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British Open 2013 schedule: 142nd Open Championship begins Thursday

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The Open Championship Media Day

By Mark Sandritter

When the first round of the British Open begins on Thursday, it will mark the 16th time Muirfield Golf Links has hosted the Open Championship. Live previous events, this year’s Open figures to test the field of 156 of the best players in the world. While the tournament doesn’t begin until Thursday, the golf world has already arrived at the legendary course.

Players began playing practice rounds on Sunday, and will continue to do so through Wednesday. Practice rounds are a way for players to get a feel for the course and how it’s playing, but they can also lead to some entertaining moments. During his practice round on Monday, Phil Mickelson practiced a backwards flop shot.

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Better late than never: Duke logs first win at 44

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By Brian Murphy

They’re not booing at TPC River Highlands, where 44-year-old Ken Duke won his first-ever PGA Tour event. They’re saying “Duuuuuuke.” That is, when they’re not saying “Bubba: You mad, bro?”

Post-major Tour stops are generally snoozers; the equivalent of a hangover that requires a nap on the couch while the Sunday final round plays on your TV at a barely audible level, so that Verne Lundquist’s voice actually enters your subconscious and lulls you into blissful REM, purring phrases like “My gracious!” – which he did when Chris Stroud forced a playoff with a 72nd hole chip-in.

But the Travelers Championship in Connecticut kept you out of the Nap Zone. It was pyrotechnics and emotion. It was Ken Duke, the pride of Henderson State University in Arkansas, pumping his fist and hitting an absolute whopper of a game-winner for birdie, a sand wedge from 117 yards to inside a yard on the second playoff hole.

It was Stroud, removing his cap and whipping it over his head in the playoff, firing up a crowd that was into the proceedings.

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Qualifying Exemption List – US Open 2013

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Merion The US Open will be held at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania from June 13-16, 2013. This is the second golf major of the season and the fifth US Open held at Merion, the last being in 1981 won by David Graham. An interesting point is that instead of flags, the course utilizes “basketsticks” with wicker basket tops – red on the front 9 (see image on left) and orange on the back. To learn more, read here.
 

US Open 2013 Exemption List 2013

Player(s)
BRADLEY, Keegan
CABRERA, Angel
CAMPBELL, Michael
CHAPMAN, Roger
CHAPPELL, Kevin
CHOI, K.J.
CINK, Stewart
CLARKE, Darren
DONALD, Luke
DUFNER, Jason
ELS, Ernie
FOWLER, Rickie
FOX, Steven (a)
FURYK, Jim
GARCIA, Sergio
GARRIGUS, Robert
GLOVER, Lucas
GOOSEN, Retief
HARRINGTON, Padraig
HUH, John
JOHNSON, Dustin
JOHNSON, Zach
KAYMER, Martin
KUCHAR, Matt
MAHAN, Hunter
MANASSERO, Matteo
MCDOWELL, Graeme
MCILROY, Rory
MICKELSON, Phil
MOORE, Ryan
OGILVY, Geoff
OOSTHUIZEN, Louis
PETERSON, John
PETTERSSON, Carl
PIERCY, Scott
ROSE, Justin
SCHWARTZEL, Charl
SCOTT, Adam
SENDEN, John
SIMPSON, Webb
SNEDEKER, Brandt
STRICKER, Steve
THOMPSON, Michael
TOMS, David
VAN PELT, Bo
WATNEY, Nick
WATSON, Bubba
WEAVER, Michael (a)
WESTWOOD, Lee
WILLIAMS, Chris (a)
WITTENBERG, Casey
WOODS, Tiger
YANG, Y.E.

*(a) amateur

Irish Major Champions

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Padraig Harrington

For a short period of time, Padraig Harrington, the greatest golfer to come out of the Republic, was untouchable in the golf world. Harrington compiled three major victories in 2007-08, including the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie, the 2008 British Open at Royal Birkdale (pictured) and the 2008 PGA Championship at Oakland Hills.

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Woods in share of Doral lead, McIlroy struggles

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MIAMI (Reuters) – Looking confident and in control, Tiger Woods shot an impressive six-under-par 66 for a share of the lead in the first round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship as world number one Rory McIlroy struggled again on Thursday.

Woods was perched atop the leaderboard with Sweden’s Freddie Jacobson, Spain’s Sergio Garcia, Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and American Bubba Watson, the defending Masters champion.

Phil Mickelson was one of four players a stroke behind the leaders as the elite field took advantage of easy scoring conditions.

The Blue Monster course at Doral was once considered a beast but has become a toothless resort course over the years, tamed by equipment changes as players deal comfortably with the lengths.

Owner Donald Trump has ordered the bulldozers in after this tournament to begin a massive rebuilding project, which is aimed at making the course far more challenging.

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