After being cancelled in the summer of 2020, the 149th Open Championship returns from 15th-18th July at Royal St George’s, Sandwich. Last year was the first time The Open has been postponed since the Second World War, so it makes a very welcome return this year. Indeed, if you are among the many Isle of Wight residents fancying a staycation this summer, you could do a lot worse than making the four-hour journey to Kent for a feast of golf.
If you follow the rich history of The Open, you will be well aware that Royal St George’s is a fitting venue for one of golf’s Majors. Expert golf tipster, Steve Palmer, picked it out as one of his top five greatest courses for The Open, but also cited its difficulty, calling it a “stiff test” even for golf’s best players. The Open was last held at Royal St George’s in 2011, with Darren Clarke surprising many to lift the famous Claret Jug.
Golf has changed a lot in those ten years. There is the recent advent of favouring power and distance from the drive, which is most associated with the American golfer, Bryson DeChambeau. That tactic, of course, might not play well on one of the toughest links courses in the world, and it will be interesting to see whether the course at Sandwich rewards craftier players in July.
Breakaway tour questions loom large over golf
There is also the shadow of golf’s breakaway tour in Saudi Arabia. Some of the world’s top golfer are being tempted by millions of dollars to play on a new tour schedule in the Middle East – think of it a bit like the recently-abandoned European Super League in football. Critics, including Rory McIlroy, have argued that it is a “money grab” and will take away from the prestige of the golf’s already-great events, like the Open Championship. The storm over the breakaway tour is only starting to gather strength, so there is a chance it will loom heavily over Royal St George’s.
Still, things also remain the same. Back in 2011, the likes of McIlroy and Dustin Johnson were considered contenders for the Claret Jug, and that will be the case in 2021 (the pair are considered bookies’ favourites at the time of writing). Tiger Woods, who missed the 2011 Open through injury, will miss the tournament again, although this time there is a lot more uncertainty over when – or if – he will return this time around.
Accuracy will be rewarded on unique links course at Sandwich
Of course, the most dependable thing about a links Major is the most undependable – the weather. July is usually lovely around the Kentish coast, but the wind can pick up and play havoc with players’ tactics; one of the main reasons the mercurial DeChambeau is not fancied by bookmakers for a maiden Claret Jug win.
The big-hitting American tends to sacrifice accuracy for distance. It’s a winning strategy on some courses, but at Sandwich, he might find himself in a lot of trouble should there be inclement weather. Worse still, errant drives could land players in the “Himalayas”, the giant bunker on the 4th hole considered one of the biggest and most fearsome in professional golf.
If you aren’t going to cross The Solent and head down to Kent – tickets will soon be available, but they will likely be limited due to crowd restrictions – Sky Sports has live coverage of the 149th Open. The BBC will also provide limited coverage, with live reporting on 5Live.
