Phil Mickelson will start defending his Open Championship title on Thursday at 1405 (905am est) paired with 2012 winner Ernie Els and current Masters champion Bubba Watson when play gets under way at Royal Liverpool. Tiger Woods is off at 0904 (0404est) alongside Argentina's Angel Cabrera and European Tour Number One Henrik Stenson.
Woods and Mickelson will get the lion's share of attention, especially on this side of the Atlantic, however for me the favourite going into this 143rd Open Championship must be England's Justin Rose, who on Monday moved to #3 in the world following his magnificent triumph at the Scottish Open in Aberdeen last week, and he's paired with #1 Adam Scott and former US PGA Champion Jason Dufner.
In his presser at Hoylake he was asked if he had ever been in better form ahead of the Open ? "In 2010 you could argue I came in with as much form having won two events, but at the same time I was just beginning to play well then. Now I have been playing well for four or five years so am a lot more comfortable with the expectations this time around.In the past I have been looking for something extra to get into contention but right now I am not chasing the next level, I am beginning to trust my game
That's a telling quote for me, he's come such a long way from the 18year old amateur from Hook, who I interviewed on Fairways back in 1998 after he burst on the world stage with his T4th place finish to Mark O'Meara at Royal Birkdale.
After turning pro that week he went on to miss 22 cuts in a row, he couldn't drive the ball to save himself, lost his confidence, his Dad, he was wandering through the events on the European Tour without a rudder.."I just got way too resolved focus for a while and the pressure kept building and building and I felt like that I was having to try prove myself, and having to prove that The Open was not a flash in the pan.
He broke through in 2001 with 4 wins and won the Order of Merit on 2007 so the kid who broke 70 at the age of 11 was trending upwards as they say today..
Now he is a family man, he will turn 34 on July 30th. He married long-time girlfriend Kate Phillips, a former international gymnast, in December 2006. They have a house in Lake Nona, Florida, and a riverside flat in the London suburb of Putney. Kate gave birth to their first child, Leo, in February 2009 then in January 2012, they had a baby girl, Lottie.
He has been coached by our Canadian phenom Sean Foley since 2009, has spent over 35 weeks in the world's top 10 since 2007, but now at #3 with a US Open to go along his rent form, great driving, majestic iron play and a hot putter, you could say Rose is blooming in mid summer...
I have compiled a list of guys who are in form, any could win if it's their week and also a list of guys we just can't ignore...Tiger is in that group so stay with me here all week..
The all important weather forecast for Liverpool..Thursday dry, temperatures 23-25*c, Chance of showers, T'showers Friday, more so Saturday, same temperatures and slight chance of showers Sunday. There is no significant wind in the present forecast...
For Thursday's pairings click here
http://scores.theopen.com/en/TeeTimes.aspx
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