MEMBERS ONLY...
THE OPEN AT BIRKDALE - We're only two weeks away from seeing who becomes "The Champion Golfer of the Year". Last time The Open was at Royal Birkdale, Jordan Spieth put on one of the great final round scoring displays to win a major. The history books will show his Sunday score as 69, one under par. No big deal. But, when you look closer, you realise he was +4 through 13 holes and lucky to be just four over! His finishing stretch was birdie-eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie-par to win by three from Matt Kuchar who had battled him all day.Ā It was such an impressive display of hanging in there and grinding out a score that I dedicated the opening chapter to it in my book, How to Play Your Best Golf.Ā
I played the 2008 Open at Birkdale where Padriag Harrington won his second Open in a row after his victory at Carnoustie a year earlier. That Open is the toughest scoring-wise in the last 26 years with Harrington's winning score being +3. Ten over par was the cut and I scraped through at +9 eventually finishing at +15 and T32. It was the windiest Open I've ever played, and if you recall, Greg Norman turned back the clock that year by leading through 54 holes. Time caught up with him however as he faded on the final day while Paddy turned on the afterburners.
This year will, as always, be weather dependent for how scores turn out. Birkdale's one of my favourite courses in the the world and I'll be in front of the TV all four days to see who will have their celebratory drink from the Claret Jug, much like our own Ian Baker-Finch did here in 1991.
TURNING BACK THE CLOCKĀ - check out a fun video below from the other day. I brought out some 'older' gear from my Presidents Cup days.
Cheers, NickĀ
PGA Professional, golf coach, speaker, commentator, podcast host and bestselling author.
