The third major of the year is upon us this week as the best of the PGA Tour meet the best of the European Tour to determine this years British open champion. This years tournament will be played on the medal course at Carnoustie in Scotland. Carnoustie has a long been regarded as one of the hardest courses on the open rotation. The course measures 7,361 yards from the back tees and if the wind blows some holes may prove to be close to impossible. The back nine is particularly tricky. The 16th hole is a par 3 that measures 240 yards. If the wind blows however, the par 3 will play more like a par 4 and will require two shots to get home instead of one. In the 1968 open Jack Nicklaus called the whole a tricky little par 4. On the back nine there are five par 4s that measure 459 yards or longer. If the wind blows with any amount of force many of these wholes will become inaccessible in two shots. In the previous British opens that have been played at Carnoustie a variable whos who of golf have emerged as winners. The best in the game have always won at Carnoustie. Hogan captured the third leg of his Triple Crown here in 1953. Gary Player beat Jack Nicklaus in a legendary dual in 1968 and Tom Watson captured the first of his five open wins here in 1975. What does this tell us about this years open? Look hard at the favorite.With a number of golfers playing so well going into the open making a decision on who to pick can be very tricky. Carnoustie is a long golf course so length will be very important, especially if the wind picks up. Also the ability to keep the ball low under the wind is an attribute you will find in every player who has ever won the open, its absolutely necessary. Defining these characteristics in individual golf games may be hard to do. But if Carnoustie continues the tradition of providing world class winners it might help us determine who to pick.The obvious choice of favorite falls on a man who has won three of his ...
