BANNER AREA LEAVE BLANK Website: centerfornewsanddesign.com LIVE AREA TOP he depth of talent at the top of golf has led to such parity that T major championships are all about sharing the wealth. Brooks Koepka won the U.S. Open at Erin Hills and became the seventh consecutive first-time major champion, a streak that began with Jason Day FACTS winning the 2015 PGA Championship at & FIGURES Whistling Straits. It is the second-lon- 146th Open Championship gest streak in the modern era, which Jason Day Danny Willett Dustin Johnson Henrik Stenson July 20-23, dates to the inaugural Masters in 1934. Royal Birkdale Whether it’s a trend or merely a cycle, 2015 PGA Championship 2016 Masters 2016 U.S. Open 2016 British Open odds are in favor of it ending when the British Open returns to Royal Birkdale. Length: 7,156 yards No other links course in the current Par: 70 Open rotation has a better track record Field: 156 players of rewarding major experience. Padraig Harrington won in 2008 at Playoff (if necessary): 4 Royal Birkdale to capture the claret jug holes, aggregate score for the second straight year. A decade earlier, Mark O'Meara won his second Prize money: major of the year when he won in a ? $10,250,000 playoff at Birkdale in 1998. LIVE WIDTH (GUIDES): 10.2803” Only two of the eight champions at Winner’s share: Royal Birkdale had never won majors, Jimmy Walker Sergio Garcia Brooks Koepka Champion $1,845,000 ARTBOARD EDGE IS AD WIDTH giving the links along the Lancashire 2016 PGA Championship 2017 Masters 2017 U.S. Open 2017 British Open Coast of England the lowest rate of Defending champion: first-time major champions among Henrik Stenson British Open links. "It's very difficult to win a first major," Last year: In a duel that Jordan Spieth said. "You're dealing with rates among the best in somebody that’s been there before." history, Henrik Stenson Maybe so. But in six of the last seven Grand Slam events, a major champion closed with a 63 to was the runner-up. The exception was defeat Phil Mickelson the U.S. Open last month, in which none New to theCrown by three shots at Royal of the top 20 on the leaderboard had A first-time champion has won the last seven majors — that streak may be in jeopardy Troon. Stenson joined ever won a major. Johnny Miller as the One thing has become clear: There are at Royal Birkdale, a course with a history of rewarding experience only players to shoot 63 more candidates than ever to become a in the final round to win multiple major champion, especially REMEMBERING ARNIE dollars. might be England's best hope to see a major. He finished at considering that 23 of the last 33 major The majors this year have found some The total purse is listed at $10,250,000, an English winner of a British Open 264 (20 under) to set the champions had never won one before. way to honor the late Arnold Palmer, with $1,845,000 going to the winner. in England. That hasn't happened major championship That list includes Dustin Johnson, and and the British Open doesn't have to do since Tony Jacklin won in 1969. scoring record. Stenson while it has been only a year since he much. It already has a plaque dedicated PLAYING FOR THE HOME CROWD and Mickelson com- captured his first major title at the U.S. to the King from his first claret jug he Justin Rose returns to Royal PREPARING FOR A MAJOR EXAM bined for 14 birdies and Open, the powerful American would won in 1961 at Royal Birkdale. Birkdale with fond memories. He It's safe to say players have their an eagle in the final have expected to add to that by now. Palmer had a one-shot lead over Dai was a 17-year-old amateur in 1998 own ideas how best to prepare for round. Their best-ball Instead, he hasn't even played the Rees when he hit his drive into a thick when Rose pitched in from 45 yards the British Open. For the last two score would have been weekend at a major since last year at bush right of the 16th fairway. His off the green in deep rough for a U.S. Open champions, Brooks 59. They were so far Royal Troon. Johnson missed the cut at caddie, Tip Anderson, wanted him to hit birdie on the final hole and a 69 to Koepka and Dustin Johnson, the ahead of everyone else the PGA Championship, slipped down wedge back to the fairway. Palmer tie for fourth. He turned pro the next answer apparently is rest. Neither that the next closest the stairs and wrenched his back on the being Palmer, he reached for a 6-iron week and missed the cut in 21 has played since the U.S. Open a eve of the Masters and had to withdraw. and slashed it out with all his might to straight events. month ago. player to Mickelson was He then missed the cut at Erin Hills. about 15 feet. He made par and held on The real homecoming, however, Rory McIlroy is playing two 11 shots back. Royal Birkdale would seem to be right for a one-shot victory. Palmer's belongs to Tommy Fleetwood. He straight weeks leading to Royal in his wheelhouse. It is a big course that willingness to play the British Open grew up in Southport. His father Birkdale. Phil Mickelson typically Television weaves along massive dunes by the encouraged other Americans to follow used to walk the dog by the links plays the Scottish Open, but this will (all times EDT) Irish Sea, and it has reachable par 5s on and invigorated golf's oldest champion- course each night, and young be the first time since 2006 that Thursday-Friday, 1:30 two of the last four holes. The bigger ship. Tommy would sneak onto the Lefty does not play a week before a.m. to 4 p.m. (Golf concern for Johnson is his own game. It LOSING POUNDS grounds and hit a few shots when the Open. Stewart Cink is at the Channel); Saturday, hasn't been the same since that fall Perhaps brought on by Brexit and the no one was watching. They'll be Scottish Open, which is peculiar in 4:30-7 a.m. (Golf down the stairs when he was going for sharp decline in the value of the British watching now. Fleetwood, with one respect _ Cink in 2009 is the last Channel), 7 a.m. to 3 his fourth straight victory. sterling, the R&A for the first time is victories in Abu Dhabi and Paris, has British Open winner who didn't play p.m. (NBC); Sunday, paying out prize money in American risen to No. 14 in the world and the week before 4-7 a.m. (Golf Chan- nel), 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Content by The Associated Press; page designed by GateHouse Media’s Center for News & Design. COMPILED BY DOUG FERGUSON, ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS (NBC). LIVE AREA BOTTOM AD AREA LEAVE BLANK.