Stewart Cink Winner 2009
Tom Watson and Padraig Harrington, who have won a combined total of 11 Major Championship, will join Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa for the first two rounds of the 150th Anniversary Open Championship. Teeing-off at 9.20am on Thursday, they will follow game 15, which consists of Justin Rose, Camilo Villegas and winner of the last two Opens at St Andrews, Tiger Woods.
Having come within a putt of winning his sixth Claret Jug at Turnberry last year, Watson will arrive in St Andrews confident that he can still produce a standard of links golf to rival the world’s best.
Before the 60-year-old sets off, the man who defeated him in last year’s play-off, Stewart Cink, will get his title defence underway at 8.42am, accompanied by 2002 Open Champion Ernie Els and world number eight Ian Poulter.
But the honour of striking the first shot at St Andrews will go to Paul Lawrie, the Scot who famously came from 10 shots behind on the final day at Carnoustie to become the 1999 Open Champion.
Of the afternoon groupings, it is perhaps game 41 that catches the eye. The 2010 Masters Tournament Champion, Phil Mickelson, will commence his bid for a first Claret Jug alongside two-time US Open Champion Retief Goosen and Colin Montgomerie, the 2010 European Ryder Cup Captain, who finished second to Woods at the Home of Golf in 2005. Having put in a stellar performance at International Final Qualifying to earn his place at St Andrews, the popular Scotsman, buoyed by his home crown, will tee-off brimming with confidence.
Graeme McDowell, the winner of last month’s US Open at Pebble Beach, will tee-off at 1.53pm with Jim Furyk and Geoff Ogilvy. And Paul Casey, who occupies 10th place in the Official World Golf Ranking, one position above McDowell, will partner 2009 Masters Champion Angel Cabrera and rising American Star Rickie Fowler.
