The best golfers in the world are playing for the British Open trophy at a historic venue. The superstar from California and four German professionals are also competing in Troon, Scotland.
Tiger Woods’ aura can already be felt in the run-up to the 152nd British Open on the west coast of Scotland. Numerous fans accompany the now 48-year-old superstar from California on the practice rounds at the Royal Troon Golf Club – from this Thursday, when the fourth and final major tournament of the year begins, thousands will once again admire the 15-time major champion on the edge of the fairways.
Even though Woods only competes in a few select tournaments after his numerous operations and the serious car accident in February 2021, the long-time world number one has lost none of his appeal and charisma. However, he is no longer one of the favorites for the British Open title. Woods is not thinking about retiring from golf any time soon. “I will play as long as I can and I feel that I can still win the tournament,” he said at a press conference in Troon.
The tournament
The British Open is the oldest golf tournament in the world. The era of the Open Championship began in 1860 at the Prestwick Golf Club on the west coast of Scotland. The only one of the four major tournaments that does not take place in the USA is held every year in different locations in the United Kingdom.
The golf course
The British Open is being played for the tenth time at the Royal Troon Golf Club – an hour’s drive southwest of Glasgow. The par-71 course on the coast is a typical so-called links course. Dunes, stormy winds, deep sand bunkers, dense gorse bushes and extremely hard and undulating fairways demand everything from the golfers. The last nine holes are among the most demanding in the world.
The prize money
The British Open has a purse of 17 million US dollars (15.6 million euros). The winner alone receives a check for 3.1 million US dollars (2.85 million euros) and the Claret Jug winner’s trophy – a silver wine jug. The winner can also call himself “Champion Golfer of the Year”.
The top favorite
Scottie Scheffler: The world number one wants to triumph at the British Open for the first time. The 28-year-old American is currently dominating the golf scene. This season, Scheffler has already won six tournaments on the PGA Tour – including the prestigious Masters in Augusta for the second time. In his 15 starts so far this season, Scheffler has already collected over 27 million US dollars in prize money.
The German players
Stephan Jäger: The currently best German golf professional is ranked 46th in the world rankings. After the British Open, the 35-year-old from Munich, who lives in the USA, will compete for Germany at the Olympic Games in Paris. At the beginning of April, Jäger celebrated his first victory on the PGA Tour at the tournament in Houston.
Yannik Paul: The 30-year-old from Mannheim won his first tournament on the DP World Tour in Mallorca in 2022. Paul is qualified for the British Open because he was among the top 30 players in the European rankings (Race to Dubai) last year.
Marcel Siem: The 44-year-old veteran from Ratingen loves the big stage. Because of his emotional character, the Rhinelander, who lives in Mauritius, is always well received by British Open fans. At the end of June, he won his sixth tournament on the DP World Tour at the Italian Open.
Alex Cejka: The 53-year-old is the reigning British Open senior champion and is therefore eligible to play in Troon. Cejka also plays alongside Germany’s golf idol Bernhard Langer on the PGA Tour Champions in the USA.
Source: Stern
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