All 156 golfers that starting Thursday will compete at the 2017 British Open are preparing for the storms and winds that are expected to hit the Royal Birkdale Club on the west coast of England.
In this tournament, the players’ starting time plays a big part during the first two days as those golfers that have to tee off under rough weather will find it harder to compete and make the cut.
Even if the weather improves during the last two days and all players that do make the cut get favorable starts, those who are already behind will have a hard time climbing back to contend for the top spots.
The stormy weather is combined this week with the difficulty of Royal Birkdale, where the winner failed to get an under-par score (+3) in 2008, the last time that this Club, north of Liverpool, was home to the British Open.
Irishman Padraig Harrington, who won his second consecutive Open Championship at Birkdale in 2008, was also the last golfer to win back-to-back British Open trophies. Curiously Tiger Woods had accomplished the same feat in 2005 and 2006.
Harrington had won in 2007 at The Carnoustie Golf Links, in Scotland, after four rounds of playoff with Spaniard Sergio Garcia. The Spanish player arrives at this year’s British Open wearing the green jacket after winning the Augusta Masters back in April.
Interestingly four of the last six winners of this major were in their 40’s: Henrik Stenson (2016), Phil Mickelson (2013), Ernie Els (2012), Darren Clarke (2011). Garcia said in an interview that he thinks this happens because usually the locations and the weather of the British Open favor the skills, creativity and experience of the veteran players
It is the tenth Open Championship played at Royal Birkdale, which held its first in 1954.
