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British Open preview: Contenders, pretenders at golf’s final major

By Dave Preston

Despite what the PGA Tour calendar will tell you, the 2021 golf season in earnest wraps up this week across the Atlantic. Because even though the Tour Championship is a big deal, it’s not a major.

Golf’s major championship season wraps up this week with the British Open. Or, to those overseas as well as rights-holders stateside, “The Open Championship.” Prepare for early starts (thanks to the time difference) and bad weather (thanks to it being in England on the seacoast). Look for a European or two to come out of nowhere to make a run, perhaps only to implode on Saturday or Sunday morning.

And sadly, no Sandy Lyle or John Daly trying to relive past glories. Lyle is past the “retired champions” age of 60, and Daly has elected not to participate this year while sinking to the bottom of the leader board. (Daly had a rough go at the PGA in May).

Royal St. George’s Golf Club has hosted this event 14 times since 1894, with Darren Clarke winning the most recent Open held on its grounds in 2011. Despite its century-plus history, this southeast England course was out of the rotation from 1949 through 1981, meaning Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player didn’t post one of their combined eight titles on its grounds. It even missed the championship runs of Tom Watson and Tiger Woods.

Instead, the Royal St. George’s gets to hang its hat on the likes of Bill Rogers, Ben Curtis and Clarke.

Favorites (odds courtesy cbssports.com)

Jon Rahm (9-1): The 26-year-old is coming off of his first major win after triumphing at the U.S. Open last month. He’s first on the PGA Money List. Rahm tied for 11th in 2019. (The Open was canceled last year due to the coronavirus pandemic.) Rahm finished seventh in last weekend’s Scottish Open.

Rory McIlroy (11-1): The 2014 champion missed the cut in 2019 after tying for fifth, fourth and second from 2016 to 2018. A soccer injury kept him from defending his title in 2015. Since winning the Wells Fargo Championship in early May, he’s finished 49th at the PGA Championship, 18th at the Memorial Tournament and seventh at the U.S. Open.

Dustin Johnson (12-1): The 2020 Masters champ has endured one rough 2021, missing cuts in both the Masters and PGA Championship before tying for 19th at the U.S. Open. Johnson tied for 51st in 2019, but tied for second in 2011 at Royal St. George’s while three strokes off the winning pace.

Bryson DeChambeau (14-1): He’s ranked second on the earning’s list but hasn’t finished in the top 20 at a major since his U.S. Open victory last September. DeChambeau has missed two of three British Open cuts, tying for 51st in 2018. He’s going to get little bounce from his missing the cut at the Rocket Mortgage the first weekend of this month. We won’t dare call him a one-hit wonder … yet.

Brooks Koepka (14-1): Koepka has contended at the British Open in the past, tying for fourth in 2019 to wrap up one monster year: runner-up finishes at the Masters and U.S. Open plus his second straight PGA Championship. After placing fourth at the U.S. Open last month, he finished fifth at the Traveler’s Championship before leaving for Europe.

Jordan Spieth (18-1): The 2017 winner has tied for ninth and 20th in his last two Opens and after tying for third at the Masters has recorded 30th and 19th place showings at the PGA Championship and U.S. Open. But the 27-year-old ranks sixth on the Money List and has seven top 10 finishes since the start of February.

Former champs, current contenders and recurring names

Justin Thomas (20-1): He ranks third on the Earnings List, but since winning the Player’s Championship in March, hasn’t posted a top 10 finish stateside, missing the cut at the PGA before tying for 19th at the U.S. Open. The Open Championship hasn’t been his thing; he’s missed the cut twice in four tournaments, and his best showing was tying for 11th in 2019. But Thomas tied for eighth at the Scottish Open.

Xander Schauffele (20-1): He’s yet to win a major, but has posted a pair of top tens every year since 2018, when he tied for second at Carnoustie behind Francesco Molinari. And while the 27-year-old hasn’t won a tournament this season, he does have three runner-up finishes.

Louis Ousthuizen (28-1): The 2010 winner is enjoying a bit of a resurgence this year, tying for second at the PGA Championship while finishing second at the U.S. Open. Ousthuizen’s best finish since his title was 2015, when he tied for second behind Zach Johnson at St. Andrew’s. The South African tied for 54th the last time the tournament was played at Royal St. George’s.

Shane Lowry (40-1): The defending champion tied for 21st at this year’s Masters and fourth at the PGA Championship while tying for 65th at the U.S. Open. The 34-year-old tries to become the tournament’s first repeat winner since Padraig Harrington went back-to-back in 2007-08 (other repeat winners in the modern era include Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer).

Collin Morikawa (40-1): The 2019 PGA Championship winner makes his British Open debut fresh off a strong spring where he posted four top-10 finishes in five tournaments that included the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open. He won the PGA as a first-time participant, could he continue his run of beginner’s luck here?

