Elite field for British Open

Press, 7 July 1977, Page 36

Elite field for British Open

NZPA-Reuter Turnberry, Scotland

Lee Trevino would try to swim the Atlantic to take part in it; Severiano Ballesteros is prepared to risk his [dazzling career to play in it; Johnny Miller could come marching home again to take it; while Jack Nicklaus is everybody's favourite to win it for the third time.

I These are a leading handful of the elite field of 150 golfers who line up today for the start of the British Open championship, over I Turnberry’s par-70 Ailsa course.

Trevino, the MexicanAmerican who won this coveted crown in 1971 and 1972. but missed the event last year because he needed surgery, was one of the final arrivals at Turnberry after being delayed for 26 hours' in Montreal before flying to; Britain. “I told them in Montreal! ■that there was no way I !

was going to miss the British Open.” the colourful Trevino said. “I asked them how long they reckoned it would take me to swim it. I couldn’t win the open this year in my wildest dreams, i but I love this event.”

j Ballesteros, Spain’s exciting young golfer who finished runner-up to Miller in the open last year, has been 'warned by doctors that if he (does not rest his injured I back he may be finished as (a player before his twentyIfirst birthday. ‘ However, Ballesteros says that although he feels pain in the centre of his spine jmost of the time, “I want to iwin the British Open.” ■ Miller, who outshone all i the other American giants in the open last year, says that in spite of a disappointing 'l2 months since then he was ready to go again. "I’m playing better now than I was last year,” the blond Californian said.