Digital edition (July 20) | Page 21

Michael Wilson Stories Feature TOP-5 OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS IN LIVING MEMORY THIS MONTH, INDIAN GOLF FANS SHOULD BE LICKING THEIR LIPS IN ANTICIPATION OF THE 149TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, THE ANNUAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE CLARET JUG ONE OF THE UNDOUBTED HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GOLFING YEAR. ut, with the pall of Coronavirus still hanging over the UK, and unlike the US-based ‘Majors’ which have been postponed until later in the year, the R&A took the decision early on to cancel this year’s Open Championship, rescheduling it for same time – July – and same place – Royal St George’s - in the south east of England. However, GolfPlus has the next best thing, a look back at what our UK-based contributor Mike Wilson considers to have been the best Open Championship in his long living memory, starting in the sixties, right through to last year’s Northern Ireland epic at Royal Portrush. 1 ������������������������������� �������������������������������� The most recent Open Championship to date and only the second ever to be staged over the magni�cent Dunluce Links at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland will long be remembered even after the mists of time have clouded many a memory. The whole package was quite simply, outstanding, but not just in the normally classy but sedate manner of the world’s oldest and most prestigious professional golf tournament. Royal Portrush 2019 was different, unique a game-changer in many ways. Not only was the prodigal son of Northern Irish golf, Rory McIlroy returning to his roots, but also local hero Graeme McDowell, who had cut his teeth on that very course had risen whilst 2011 Open Championship winner, another GolfPlus JULY 2020 21