The b5media Sports Channel is talking about their favorite players and teams this week, so it’s a good time to tell you about my favorite golfer. I grew up on Columbus during a time when the city’s favorite sons including that generation’s version of Tiger Woods–Jack Nicklaus. There’s no denying the “Golden Bear” was a super star and an exciting golf to watch, but Columbus and Ohio State yielded another stellar golfer in the 1960s and 1970s–Tom Weiskopf.

Weiskopf, a native of Massillion Ohio, turned pro in 1964 and went on to win 28 tournaments. The most notable was the British Open in 1973. He also finished second in the Masters four times. Weiskopf continued on to play in the Senior PGA Tour, winning the 1995 US Senior Open.

Weiskopf, now 65, is retired from competition, but has a thriving golf course design business. To date, he has designed 40 courses, including Loch Lomond, the home of the Scottish Open.

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Post from: Green Posse

Irishman, Padraig Harrington (pictured above with his family) quietly won Britain’s Open Championship yesterday, his second Open victory in a row and his first win since he was awarded the Claret Cup in 2007. While the world was fascinated by 53-year-old (and two-time Open winner) Greg Norman’s place at the top of the leaderboard, Harrington played solid golf all week, despite an injured wrist and brutal weather conditions that included up to 40 mph winds.

Though Norman was leading by one stroke going into the back nine on the final round, Harrington rose to the occasion, sinking three straight birdie putts and scoring an eagle on the 17th hole. It was enough to win by 4 strokes over Ian Poulter and 5 strokes over Norman and Henrik Stenson of Sweden, who tied for third.

Another noteworthy performance that got lost in all of the excitement was the 5th place finish of 20-year-old British amateur golfer, Chris Wood. Said Wood, “It was the best week of my life.”

…and they said that golf without Tiger would be boring!

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Post from: Green Posse

Image details: LPGA State Farm Classic – Round One served by picapp.com

As exciting as Britain’s Open Championship is turning out to be, it’s not the only golf event on television this weekend. Below is the entire schedule:(all times are ET).

Saturday, July 19
7am – 9am – The Open Championship – Royal Birkdale, England – TNT
9am – end of play – The Open Championship – Royal Birkdale, England – ABC
1pm – 3pm – LPGA – State Farm Classic in Springfield, Illinois – ESPN2
5pm – 7pm – Champions Tour – 3M Championship in Blaine, Minnesota – Golf Channel

Sunday, July 13
6am – 8am – The Open Championship – Royal Birkdale, England – TNT
8am – end of play – The Open Championship – Royal Birkdale, England – ABC
3pm – 5pm – LPGA – State Farm Classic in Springfield, Illinois – ESPN2
5pm – 7pm – Champions Tour – 3M Championship in Blaine, Minnesota – Golf Channel

The Nationwide Tour is in Springfield, Missouri for the Price Cutter Charity Championship and there is a PGA event, the US Bank Championship in Milwaukee. Neither is being televised.

Post from: Green Posse

Image details: 137th Open Championship – Round Two served by picapp.com

Day two at Britain’s Open Championship, being played at Royal Birkdale in North West England, was a day of surprises and fickle weather. The day started out rainy, cold, and damp, just as yesterday’s weather had been. Those with a morning tee time had a lot to contend with. Then about mid-day the sun came out, the temperature warmed, and the scores started improving.

At the end of round two, there were some familiar and some surprising names at the top of the leader board. K J Choi managed a 3-under par round today to lead the field, but it’s the number two man–53-year-old Greg Norman–that has all of the golf announcers buzzing. They dismissed the Australian newlywed’s par 70 round yesterday as a fluke, but are forced to notice Norman today as he carded another 70.

Following him is Camilo Villegas at +1 and seven golfers, including Rocco Mediate and defending champion, Padraig Harrington at +2.

Also surprising are the names that failed to make the cut. They include six former Open champions–Paul Lawrie, Tom Watson, and John Daly among them. Daly ended the day tied for last place at +29. Others on their way home are Vijay Singh, Boo Weekley, Stewart Cink, and JB Holmes.

We shall see what tomorrow brings.

Post from: Green Posse

After a cold, rainy, and dreary day at Royal Birkdale for the first round of Britain’s Open Championship, it was Rocco Mediate sharing the lead with Stuart Allenby and Graeme McDowell. It was just last month that Mediate went head-to-head with Tiger Woods in an 18-hole playoff at the US Open, eventually losing to Woods, but winning the affection of golf fans around the world. Today he proved that the US Open wasn’t a fluke.

Mediate ended the day with back-to-back birdies to card a 1 under 69. The trio is followed by Greg Norman (yes, that Greg Norman–the father, not the son), Bart Bryant, and Adam Scott at par. The top-ranked player in the field, Phil Mickelson finished with a 79.

^{(photo © Newscom)}

Post from: Green Posse

Post from: Green Posse

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Britain’s Open Championship begins on Thursday at Royal Birkdale in North West England. This is the ninth time that the Open has been played there; the first was in 1954.

Below are some of the pairings to be watching for the first two days:

- Padraig Harrington, Retief Goosen, and Justin Leonard (758am)

- KJ Choi, Lee Westwood, and Ben Curtis (909am)

- Rocco Mediate, Paul Lawrie, and Angel Cabrera (1245pm)

^{(photo © Newscom)}

Post from: Green Posse

Image details: The 136th Open Championship served by picapp.com

The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale begins on July 17. How much do you know about this venerable tournament? Test your knowledge with these Open Championship facts:

1. Commonly called the British Open in North America, in Britain, the contest is called simply the Open Championship or just “the Open.”

2. The Open Championship is the oldest of the four major men’s championships. It was established in 1860.

3. The most victories by one person in the Open Championship is six by Harry Vardon, from 1896 to 1914.

4. The lowest winning score in the championship was achieved by Greg Norman, with a 267 at Royal St. George’s in 1993.

5. The last wire-to-wire winner was Tom Weiskopf in 1973.

6. St. Andrews has hosted the Open Championship more than any other course–26 times.

7. The original field for the Open Championship in 1860 was just 8 golfers; in 2008, the field is 156.

8. Ties after regulation play in the Open Championship are settled by a four-hole play-off, followed by sudden death play until a winner is determined.

Post from: Green Posse

Image details: Buick Open – Round Three served by picapp.com

Pros from around the world will be competing in Michigan and in England today (June 30, 2008) for the remaining 24 spots in the Open Championship field, scheduled to begin July 17 at Royal Birkdale in Northwest England.

Two hundred forty golfers will tee up at England’s Sunningdale Old and New courses and in Michigan, at TPC Michigan and the Dearborn Country Club. The contest will be a 36-hole stroke play competition, with 12 spots in England and 12 spots in the United States on the line.

The competition in England will include two-time Masters Champion, Jose Maria Olazabal and Thomas Levet, who lost in a play-off for the 2002 Open title. The Michigan field includes Steve Elkington, Arron Oberholser, and Daniel Chopra (picture above), who led the weekend’s Buick Open at the end of the third round.

Post from: Green Posse