While we're in the heart of the summer, the top notch golfers in the world are more than 80% into their season. Believe it or not, the PGA Tour has already hosted 30 events and this week the tour is divided up with the big boys playing in the Scottish Open at North Berwick while the rank and file are teeing it up in Nicholasville, Kentucky for the playing of the ISCO Championship. Next week the rank and file are in Truckee at the Barracuda Championship, a Stableford style tournament (points no scores). At the end of the month the pros head to Minneapolis for the 3M and the following week is when the regular season concludes with the long running Wyndham Championship in Greensboro. In the midst of all this is the Olympic Tournament in Paris. Most importantly we are just five days away from the playing of the 152nd British Open Championship on Scotland's western-most coast. The final major championship of the year is being contested at the Royal Troon Golf Club for the 10th time in its illustrious career.
Royal Troon is one tough course. It was designed by James Braid, a five time British Open champion and a member of the Great Triumverate. Our most recent memory of the Open Championship at this locale was a most entertaining shoot-out between Phil Mickelson and the eventual champion, Henrik Stenson. Stenson was the first male Swede to take home a major title and he did it in grand stye by shooting a 63 in the final round. His 63 marked the low final round in a major that initially belonged to Johnny Miller when he won the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont. Normally Royal Troon is a lot more difficult than Stenson found it to be on that sunny Sunday and it would be most surprising if anyone came close to that number this time around.
Troon is a fairly democratic test of golf as all kinds of games and styles seem to do well on the links course that is adjacent to Prestwick. South African Bobby Locke won the 1950 Open because of his brilliant putting stroke. Arnold Palmer powered his way around Troon to defend his title in the 1962 Open Championship. Another pair of power players did the same as Tom Weiskopf won the 1973 Open at Troon while Mark Calcavecchia won a playoff in the 1989 Open at Royal Troon against Greg Norman. Tom Watson showed his true talent as an iron master when he won the 1982 Open at Troon as did Justin Leonard who won his lone major at the 1997 Open at Troon. Although I watched every moment of it, the best I can say about journeyman Todd Hamilton's overtime win at Troon in 2004 is that he chipped brilliantly with a hybrid to secure his victory. Yes Todd Hamilton was a one hit wonder.
Of course Arthur Havers won the 1923 Open at Royal Troon and yet the only memorable thing I can say about his victory was that he was able to pocket his first place prize of $75. Ah, those were the days. At the other end of the spectrum the golf club at Royal Troon made headlines in July of 2016 when the ultra restrictive private club agreed to allow women to join the club as full fledged members.
First built in 1878, the complex at Royal Troon includes 45 holes meaning there is lots of room for tournament infrastructure. For first time viewers the course will have the flavor of old country quirkiness. The first six holes head south alongside the ocean (The Firrth of Clyde), then they move inland past an amusement park and then the corner of the Glascow Airport. Low flying planes will be a bit of a distraction next weekend as will the railroad tracks. Sounds like another tournament weekend at Sacramento's Haggin Oaks with McClelland Air Force Base, the AmTrack, and two major highways on each end.
The championship course at Royal Troon will play to a par of 71 and isn't all that long by today's standards as it can be stretched out to 7,190 yards. If the wind is blowing off the Firth, then it will be a real battle for the pros, but if conditions are benign, then the course will favor an accurate driver and an iron master hitting quality shots into the greens.
Obviously world number one Scottie Scheffler has to be the favorite in his attempt to win his second major of the year. Bryson DeChambeau will try to overpower the course and that formula did work in the past for Palmer, Weiskopf, and Calcavecchia. Really strong iron players like Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood have to be considered as does past British Open champion Collin Morikawa. Then again it might be time for a first time champion such as Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay, and my personal favorite, Englishman Tommy Fleetwood. Consider that all eyes will be on Rory McIlroy to see if he has the mental toughness to achieve major championship success in light of his heartbreaking loss at the U.S. Open. I'm not so sure Rory will be able to bounce back from all the chaos at Pinhurst.
The British Open will start play next Thursday at the Royal Troon Golf Club. It is the final major of the 2024 season and will present great drama for fans of the game.
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