There is nothing cooler in the game of golf than to hear that guy with a hard British accent say, “The champion golfer for the year is . . .”
For the ninth time since 1954, that phrase will be uttered at Royal Birkdale. The course located in the northwest corner of England has played host to the British Open more times than any other course not named St. Andrews since that time. A few things to know going into the major, which starts Thursday:
Famous shots at Royal Birkdale
Arnold Palmer’s 1961 victory was highlighted by a shot that no mere hacker would even try to attempt. A wayward drive on the then par-4 15th found one of Birkdale’s famous gorse bushes. Instead of dropping and taking his bogey medicine, Palmer took a hack and not only put the ball on the green but also uprooted the bush. A plaque commemorating the shot can be found where the bush used to be.
About Royal Birkdale
Even the relics of golf have to be tinkered with in the modern age. “Tiger-proofing” isn’t in the dictionary yet, but give the crew at Webster’s another year or two. Royal Birkdale was founded in 1889, and the layout as it currently stands was last altered in 1922, with the exception of some bunker tightening, limited tree removal and added yardage. Designer Fred Hawtree and J.H. Taylor, who won five Opens, used the terrain to its optimum. The designers built the course through the valleys of the dunes, giving each hole an individual feel. Much like the former PGA Tour stop at Castle Pines Golf Club in Castle Rock, no two holes run parallel, making the raised dunes very fan friendly.
Holes to watch
No. 15
Tour players tend to eat par-5s for lunch, and with just two at Birkdale, both could prove pivotal given their location. The 544-yard No. 15 plays into the prevailing wind and with newly added bunkers at 300 yards from the tee, accuracy will be the key to scoring.
No. 17
The penultimate hole, the famous par-5 17th, is 30 yards longer than it was in 1998, but don’t let that 572 yards fool you. Playing downwind, most players will have a go at the tiny recontoured, two-tiered postage stamp that doubles as a green. The hole’s defense is its three greenside pot bunkers that are deep and dangerous.
Past champions
(at Royal Birkdale)
1954 Peter Thompson
1961 Arnold Palmer
1965 Peter Thompson
1971 Lee Trevino
1976 Johnny Miller
1983 Tom Watson
1991 Ian Baker-Finch
1998 Mark O’Meara
By the numbers
64 In the 1983 Open won by Tom Watson, Colorado resident Craig Stadler fired an opening-round 64 and was three shots clear of Watson, Bill Rogers and Bernhard Langer.
155 Yards added to Royal Birkdale since the last Open was held there in 1998.
1 The number of strokes Tiger Woods missed a 1998 playoff in his only Open appearance at Birkdale. It was Mark O’Meara (at age 41 and making his 14th Open appearance) who battled the grueling elements and a four-hole playoff against Tour journeyman Brian Watts to win his second major. O’Meara won the Masters earlier in the season, and became the oldest player to win multiple majors in one season.
1961 The year after Arnold Palmer and his Army rolled the grounds of Cherry Hills to win his first and only U.S. Open. Arnie won the first of back-to-back Claret Jugs at Birkdale.
499 The Royal and Ancient’s unofficial maximum yardage for any par-4 will be pushed to the limit twice this week. Both No. 6 and 13 are on the card at 499 yards and depending on which way the wind decides to blow will play every bit of that.
