Golf: Golf-The Claret Jug comes with weight of history at St Andrews

0
25

ST ANDREWS, Scotland (Reuters) – The Claret Jug weighs solely 5.5 kilos (2.5kg) however when The Open is performed on the Old Course at the ‘Home of Golf’, the trophy comes with the added weight of history.

Tiger Woods, who snatched two of his three Open titles at St Andrews, mentioned this windswept stretch of Scottish shoreline, not Augusta National, is his favorite venue.

The alternative to play it once more, at the a hundred and fiftieth Open Championship, helped speed up his comeback from a career-threatening automotive crash that just about resulted within the 15-times main winner dropping his proper leg.

“It feels extra historic than it usually has,” mentioned Woods. “It is history each time we get an opportunity to play right here.

“It’s laborious to consider, it has been 150 years we have performed this event.

“And it is unbelievable, the history behind it, the champions which have received right here. It’s laborious to consider it is extra historic, but it surely actually is.

“It does really feel like that. This does really feel prefer it’s the largest Open Championship we have ever had.”

The Old Course grew to become an 18-hole structure in 1764 and has stood the take a look at of time.

While there have been adjustments the problem stays timeless, mentioned Jack Nicklaus, a three-time Open champion with the final two coming at St Andrews the place on Tuesday he was made an honorary citizen.

“The recreation has modified fairly a bit however St Andrews hasn’t,” mentioned the 18-time main winner. “Sure, St Andrews has a bit of bit of size added to it, The Old Course has.

“But the size has been added to attempt to kind of compromise the golf ball of right now. But you have nonetheless obtained to play golf.

“You nonetheless have these pesky little bunkers on the market that seize your ball each time you hit an errant shot.

“Somebody hit it right here 60 years in the past or 100 years in the past they usually had the identical drawback.”

Golfers say they sense that history the second they arrive in St Andrews, which is internet hosting The Open for the thirtieth time.

It is a spot the place infamous bunkers like “Hell” on the 14th gap or the despair guarding the 18th inexperienced often known as “The Valley of Sin” have been elevated to nationwide landmarks.

“History. It’s so simple as that. History,” mentioned Spaniard Jon Rahm, summing up the magic of an Open at St Andrews. “I would not say there’s something with the golf course itself, which is lots particular.

“It’s simply the history of the sport and the way a lot it means.

“I’ve heard a number of champions say it.

“You cannot actually name your self an incredible participant except you win The Open at St Andrews, which is a really selective group to say.”

(Reporting by Steve Keating in St Andrews. Editing by Toby Davis)



Source link