Phil Mickelson (50-1): The reigning PGA Championship winner doesn’t have the heartbreak here that he does at the U.S. Open, but the 2013 champ has finished runner-up twice in this event-including 2011 at Royal St. George’s. Since his 2016 second place showing Phil’s missed two of three cuts at the Open.

Former champions hoping to make the cut

Francesco Molinari (66-1): The 2018 titlist tied for 11th in 2019 and missed the cut when the tournament was held at Royal St. George’s 10 years ago. The Italian is dealing with a rough 2021, missing the cut in four of his last six PGA tournaments.

Henrik Stenson (66-1): The 2016 winner tied for 20th in 2019 and placed 68th in 2011 at Royal St. George’s. He’s also missed the cut in four of his last six majors played, and the Swede has missed the cut in six of his most recent nine PGA tournaments.

Stewart Cink (125-1): The 2009 winner tied for 20th in 2019 and finished 30th in 2011. The lone top 10 finish in a major since his British Open victory was when he tied for fourth at the 2018 PGA Championship.

Padraig Harrington (150-1): The champion in 2007 and 2008 hasn’t made the cut since 2016. His repeat victory in 2008 was also the last time he finished in the top 10. Harrington became the first Irishman to win the tournament in 2007. Shane Lowry has since joined him.

Ernie Els (500-1): The two-time (2002 and 2012) winner tied for 32nd the last time the Open was held, and missed the cut in 2011 at Royal St. George’s. His triumph nine years ago ended a run of 12 top tens in 18 years as Els hasn’t finished in the top 20 since.

Darren Clarke (500-1): The 52-year-old last made the cut in 2016. Clarke fired 68-69-69-70 to finish five under par to win the 2011 Open at Royal St. George’s.  He became the first native of Northern Ireland to win the Open (predating Rory McIlroy by three years). Meanwhile, Wales is still looking for its first Open Championship winner (even the crown dependency Jersey has a champ).  The country has more James Bond theme singers (Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones) than Open winners. What are the odds?

