American Splendor

It goes against the grain of bagpipes, single-malt Scotch whiskey and gorse, but there’s a definite U.S. flavor to the oldest golf tournament in the world, the British Open.

If you were to choose a likely winner for this week’s 134th version of the Open Championship, would you choose a U.S. player? It might be a good call.

U.S. players have won four of the last five and eight of the last 10 British Opens, the only exceptions in the streak being Paul Lawrie of Ireland in 1999 at Carnoustie and Ernie Els of South Africa in 2002 at Muirfield.

But it’s a slightly different Old Course this time around. Changes have been made, such as lengthening the course 164 yards to 7,279 with the addition of four new tees.

This brings back into play a number of bunkers that were being ignored because of the players’ strength off the tee. Courses have been Tiger-proofed. Might this be U.S.-proofing?

Phil Mickelson, who played the course last week, encountered wind coming from a different direction each day. And the bunkers got his attention, Mickelson said.

“A lot of the bunkers that were not in play in 2000 are in play this year,” he said. “They are strategically placed. That being the case, I would say the alterations have made many holes more challenging and difficult.”

Of course, bunkers don’t care which player finds them, but nobody has been nominated as the favorite, although someone with a U.S. passport might have a decent chance, given recent history.

Normally, choosing Tiger Woods as the U.S. player most likely to win the British Open seems a safe bet. Woods has won it only once, although that victory was a rout, an eight-shot triumph in 2000 here on the Old Course.

This recent list of U.S. players who have won the British Open began with John Daly’s playoff victory over Costantino Rocca of Italy at St. Andrews in 1995, starting a stretch of four straight wins for U.S. players that continued with Tom Lehman in 1996 at Royal Lytham, Justin Leonard in 1997 at Royal Troon and Mark O’Meara in 1998 at Royal Birkdale.

Leonard had a chance to continue the streak, but he lost to Lawrie in a playoff at Carnoustie.

Woods’ record-setting victory here in 2000 preceded David Duval’s three-shot victory over Niclas Fasth at Royal Lytham in 2001.

Els won in a four-way playoff at Muirfield in 2002 after Woods had taken himself out of it with an 81 in a wind-blown third round that not even a 65 on Sunday could fix.

After that, two more U.S. players won and it would be difficult to determine which was the bigger surprise: Ben Curtis in 2003 at Royal St. George’s or Todd Hamilton in a playoff over Els last year at Royal Troon.

Curtis was ranked 396th when he showed up at Royal St. George’s and hadn’t earned his place in the field until the week before.

Hamilton was a 38-year-old rookie and eight-time qualifying school veteran.

The U.S. success ratio at the Old Course is noteworthy, perhaps an indication that the wide-open format of the layout, where long hitters are rewarded, has been beneficial to the PGA Tour pros. Plus, the weather has generally been warm and sunny, which hasn’t hurt.

Since 1964, when Tony Lema won at the Old Course, U.S. players have won five of the last seven championships played here in St. Andrews. Jack Nicklaus won in 1970 and 1978, Seve Ballesteros of Spain won in 1984, Nick Faldo of England in 1990, then came Daly in 1995 and Woods in 2000.

Will it happen again? Check the wind, check the bunkers, check the passports, then check back on Sunday.

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British Open

* What: 134th British Open golf championship.

* When: Thursday-Sunday (TV coverage: Thursday-Friday, 4 a.m. to 4 p.m., TNT. Saturday, 4 a.m. to 6 a.m., TNT; 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Channel 7. Sunday, 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., TNT; 5 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Channel 7).

* Where: The Old Course at St. Andrews (7,279 yards, Par 72).

* 2004 winner: Todd Hamilton.

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U.S. WINNERS

Americans have won eight of the last 10 tournaments. U.S. winners:

*--* Year Player Year Player 2004 Todd Hamilton 1972 Lee Trevino 2003 Ben Curtis 1971 Lee Trevino 2001 David Duval 1970 Jack Nicklaus 2000 Tiger Woods 1966 Jack Nicklaus 1998 Mark O’Meara 1964 Tony Lema 1997 Justin Leonard 1962 Arnold Palmer 1996 Tom Lehman 1961 Arnold Palmer 1995 John Daly 1953 Ben Hogan 1989 Mark Calcavecchia 1946 Sam Snead 1983 Tom Watson 1933 Denny Shute 1982 Tom Watson 1932 Gene Sarazen 1981 Bill Rogers 1930 Bobby Jones 1980 Tom Watson 1929 Walter Hagen 1978 Jack Nicklaus 1928 Walter Hagen 1977 Tom Watson 1927 Bobby Jones 1976 Johnny Miller 1926 Bobby Jones 1975 Tom Watson 1924 Walter Hagen 1973 Tom Weiskopf 1922 Walter Hagen

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