Royal Birkdale is preparing to host the Open Championship for a 12th time, so our David John looks back through time and ranks the previous 11.
9. Johnny Miller (1976)
The year Global Warming was invented. Miller roared home in 66 to win by six shots at a baked Birkdale. An unheralded Spanish teen called Ballesteros led for three rounds and finished tied for second – that story is a whole separate volume on its own and I don’t have the character count available.
8. Arnold Palmer (1961)
Open week in 1961 was almost cancelled as storms battered the North West coast. Once all various infrastructure had been reclaimed from the Irish Sea, Palmer outlasted the field following 36 holes on the final day with a one-stroke success. Don’t thank me for this information, thank Pathe News.
7. Peter Thomson (1954 and 1965)
Harking back to an era when you put on a tie and jacket to receive the Claret Jug, Thomson landed the first and last of his five Open titles in Southport. Banked the princely sum of £2,500 in total. Scottie Scheffler averages that per shot.
6. Ian Baker-Finch (1991)
Produced a stellar weekend (64-66) in 1991 to secure his sole major championship. Notable for an outward half of 29 on Sunday to take control of the event on the way to a two-shot success over fellow Aussie Mike Harwood. Joined the aforementioned Thomson as a winner here, a man who had been an important influence on Baker-Finch’s early career.
5. Tom Watson (1983)
The gap-grinned golfing rockstar of the 1970s and 1980s won the prize for a fifth time as defending champion in 1983. Perhaps even more famous for going on to span the generations aged 59 only for Stewart Cink to (callously) deny him at Royal St Georges a fairytale sixth success in 2009.
4. Lee Trevino (1971)
Charismatic American Lee Trevino won the 100th edition and denied home favourite Tony Jacklin by a shot. Trevino’s swing may not have been straight out of the coaching manual but he could sure close out a big event having won the US Open a month prior. For good measure, he lifted the Claret Jug again at Muirfield in 1972.
3. Mark O'Meara (1998)
Trevino may not have earned many style points but O’Meara’s technique was all beautiful angles and elegance. Both found a way to conquer Birkdale, O’Meara enjoying the most golden of golden periods aged 41 having also donned the Green Jacket at Augusta that April. Class act.
2. Jordan Spieth (2017)
In terms of sporting theatre, Spieth delivered one of the most bizarre closing 18 holes to win an Open Championship as he circumnavigated every part of Birkdale, including beyond the equipment trucks and on to the practice ground at one point. He frittered away a handy overnight lead but with the guidance of caddie Mike Greller, the Texan pulled himself together to play his closing five holes in five-under and to somehow prevail by a cosy three shots. Go figure.
1. Padraig Harrington (2008)
By his own admission, not the most gifted ever to play the game but squeezed every drop out of the talent he was given as he successfully defended the title he had won at Carnoustie. His five-wood on the 71st hole to set up a decisive eagle as the wind howled was a shot for the ages and comfortably places the Irishman at the top of these rankings.
More Open content
- Open Championship preview
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- Round one three-ball picks
- First-round leader preview
- Matt Cooper's Open diary
- Who creates chances in majors?
- Player-by-player guide to the field
- Royal Birkdale talking points
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