EIGHT Aussie golfers line up for the 143rd British Open this week and a chance to take the most coveted trophy in golf.
Led by current world No.1 Adam Scott and serial major performer Jason Day, Australia has a good chance to grasp the Claret Jug for the first time since Greg Norman shot a final round 64 in 1993 to take the title.
Overall, four Australians have won the Open Championship, sharing nine victories between them. Peter Thomson (1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965), Kel Nagle (1960), Greg Norman (1986, 1993) and Ian Baker-Finch (1991).
With eight competitors this year Australia has the third largest contingent, and we can also throw Melbourne based Korean Jin Jeong into the mix.
Aussies in the field include:
Adam Scott (QLD)
The World No.1 will play The Open Championship for the 15th time, he has played every year since 2000. In his previous 14 appearances he has made the cut 10 times with his best finish being runner-up in 2012. “Best finish” wasn’t what we were thinking at the time when we watched with growing anguish as he was overtaken by Ernie Els down the stretch.
The 2013 US Masters winner followed this up with a third place finish last year behind Phil Mickelson. The last time The Open Championship was played at Royal Liverpool in 2006 Scott finished 8th behind winner Tiger Woods.
Jason Day (QLD)
Day has been a star performer in major championships, finishing in the top-8 in four of his last six major appearances, and having three runner-up finishes.
Links golf has not been his forte and after early success this year injuries have disrupted his season. But hopefully the world No.6 has worked on the experiences gained his three previous Open appearances. In those appearances he has made the cut each time but his best finish was a T30 in 2011.
Matt Jones (NSW)
A debut US PGA Tour winner this year, will also be making his Open Championship debut. He earned his placed in the field by being inside the top-50 on the Official World Rankings. Jones has also competed in the first two Majors of the year where he missed the cut in both the Masters and U.S. Open. He had a rude confrontation with links golf last week at the Scottish Open when he made the cut but had a shocker final round 80 to come last of those competing on the weekend. He’s a talented player who will hopefully bounce back.
John Senden (QLD)
Senden is another US PGA Tour winner this year. The lanky Queenslander will play The Open Championship for the sixth time, making the cut on three previous occasions with his best finish being a 34th in 2012. Senden earned a place in the field by being one of the top-3 finishers at the 2013 Emirates Australian Open not already exempt. He finished 3rd at the Australian Open at Royal Sydney.
Marc Leishman (VIC)
Leishman was a star performer at the 2013 US Masters when he finished T4 behind Adam Scott. He will play The Open Championship for the fourth time but has made the cut once when he finished 60th in 2010. Leishman earned a place in the field for being a playing member of the International Team at the 2013 Presidents Cup. Nick Price selected him as one of his Captain’s picks.
Brett Rumford (WA)
Rumford is also in the field for the fourth time, having only made the cut when he finished 16th. This was also the last time The Open Championship was played at Royal Liverpool. He earned his place in the field courtesy of finishing inside the top-30 on the 2013 European Tour’s Race to Dubai. Rumford recorded two wins on the European Tour in 2013.
Rhein Gibson (NSW)
Making his Major debut. Earned a place in the field courtesy of being one of the top-3 finishers (T4) at the 2013 Emirates Australian Open not already exempt. Gibson spends most of his time competing on the OneAsia tour and has earned status on the PGA Tour of Australasia for 2014. Gibson holds the Guinness World Record for the lowest round of golf, firing a 55 in 2012.
Bryden Macpherson (VIC)
Playing for the second time in the Open but the first as a Professional. Having won the British Amateur Championship, Macpherson competed as an amateur in the 2011 Open Championship but unfortunately missed the cut. He earned his place in the field this year courtesy of being one of the top-3 finishers (T4) at the 2013 Emirates Australian Open not already exempt.
Jin Jeong (KOR)
Also playing in The Open Championship for the second time but the first as a Professional. Becoming the first Asian to win the British Amateur Championship Jeong teed it up in the 2010 Open Championship where he finished T14 and the leading amateur. Born in Korea and living in Melbourne since 2006, Jeong recorded his breakthrough Professional victory at the PGA Tour of Australasia and European Tour co-sanctioned Perth International in 2013. This win secured his status on the Euopean Tour where he finished runner-up at the Joburg Open and secured his place in The Open Championship by being one of the top-3 finishers not already exempt.
Aussies’ Round 1 tee times:
Local AEST Players
6.47am 3.47pm Chris Wood (ENG), Matt Jones (AUS), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
6.58am 3.58pm Erik Compton (USA), Hyung-Sung Kim (KOR), Marc Leishman (AUS)
10.21am 7.21pm Ryan Palmer (USA), Brett Rumford (AUS), Tomochiro Kondo (JPN)
10.54am 7.54pm Rhein Gibson (AUS), Brian Herman (USA), Hyung-Tae Kim (KOR)
12.10pm 9.10pm Scott Stallings (USA), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Bryden Macpherson (AUS)
1.38pm 10.38pm Martin Kaymer (GER), Jason Day (AUS), Zach Johnson (USA)
2.27pm 11.27pm Adam Scott (AUS), Justin Rose (ENG), Jason Dufner (USA)
2.49pm 11.49pm Kevin Na (USA), Joost Luiten (NED), John Senden (AUS)
3.44pm 12.44am Gregory Boudry (FRA), Jin Jeong (KOR), Matthew Baldwin (ENG)