Tiger out to weave Open magic
St. Andrews (Scotland, July 14: Tiger Woods will try to prove that his lurid sex scandal has not shattered his championship form when the British Open begins on Thursday over the fabled Old Course where golf began.
World number one Woods won the past two St. Andrews majors in 2000 and 2005 and an unprecedented third win at this historic links layout would be his first crown since admitting cheating on wife Elin with multiple mistresses.
“The two years that I’ve played well here, I’ve lag putted beautifully and I’ve also hit the ball in the right spots,” Woods said. “I understand how to play this course. It’s a matter of putting it together at the right time.”
Woods has never gone so deep into a season without a victory, but has played well at majors, sharing fourth at the Masters in returning from a five-month layoff and placing the same at last month’s US Open.
“This course sets up well for him,” Masters winner Phil Mickelson said. “He will be in contention on Sunday. I don’t know how anybody can question that.
“He’s going to play well here because he has a lot of heart, an incredible short game and he hits the ball a long way. He has gutted out two fourth-places in majors when he probably didn’t have his best stuff.”
Three-time major winner Ernie Els expects betting-favourite Woods to be a factor as well, but warns that the days of domination Woods enjoyed with an eight-stroke triumph in 2000 are likely over.
Woods, a 14-time major champion chasing the all-time record of 18 majors won by Jack Nicklaus, admires the angles and wind that have kept the Old Course a challenging test as golf and golfers evolved over centuries.
Mickelson would claim his first British Open and pass Woods to become world number one if he can hoist the Claret Jug aloft on Sunday. “It would be something,” Mickelson said. “I know my window of opportunity is small because Tiger is going to start playing some of his better golf here soon, so I’ve got to get my butt in gear.”
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