The Open: The tale of four golfers all praying for glory
How the veteran, the comeback kid, the local lad and the amatuer plan to conquer Royal Birkdale
The Open begins on Thursday at Royal Birkdale, Southport, with 150 golfers ready to test themselves on the Lancashire links.
There is no stand-out favourite for this year's tournament, which could pave the way for a surprise winner. Among the field are four British golfers without a Major title between them, all of whom are hoping for a miracle.
Lee Westwood - The wily veteran:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The 44-year-old Nottinghamshire golfer tells the BBC he plans to use plans to use "cunning and guile" to plot his way to a first Major victory this weekend.
Westwood has finished in the top three at Majors nine times - a record for a player yet to win one. Three of those near misses have come at The Open, most recently at Muirfield in 2013.
But he says his experience will be an advantage this weekend. "I'm 44 and you think a little bit differently as you get older, but hopefully I can think a bit more wisely and use a bit of cunning and guile on the golf course," he tells the Beeb.
"One of the times I've come close to winning was Turnberry and Tom Watson lost in a play-off at 59… Last time it was held around here [in 2008], Greg Norman made a run at it at 53.
"The US Open course [in June at Erin Hills] was a bomber's style course where they had a big advantage, but this course brings a lot more players into it."
Ian Poulter - The comeback kid:
The last time The Open was held at Royal Birkdale, in 2008, Ian Poulter finished second to Padraig Harrington. It was the closest he has come to a Major title and his chances this year look slim after he was forced to go through final qualifying at Woburn to make it on to the card.
But he is happy to be taking part, he tells The Guardian: "Whatever happens this week, wherever I finish, it would have been horrible to sit there and watch on TV.
"I had no problems at all stepping down a level, to muck in and get my hands dirty. Nobody is going to give you anything, are they? Nobody is going to hand you an invite for the Open."
Don't rule him out, says the paper: "Poulter's 2017 has already proved quite the story. After a period beset by injury and loss of form, he looked certain to lose PGA Tour playing status before ranking points were recalculated. Buoyed in part by that escape, he finished second in the Players Championship… Given history, recent and otherwise, it would be unwise to bet against Poulter fulfilling another dream."
Tommy Fleetwood - The local lad:
Expectations are high for the 26-year-old from Southport, one of the form players of 2017 who'll be playing on his local course, says the Daily Express.
His comeback "has carried with it the air of a conquering hero’s return", adds the paper. "There is a surreal element to this billing for a player who has not yet cracked the world’s top ten, let alone lifted a Major… But he is revelling in it."
Fleetwood says it is "very cool" to be playing The Open on a course he "crept on to" as a youngster and where his father still walks the family dog.
He is also unfazed by the pressure. "I’ll have the most support I’ve ever had in my life, from people I’ve grown up with, friends, family, you name it," he tells the Express.
“I don’t feel extra pressure from it… This week it's going to be an experience I'll never forget. It's a massive privilege to be playing at a tournament so close to home and it being the Open as well."
Harry Ellis - The amateur
He may not yet have turned professional, but that might not count for much at Royal Birkdale, says the Daily Telegraph.
"History should also encourage Ellis," says the paper. "When Birkdale last hosted the Open, fellow Englishman Chris Wood finished tied-fifth as an amateur. At the same venue in 1998, Justin Rose holed a 50-yard pitch on the final hole to claim tied-fourth.."
It is five years since Ellis won the English Amateur at the age of 16, only for his career to be knocked off course by the death of his mother. But now he is on an even keel and is tipped to win the Silver Medal, which is awarded to the top amateur.
Losing his mother gave him "perspective", he tells the Telegraph, adding: "Weeks like this on one side are truly incredible, but on the other side I know I’m mentally strong enough to perform well here."
He is also confident of mixing it with the pros. "Making the cut in my head is not really a thing, because I feel if I play how I know I can play, I don’t think the cut is going to be a problem at all. I would love to be there for the presentation on Sunday collecting the Silver Medal."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The history of Donald Trump's election conspiracy theories
The Explainer How the 2024 Republican nominee has consistently stoked baseless fears of a stolen election
By David Faris Published
-
Two ancient cities have been discovered along the Silk Road
Under the radar The discovery changed what was known about the old trade route
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
'People shouldn't have to share the road with impaired drivers'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Cameron Smith: Aussie ‘mullet man’ storms to victory at The Open
Why Everyone’s Talking About Smith secured his first major title after holding off Cameron Young and Rory McIlroy at St Andrews
By Mike Starling Published
-
The Open 2022: predictions, players to watch, tee-times and TV
In Depth The 150th edition takes place at the home of golf – St Andrews in Scotland
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Collin Morikawa: The Open champion is ‘on course for greatness’
Why Everyone’s Talking About Californian became the only golfer to win two majors on a debut attempt
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Open: out of body experience and out of this world for Shane Lowry
In Depth Irish golfer lifts the Claret Jug in front of a raucous crowd at Royal Portrush
By The Week Staff Published
-
Today’s back pages: Gareth Bale’s £1m-a-week offer and Shane Lowry’s Open glory
Speed Read A round up of the sport headlines from UK newspapers on 22 July
By The Week Staff Published
-
Today’s back pages: Rory McIlroy’s misery after meltdown at The Open
Speed Read A round up of the sport headlines from UK newspapers on 19 July
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Open 2019: predictions, betting odds and TV guide
The Week Recommends Rory McIlroy is favourite to win the golf major on home soil
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Today’s back pages: McIlroy and Woods gear up for The Open
Speed Read A round up of the sport headlines from UK newspapers on 17 July
By The Week Staff Published