The Open Championship returns to St. Andrews for this historic edition of the oldest of the major championships.
Dating back to the 1860’s the Open Championship is the oldest of the four recognized major championships, and 25 years older than U.S. Open (1895). And this year’s edition returns to the home of golf, St. Andrews.
This year’s tournament will be held in the mist of major upheaval in the world of professional golf.
If you haven’t heard, there’s a rival on the block that’s challenging the PGA Tour for top dog in the world of professional golf.
The Saudi-backed LIV Golf Series, fronted by golf legend Greg Norman, has found the ire of the PGA Tour membership and commissioner Jay Monahan, which led to the suspension of the PGA Tour members that has participated in the two LIV Golf events that have taken place.
Although the R & A has allowed the defectees to LIV to participate the event has turned a cold shoulder to LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman. Despite lobbying for a spot in the field despite his exemption expiring, Norman was ignored a spot in the field.
Adding insult to injury the R & A also dis-invited Norman to the annual champions dinned due to his association with LIV Golf.
It’s unclear whether participants in LIV events will be eligible for future Open Championship, however this year there will be several of the LIV Golf team in the field at St. Andrews.
Abraham Ancer, Richard Bland, Bryson DeChambeau, Sergio Garcia, Talor Gooch, Justin Harding, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Pablo Larrazabal, Phil Mickelson, Kevin, Na, Shaun Norris, Louis Oosthuizen, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed, Lee Westwood.
Tiger back at St. Andrews
As promised Tiger Woods is in Scotland, and ready to try for his 16th major championship.
Woods announced at the Masters back in April that he would make the trip in July to “his favorite course”, St. Andrews, to attempt to win his 4th Claret Jug.
Despite not being in contention and finishing in 47th place Wood’s appearance at the Masters was seen by most, and especially Tiger himself as a step in the right direction.
The 15 time major champion stopped just short of calling making the cut and finishing just inside the top 50 a win. However, after coming back from an horrific car crash just 14 month’s before making the cut at a major championship was an emotional win for the hall of famer.
Woods committed to playing at the Open Championship during his post round interview with CBS, but he stopped short of committing to the other two major championships.
Weeks prior to the PGA Championship, Woods submitted his entry and gave it a go. However the hilly conditions of Southern Hills took a toll on Tiger’s injured leg and despite making the cut, he withdrew after his Saturday round.
Tiger opted out of the U.S. Open at The Country Club in preparation for his ultimate goal of playing at the 150th Open Championship.
As a tune up Tiger participated in the JP McManus Pro-Am in Ireland.
Notables in the field
It’s obviously a strong field for the most prestigious major championship.
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and world #1, Scottie Scheffler are the favorites to win the Claret Jug this weekend.
Favorites to win the 150th British Open
| Player | Odds |
| Rory McIlroy | 9-1 |
| Jon Rahm | 11-1 |
| Scottie Scheffler | 12-1 |
| Justin Thomas | 14-1 |
| Collin Morikawa | 18-1 |
Players to Watch
Tony Finau
Finau will be making his 6th appearance at the Open Championship. His best finish was a tie for 3rd in 2019.
| Year | Finish |
| 2021 | T15 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2018 | T9 |
| 2017 | T27 |
| 2016 | T18 |
Despite a missed cut at the U.S. Open, Finau has been playing well down the stretch.
Top-5 finished at the Charles Schwab Challenge, as well as the RBC Canadian Open Tony was in good form heading into the U.S. Open at The Country Club. However, after rounds of 73 and 72, Finau missed the major’s cut line.
Tony bounced back the next week with a T13 finish at the Travelers Championship.
Tiger Woods
What more can you say about the 15 time major championship than that he’s trying for his 3rd Claret Jug at St. Andrews.
However after withdrawing from the PGA Championship, and an uninspiring showing at the Ireland Pro-Am a feel good story regarding Woods may be slim.
I would not rule anything out with the greatest of all time playing at his favorite course. Could we have some Tiger magic at a time when a feel good story in golf is desperately needed? One can only hope.
Tiger had a forceful push back of the defectees to the LIV Golf series during his media availability at the Open Championship. He mused out loud of the effects on a young players career if they never get to “walk the fairways here” referring of course to the Old Course.
Of course Tiger deferred to the governing committee to make that choice, but many in the media felt Tiger’s comments cemented what many of the staunch PGA Tour supporters are hoping.
- That the World Golf Ranking Committee refuses the LIV Golf events points.
- The major championships take a direct route of suspending the players. Or the indirect route of enforcing point #1, and refusing to honor prior exemptions.
Jay Monahan and Rory must of been proud of Tiger’s first public rebuke of the LIV Golf series to be on the eve of the World Golf Rankings meeting to decide if the LIV Golf events are worthy of ranking points.
The brass at the PGA Tour are hoping for a Tiger miracle in Scotland, while the U.S. Department of Justice is inquiring into the suspensions handed out to the LIV Golf members.
Harold Varner III
This will be HV3’s third appearance at the Open Championship. His two previous results were a missed cut in 2021, and T66 in 2016.
Despite a missed cut at this year’s U.S. Open, Harold has been playing well of late.
On the season Varner has 3 top-5 finishes on the PGA Tour, as well as a win at the Saudi International on the Asian Tour back in February. After his win in Saudi Arabia it was widely rumored that he might be leaving the PGA Tour for the LIV Golf Series.
Harold put those rumors to be when he announced that he decided to stay on the PGA Tour after a conversation with basketball Hall of Famer, Michael Jordan.
Sahith Theegala
This will be Sahith’s first appearance at the Open Championship, and after an impressive rookie year on the PGA Tour, he’s hoping to cap the major championships with a strong showing in Scotland.
Sahith gained entry due to the unfortunate withdrawal of Daniel Berger with a nagging back injury he’s been dealing with for most of the 2022 season.
The unfortunate withdrawal led to one of the new fan favorite on the PGA Tour gaining an opportunity of a life time.
Sahith could of punched his own ticket to St. Andrews when he was leading the Travelers Championship after 71 holes, but a bogey on the 72nd hole left him at that point on the outside of the Open Championship field looking in.
His last chance state side was the John Deere Classic, where the top 3 finishers gained entry to the Open Championship, however again he was on the outside looking in after a T16 finish.
With the withdrawal of Berger, Theegala will have his hopefully first of many trips to the Open Championship.
Tee Times
Tiger Woods: Thursday – 9:59 AM EDT, Friday – 4:58 AM EDT
Tony Finau: Thursday – 5:20 AM EDT, Friday – 10:21 AM EDT
Harold Varner III: Thursday – 10:10 AM EDT, Friday – 5:09 AM EDT
Sahith Theegala: Thursday – 10:32 AM EDT, Friday – 5:31 AM EDT
How to Watch
| Date | Time | Network |
| Thursday, 7/14 | 1:30 a.m. – 4 a.m. | Peacock |
| Thursday, 7/14 | 4 a.m. – 3 p.m. | USA |
| Friday, 7/15 | 1:30 a.m. – 4 a.m. | Peacock |
| Friday, 7/15 | 4 a.m. – 3 p.m. | USA |
| Saturday, 7/16 | 5 a.m. – 7 a.m. | USA |
| Saturday, 7/16 | 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. | NBC |
| Sunday, 7/17 | 4 a.m. – 7 a.m. | USA |
| Sunday, 7/17 | 7 a.m. – 2 p.m. | NBC |