(Offered by Tennis World USA)
The very best gamers on this planet, from Scottie Scheffler to Rory McIlroy, from Jon Rahm to Cameron Smith, will compete in England from 20 to 23 July within the 151st version of The Open, the oldest Main (the primary version was performed in 1860) of golf.
For the thirteenth time in its historical past, the match – which can award £16,500,000, up £2,500,000 from 2022, of which £3,000,000 will go to the winner – might be performed at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership, Hoylake, there the place McIlroy triumphed in 2014.
And the Northern Irishman himself, the final to have received this Grand Slam right here, recent from his exploits within the Scottish Open, might be among the many favorites of a contest which, as a result of its historical past and custom, is really distinctive.
“I arrive right here with confidence and, like each week, I’ll play to win”, McIlroy charged, nonetheless he most popular to not take part within the scheduled press convention. In a discipline made up of 156 gamers, there might be 41 rookies, 15 previous winners and 6 the amateurs (who will compete for the Silver Medal received final yr by the blue Filippo Celli, absent this time and now knowledgeable), together with the German Tiger Christensen who would be the solely Tiger within the race.
The truth is, there might be no Woods. The Californian champion, who was largely absent as a result of he was not but in the most effective bodily situation, received The Open at Royal Liverpool in 2006 for the third time in his profession. Defending the title and searching for an encore of consecutive successes (the final one to succeed was Padraig Harrington, in 2007-2008) would be the Australian Smith, among the many 12 massive names of the Arab Tremendous League within the race.
“It could clearly be nice to repeat myself and emulate Tiger”, Smith’s ambition.
The Open, schedule
There’s additionally expectation for the Azzurri. With Francesco Molinari, the one Italian to have made this occasion his personal (in 2018), right here can be Guido Migliozzi.
The primary, from Turin, is making ready to play The Open for the fifteenth time (along with the success of 5 years in the past, he boasts a ninth and eleventh place respectively in 2013 and 2019). Whereas the Vicenza participant will drop the trio of appearances within the occasion.
Vital alternative for the 2 Italians who dream of a spot on the staff within the Europe staff on the Ryder Cup in Rome and are hoping for one of many six wild playing cards accessible to the captain, the English Luke Donald who, in contrast to his American counterpart Zach Johnson (champion in 2015), won’t take part in The Open this yr.
Up for grabs just isn’t solely the best prize cash within the historical past of the match but in addition the Claret Jug which, along with the Inexperienced Jacket of the Masters is probably the most coveted award in golf. The primary to have raised the silver jug to the sky, made in 1872, was the Scotsman Tom Kidd in 1873.
Up to now, along with McIlroy and Woods, the amateurs Harold Hilton (1897) and Bobby Jones have imposed themselves on this discipline (1930), but in addition Sandy Herd (1902), Arnaud Massy (1907), JH Taylor (1913), Walter Hagen (1924), lf Padgham (1936), Fred Daly (1947), Peter Thomson (1956) and Roberto De Vicenzo (1967).
The file of affirmations in The Open as an alternative belongs to Harry Vardon, able to imposing himself six occasions between 1896 and 1914. Initially the Scots dominated the competition, at all times scoring within the first 29 editions.
However within the extra trendy period, since 1999, there have been 11 victories for the USA, in opposition to 3 for South Africa and Eire and two for Northern Eire, with out forgetting Sweden, Italy (exactly with Chicco Molinari) and the Australia, cease at one.
At all times among the many finest 12 gamers on the PGA Tour within the final 18 video games performed, Scheffler with McIlroy, Rahm (who goals to turn into the primary Spaniard since 1988, Severiano Ballesteros, to win The Open) and Smith are among the many favorites on the eve.
From Patrick Cantlay to Viktor Hovland, from Xander Schauffele to Max Homa, through Matt Fitzpatrick (his brother Alex can be within the discipline) and Wyndham Clark. Many and lots of extra probably the most awaited protagonists of The Open, the final males’s Main of 2023 which can reserve an exemption for the winner to play this occasion as much as the age of 60.A key appointment that represents an necessary watershed (many factors up for grabs) in direction of the Ryder Cup in Rome.And The Open will boast an viewers at Ryder’s. Over 260,000 spectators are anticipated all through the week of the occasion at Royal Liverpool.