Golf: Woods Favoured As British Open Tees Off

The 141st British Open got underway at Royal Lytham and St Annes today with Tiger Woods intent on lifting a 15th major title to end a four-year winless drought in golf’s crown jewel tournaments.

The 36-year-old American has three Open wins to his credit, at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005 and at Hoylake in 2006, and victory on Sunday at the famed Lancashire links course would see him back to the world top-ranking.

Woods has gone quietly about his business this week, saying that he is prepared to take everything the bunker-strewn course and the fickle English summer weather can throw at him in order to stay in contention for Sunday afternoon’s finale.

It’s an atmosphere and a challenge he relishes after missing last year’s Open due to a fourth round of knee surgery.

“I know this is probably I think the smallest piece of property we have in The Open rotation. Not as many people, but it feels like they’re a little bit closer to you,” he said.

“Definitely not like St. Andrews, where they’re hundreds of yards away. It’s a very intimate atmosphere and I think that’s fantastic for us as players.”

A win for Woods would leave him three shy of the majors milestone mark of 18 set by Jack Nicklaus in 1986 and it would complete a clean sweep of golf’s four top tournaments for Americans for the first time since 2004.

That situation came about following wins for Keegan Bradley at last year’s US PGA Championship, Bubba Watson at the Masters and Webb Simpson at the US Open, a remarkable turnaround for US fortunes after going six majors without a win.

The competition for major glory at Royal Lytham will be ferocious, however, with the top three ranking golfers in the world all being British.

No.1 Luke Donald and No. 3 Lee Westwood are both long overdue a win in the majors, having failed to do so a combined 93 times in the past.

Westwood, at 39, is seen as the better bet due mainly to his accuracy off the tee and his past near misses in the Open.

After overcoming an injury scare at the French Open, Westwood says he is once again ready to post a challenge.

“I think my game suits most places. That’s why I contend most weeks in major championships recently. They are the ultimate test. That’s why everyone puts them on such a pedestal,” he said.