Tiger faces his sternest test Unity of rivals will draw close attention
THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake, Britain
July 20-23
If Tiger Woods is to defend his Open title at Royal Liverpool this month, he will need to beat at least 12 former winners of the tournament. He will also need to bounce back from a missed cut at the US Open, the first time he has not played the weekend rounds of a major event since he turned professional. While Woods has left the golfing world in awe at his ability to rise to challenges, this will be the sternest test to date, as he adjusts to life without his father and mentor, Earl Woods. Other players under the microscope will include local favourite Colin Montgomerie and dual Masters winner Phil Mickelson, both of whom imploded on the final holes of the US Open to hand victory to gritty Australian Geoff Ogilvy. Perennial gallery favourite John Daly will be looking for his second claret jug trophy, his first triumph coming in a memorable four-hole playoff against Italy's Costantino Rocca. If the sun shines, the low-round record of 67, scored by both Gary Player and eventual winner Roberto de Vincenzo when the Open was last played at Hoylake in 1967, will almost certainly be matched or broken. But if the weather turns nasty, as it has a tendency to do during the Open, then watch the scores and reputations blow out as players struggle to come to grips with the links layout.
Course will likely favour the big hitters
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
