2017 Open Championship
20-23 July 2017
Royal Birkdale Golf Club, Southport, England
The 146
th Open Championship will be held at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, from 20-23 July 2017. A field of 156 players (which features 16 past winners) will compete for the honour of being the Champion Golfer of 2017 and the winner’s cheque of $1,845,000.
Last year’s champion, Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, starts as one of the favourites, but there are stronger candidates for the title, not least of which is Spaniard Sergio Garcia. The 37-year-old finally ended his long wait for a first Major title by claiming the Masters earlier this year, and with that monkey off his back he will be able to play with more freedom in a tournament where he has twice been runner-up.
Also keep an eye on home favourite Justin Rose for a fairy-tale triumph, while Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are also genuine contenders, while South Africa’s best hope for another Open Championship comes from Louis Oosthuizen - though you can never forget the ‘Big Easy’ Ernie Els.
The most recent winner of this title at Royal Birkdale is Irishman Padraig Harrington, who claimed a second successive Open Championship with his triumph in Southport in 2008. As an interesting aside, this will be the first time in Open Championship history that prize money will be paid in US dollars instead of British pounds.
Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Founded: 1889
Total holes: 18
Length: 6559 metres
Par: 70
Tournaments hosted: The Open Championship, The Amateur Championship, Senior British Open, Women’s British Open Designed by: Frederick G. Hawtree, J.H. Taylor
Previous Open Championship winners at Royal Birkdale
1954 - Peter Thomson -9
1961 - Arnold Palmer -4
1965 - Peter Thomson -7
1971 - Lee Trevino -14
1976 - Johnny Miller -9
1983 - Tom Watson -9
1991 - Ian Baker-Finch -8
1998 - Mark O’Meara - E/playoff
2008 - Padraig Harrington +3
Past champions in the 2017 field
Henrik Stenson, 2016
Zach Johnson, 2015
Rory McIlroy, 2014
Phil Mickelson, 2013
Ernie Els, 2002& 2012
Darren Clarke, 2011
Louis Oosthuizen, 2010
Stewart Cink, 2009
Padraig Harrington, 2007 & 2008
Todd Hamilton, 2004
David Duval, 2001
Paul Lawrie, 1999
Mark O’Meara, 1998
Tom Lehman, 1996
John Daly, 1995
Sandy Lyle, 1985