Tiger Woods’ return and other memorable athletic comebacks

By NBC Sports Washington Staff
Tiger Woods' return and other memorable athletic comebacks originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonThe comeback is always stronger than the setback.Athletes regularly make inspiring comebacks, whether a healthy return after injury or a return to glory after ineffectiveness. For Tiger Woods, the next chapter in his latest comeback story is expected to be written this week at the Masters as he makes his return from career-threatening leg injuries following a car accident in February of 2021. Like Woods, the athletes below endured an unusual hiatus from the sport they played. Some were forced to leave because of a life-threatening diagnosis, others went to serve their country, some made poor decisions that paused their career, a few simply wanted to play a different sport.Whatever the reason for their departure, all eventually made their way back. Here are some of sports' most memorable hiatuses and comebacks:Tiger WoodsAt two different stages of his legendary career, it seemed Tiger Woods would get no closer to Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major victories. Woods had captured 14 majors by the age of 33 before the beginning of a downfall that included marital issues and lingering injuries. Woods underwent spinal fusion surgery in 2017, the fourth procedure on his back. Woods played in his first tournament less than eight months later, shooting a final-round 68 to finish ninth in the Hero World Challenge. Woods took part in his first PGA Tour event the following month. Then in his fourth start since surgery, he was one shot off the lead to take second place, his best finish since 2013. A few months later, he finished second in the PGA Championship. The following month, he captured the 80th PGA Tour victory of his career by winning the Tour Championship at East Lake as the comeback continued to gain steam.In April of 2019, just over two years after having spinal surgery, Woods ended an 11-year major drought by winning the Masters by one stroke for his 15th major title.Less than two years later, Woods' career again was in jeopardy after he suffered multiple leg and ankle injuries in a single-car accident in February 2021. Less than 14 months later, Woods is set to return to competitive golf after announcing he intends to compete at the 2022 Masters. The quest begins for his sixth green jacket and 16th major championship.Tim TebowThere's only one professional athlete who has gone from being a star quarterback, to a minor league baseball player, to a tight end.Most QBs selected in the first round of the NFL draft spend a few games holding a clipboard on the sideline before taking over the starting job in what becomes a long career in the league. Things began that way for Tebow after being drafted by the Denver Broncos with the No. 25 overall pick in 2010. He got some starts late in his rookie season, had a thrilling game-winning touchdown pass in the playoffs and enjoyed mild success in his second year.Then things started getting weird.The Broncos signed Peyton Manning and traded Tebow to the New York Jets, where he attempted eight passes and was used mostly on special teams. After being cut by the Jets in 2013, Tebow got a chance with the New England Patriots but was cut just before the regular season. Tebow gave it another shot with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015, and was cut after playing in all four preseason games. He wouldn't be back in a helmet and pads for a long time.Tebow spent the next four years playing minor league baseball in the New York Mets organization, where in 306 games he hit .222 with 18 home runs and 109 RBIs. He retired from professional baseball in February 2021, and three months later, signed a one-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to return to the NFL, play a new position at 33 years old, and end a six-year hiatus. Tebow was released after one preseason game. Michael JordanTim Tebow isn't the first athlete to leave one sport and go play minor league baseball. Michael Jordan did so in the prime of his career, just months after winning a third straight championship. He retired from the NBA at 30 years old to play Double A baseball in the Chicago White Sox organization, hitting .202 with 3 home runs, 51 RBIs and 30 stolen bases in 127 games. After missing a season and a half with the Chicago Bulls, he returned and went on to win three more championships. That was the first of two NBA hiatuses for Jordan, who again would return in 2001 after a three-year second retirement to play for the Washington Wizards.  Lance ArmstrongArmstrong was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, and not only made a healthy return to cycling but became a worldwide source of inspiration after winning the Tour de France for seven straight years from 1999 to 2005. Armstrong’s legacy was later tarnished after a steroid scandal resulted in him being stripped of his victories. Rocky BleierOne of the few professional athletes who have earned both a Super Bowl ring and a Purple Heart. The Notre Dame halfback was drafted by the Steelers in 1968, and then by the U.S. Army the following year during the Vietnam War. While on patrol, Bleier was shot in the leg just before a grenade exploded nearby, sending shrapnel into his leg. Doctors informed him he’d never play football again. By 1971, he was back with the Steelers playing special teams and then, in 1974, earned a starting job. He went on to rush for 3,865 yards in his career and won four Super Bowls. Ben HoganHogan, the top golfer at the time, suffered a series of injuries after his car was struck head-on by a Greyhound bus in a near-fatal accident in 1949. Hogan’s injuries, according to Golf Digest, included a broken ankle, broken collarbone, cracked rib, leg contusions, double fracture of the pelvis, a head abrasion and internal injuries. Survival was in question, walking again was in doubt. Hogan won the 1950 U.S. Open just 16 months after the accident. In 1953, he captured the Triple Crown of Golf -- The Masters, The U.S. Open and The Open Championship. Six of Hogan’s nine career major wins came after the accident.Muhammad AliAli was suspended from boxing and stripped of his heavyweight title after refusing induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War in 1967 for religious reasons. Convicted of draft evasion, Ali was sentenced to five years in prison (which he avoided after an appeal) and fined $10,000. He returned to the ring in 1970, knocking out Jerry Quarry, and later went on to become boxing’s first three-time heavyweight champion.Magic JohnsonThe basketball world was shocked by Magic’s sudden retirement at the age of 32 after he tested positive for the HIV virus in 1991. Johnson made an honorary return during the 1992 NBA All-Star Game, where he’d be named MVP, and then made his way back to the sidelines as Lakers head coach at the end of the 1993-1994 season, going 5-11. Johnson was back on the court with the Lakers during the 1995-1996 season at the age of 36, averaging 14.6 points 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds in 32 games as he got the opportunity to go out on his own terms.Bethany HamiltonAt the age of 13, Hamilton’s dreams of becoming a professional surfer were in doubt after she was attacked