Nicklaus, Watson once again take on field
NZPA-Reuter Sandwich. England The one hundred and tenth British Open golf championship begins at Royal St George’s course today, and once again it is Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus against the field. This time, however, someone from the field may win.
Watson and Nicklaus, aged 31 and 41 respectively, have each won three British Opens in the past and between them have taken four of the last six. W'atson is the finest player in the world at present while Nicklaus may be the greatest of all time. For these reasons they are
4 to 1 and 6 to 1 favourites among British bookmakers to take the title. But the Royal St George’s course, where the event is being held for the first time since 1949, is favouring strength as well as skill this year and several of the game’s big men have a fine, chance of succeeding. Among them are Greg Norman, of Australia, and an American, Ray Floyd — two prodigious strikers of the ball. Norman, now 26, and recently married, has been making slow but steady progress towards his goal of winning a major title, and he may be ready to do so now. But Norman is wary: “You
can’t force yourself to win a major. When the time is ripe, it will happen. All you can do is make sure you reach the top of your game at the right time. “I hope I have,” says the tall, blond Australian. Floyd is another who feels he is at his peak. At 38 he has suddenly found an element of consistency which has been missing from his game in some 18 years on the United States tour. He has won four 198 L events and finished second in two, while running a close second to Watson on the United States money-winning list. Arnold Parlmer, the 51-
year-old American legend who won the title back in 1961 and 1962, said yesterday that Floyd has been playing “awfully well.” “It has almost seemed that Raymond has things right at
the end of his fingertips this year. When he wants to turn it on he has been able to do so.”
Floyd believes there are no weaknesses in his game. “I am pleased to be here with my game in order,” he says. One reason why he is playing so well is because he made an adjustment to his backswing late last year. “It has been heaven sent. Not only am I longer, but straighter. I only wish I had done it a few years ago.” If Floyd has a reservation it is that he may not have given himself quite long enough to accustom himself
to Royal St George’s. “You have to get used to where the bunkers are and to making the right club selection. If the wind shifts during the week, I may be a little uneasy.” The winds, normally so fickle at St George’s, have been consistently light this week with more of the same pi-edicted for today, which could help another American, Jerry Pate. Pate has a glorious, big swing but he floats the ball high and that has been a disadvantage in past Opens, where such shots are subject to bad bounces on hard fairways. On the softer fairways
at St George’s he may prosper.
Pate, aged 27, won the Memphis Open last month to end a three-year run of high finishes without a victory. The extra confidence from that may help him in the Open. Ben Crenshaw, of the United States, still has a huge ambition to win the Open after being joint second twice and third in the last three years. “I have a good feel about this course and I am confident of doing well,” said the 29-year-old Texan yesterday.
Severiano Ballesteros, of Spain, promises to have an
exciting tournament, discard? ing the caution which has marked his play since his swashbuckling days of 1979 when he won the title at Royal Lytham. The Americans; Lee Trevino and Johnny filler, both former champions, and the United States Open king, David Graham, of Australia, are other prominent challengers while Nick Faldo seems to have a fine chance of providing Britain with a home winner for the first time since Tony Jacklin won in 1969.
A total of 153 players, including 22 amateurs, will tee off today.
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