missed last years British Open as he was recovering from knee surgery, but has found his best form once again going into Turnberry this year.

The world number one has revealed that he will be using good friend Roger Federer’s recent record breaking achievement at Wimbledon as inspiration as he goes into the Open.

This year it is world number two Phil Mickelson who will be missing from the pack, he is taking care of his wife who is undergoing breast cancer treatment.

Defending champion Padraig Harrington, in contrast to Woods, enters the Open struggling for form, but will be driven by the opportunity to make golfing history by becoming the first golfer ever to win the British Open three times on the trot. His recent win at the Irish PGA Championship has been pretty much dismissed by the player as the field comprised mainly of local club professionals and he has openly declared that he is not yet prepared for the demanding Open championship.

Other Europeans in the running will be, top prize money earner in Europe and world number three Paul Casey, while there is also a unique chance of a running hat trick of wins for Scottish and French Open winner Martin Kaymer from Germany.

Or could this be the tournament where young Rory McIlroy finally delivers? It is two years since the youngster finished as best amateur at the Open and despite a disappointing performance at Loch Lomond, McIlroy is optimistic about the British Open, suggesting that playing at the tough Turnberry  course will be enough to inspire him.