by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing in Hawaii, severing her left arm. She taught herself how to surf with one arm and was back on a board less than a month after the incident. Within two years, she would capture her first national surfing title. Ted WilliamsIn 1942, Ted Williams won the American League Triple Crown and joined the Navy with the hope of becoming a fighter pilot. Williams, in the discussion for the greatest hitter of all time with a .344 batting average and 521 home runs, missed three seasons in the prime of his career to serve in the military during World War II. Williams returned to baseball for the 1946 season and was named Most Valuable Player after hitting .342 with 38 home runs and 123 RBIs. His playing career again was interrupted during the 1952 season after he was recalled to serve in the Korean War, where he flew 39 combat missions with the Marine Aircraft Group 33, twice having his plane damaged by ground fire. He missed most of the 1952 and 1953 seasons, before hitting .345 with 29 home runs and 89 RBIs in 1954.Yogi BerraBerra is best remembered for having won 10 World Series with the Yankees and for his Yogisms. Not mentioned often enough is the role he served in the military. In 1943, after his first year in the minor leagues, Berra was drafted into the Navy and volunteered for a secret mission. On that mission, he helped pilot rocket boats during the United States’ invasion of Normandy on D-Day, firing at -- and drawing fire from -- the enemy to allow U.S. troops to storm Omaha Beach. Berra went on to collect 2,150 major league hits, 358 home runs and three MVP awards.Bob FellerCleveland Indians’ Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller, after leading the league in wins for three seasons, enlisted in the Navy the day after Japan’s attack Pearl Harbor. He missed nearly four full seasons and spent more than two years aboard the USS Alabama. In his first full season after returning from combat, Feller went 26-15 with a career-low 2.18 ERA.Mario LemieuxWhen Mario Lemieux retired at age 31 in 1997, the NHL waived its customary three-year waiting period and immediately inducted him into the Hall of Fame. Deserving as the honor was, they probably should have waited. Lemieux had made comebacks before, most notably after missing the entire 1994-1995 season because of Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He had another successful one in him -- returning in 2000 at the age of 35. Just 33 seconds into his first shift, he assisted on a goal by Jaromir Jagr and would later add a goal and another assist. He went on to tally 35 goals and 41 assists in 43 games that season as runner-up for the Hart Memorial Trophy. Monica SelesMonica Seles, while still a teenager, won eight Grand Slam events.That included becoming the youngest French Open champion at the age of 16. In 1991, at the age of 18, she overtook Steffi Graf the world’s No. 1 women’s tennis player during a dominant two-year run. In April of 1993, while still the sport’s top-ranked player, Seles was stabbed between the shoulder blades by an obsessive Graf fan in Hamburg, Germany. Seles suffered a roughly half-inch wound that required surgery, but the psychological impact also took a toll and she wouldn’t play competitive tennis for two years. Seles returned in 1995 and went on to win the 1996 Australian Open, her ninth and final Grand Slam title.  Tommy JohnMany baseball fans are familiar with Tommy John surgery. Not as many are as familiar with Tommy John, the baseball player. The left-handed pitcher had won 124 games in the majors, and was 13-3 during the 1974 season with the Dodgers, when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. Dr. Frank Jobe performed an innovative and career-saving ligament replacement surgery on John, using a tendon from elsewhere in the body to replace the torn ligament. John missed the entire 1975 season before going 10-10 with a 3.09 ERA in 1976. The following season was the finest of his 26-year career as he went 20-7 with a 2.78 ERA and finished second in NL Cy Young voting.John, after the surgery, spent 18 more seasons in the majors before retiring in 1989 at age 46 with a career record of 288-231. Tommy John surgery is now commonplace for pitchers, with the man’s name associated with successful athlete comebacks. George ForemanLong before becoming a beloved TV pitchman, the Olympic gold medalist and former heavyweight champion first retired from boxing in 1977 to be an ordained minister. He made his return to the ring 10 years later at age 38 -- and at nearly 300 pounds, put the heavy in heavyweight. He defeated Steve Zouski in a fourth round stoppage in what would be the first of 20 straight wins for Foreman. In 1994, at age 45, Foreman knocked out the 26-year old, undefeated Michael Moorer to become boxing’s oldest heavyweight champion.Greg LemondGreg Lemond in 1986 became the first American to win the Tour de France. A year later he was accidentally shot in a near-fatal hunting accident, which left buckshot in his liver, kidneys, intestines, heart lining, back and legs. By 1989, he was back in the Tour de France, making a dramatic comeback on the final day of the three-week race to win by eight seconds. He captured a third Tour de France win in 1990. Andre AgassiAndre Agassi went from being the No. 1 men’s tennis player in the world to No. 141.That was during a tumultuous two-year span from 1995 to 1997 that included a wrist injury, trouble in his marriage with actress Brooke Shields, and the admitted use of crystal methamphetamine. He focused on his recovery and would have a dominant four-year stretch, reclaiming the No. 1 ranking along the way. In the 1999 French Open, he became just the fifth male tennis player at the time to win all four Grand Slam singles titles.   Michael VickMichael Vick revolutionized the quarterback position early in his career.The No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft made three Pro Bowls over his first six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He would miss the next two seasons after being suspended by the NFL indefinitely after pleading guilty to federal charges for his role in a dogfighting enterprise. Vick spent 19 months in prison and was released by the Falcons. Vick returned for the 2009 season after signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He made his fourth Pro Bowl in 2010 after throwing for 3,018 passing yards and a career-high 21 touchdowns to go with 676 yards on the ground and nine rushing TDs. Vick, after his two-year absence, spent seven more seasons in the NFL.   Gordie HoweA 43-year-old Gordie Howe announced his retirement in 1971 after 25 years with the Detroit Red Wings. But there was still plenty of hockey left in … well, “Mr. Hockey.”Howe came out of retirement in 1973 to sign with the Houston Aeros of the newly-formed World Hockey Association and tallied 31 goals and 69 assists en route to winning MVP. The Aeros won the league championship. Howe spent six seasons in the WHA, later signing with the New England Whalers. After the NHL-WHA merger, Howe returned to the NHL with the Hartford Whalers for the 1979-1980 season, becoming the oldest player in NHL history at 52 years old. That season, during which he played in the NHL in his fifth different decade, he had 15 goals and 26 assists. 
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