Turnberry could be third time lucky for Tiger

TURNBERRY, Scotland,  (Reuters) – Tiger Woods goes  into next week’s British Open as heavy favourite to clinch his  15th major crown, despite having failed to convert winning form  into success at the first two grand slam events this year.

The American world number one triumphed in his final PGA  Tour starts before both the U.S. Masters in April and last  month’s U.S. Open without going on to secure victory in the two  majors that followed.

Asked if that unusual sequence had crossed his mind, Woods  replied with a broad grin: “It has now”.

He tied for sixth at the Masters after winning the Arnold  Palmer Invitational and again shared sixth spot at the U.S.  Open, having claimed the Memorial title two weeks earlier.

Since then he has played in just one more event, emerging  triumphant by one stroke at the AT&T National which he hosts in  suburban Washington, D.C.

Having not won a major since his remarkable playoff victory  over compatriot Rocco Mediate at last year’s U.S. Open, Woods  will be banking on third time lucky this season at Turnberry.

“Hopefully I can play like I did (at the AT&T) and continue  to build next week,” the 33-year-old told reporters after  clinching his 68th career title.

“Just making sure you can flight your ball … and manoeuvre  it both ways efficiently because over there (in Britain) you  don’t know what kind of weather you’re going to get.”

WELL VERSED

Comfortably the greatest player of his era and possibly of  all time, Woods is well versed in the art of winning majors. He  has always been meticulous in his preparation and has long  relished the challenge of links-course golf in Britain.

A winner of three British Opens, he is looking forward to  tackling Turnberry’s Ailsa course, which will be staging the  championship for the first time since Zimbabwe’s Nick Price  lifted the Claret Jug in 1994.

“I’ve never played it, never been to it,” Woods said of the  spectacular par-70 Ayrshire layout. “I’ve only seen it on TV,  and there’s only so much you can see on videotape.

“The whole idea before I get there is to have everything  dialled in, feel comfortable with my swing and my short putting,  then start getting the feel for how to play over there.

“Once I get there, I do more prep work on the greens and  make sure I truly understand how to play the golf course and  have a game plan come Thursday.”

Woods, who won his first British Open at St Andrews in 2000  before enjoying further success at St Andrews in 2005 and  Hoylake in 2006, has been installed as a 2/1 favourite for next  week by British bookmakers William Hill.

Spaniard Sergio Garcia and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy  are at 20/1 while Britons Ian Poulter and Paul Casey have been  listed as 28/1 chances.

Irishman Padraig Harrington, although bidding for a rare  hat-trick of British Open titles, is rated at 33/1 mainly  because of a dismal run of form this season.
FIRST TIME
The workaholic Dubliner has missed his last five cuts on the  PGA and European tours and has not won anywhere since his U.S.  PGA Championship success in August last year.

“The last six months have been the worst in terms of  performance I’ve had since I turned pro,” Harrington said.  “There’s no doubt it could impinge on my performance at  Turnberry.”

A conspicuous absentee next week will be American world  number two Phil Mickelson, who has shut down his playing  schedule indefinitely to be with his wife Amy while she  undergoes breast cancer treatment.

Turnberry, which will host the Open for a fourth time, is  widely regarded as the most picturesque venue on the  championship rota with the lighthouse behind the 14th green its  landmark symbol.

Eight of its holes hug the rugged coastline with the iconic  Ailsa Craig, rising like some ancient sea monster from the murky  depths, keeping close watch off shore with the Isle of Arran  lurking further in the distance.

“It could be quite a beast if the wind comes up,” said 2002  British Open champion Ernie Els, who visited Turnberry earlier  this week.

“I guess it will get firmer. It was soft when I was there  and the rough is very high. But it’s a very fair setup.

“No matter what your record is like, you need to strike the  ball well and have some kind of game going into any kind of  major.”

The 138th British Open starts on Thursday.