Getting In The Mood For Birkdale: 1971, Trevino And Mr. Lu

Birkdale was also site of Lee Trevino versus Mr. Lu, the blue-hat-wearing (and pulling it off) Lu Liang-huan, who lost the 1971 Open by a stroke.

Sportsmail Reporter caught up with Mr. Lu prior to the 2008 Open Championship and he was still haunted by his ball striking a female gallery member, as seen in the recap film below.

Lu Liang-huan, now aged 73, treated Lillian Tipping and her husband to an all expenses paid holiday to his home country after the incident on the final hole of the 1971 championship in which he finished runner-up to Lee Trevino.


'This time I cannot make it, but I'll never forget that day,' he said. 'When I go back next time maybe we can meet up. I would like to see her again.'

Lu is more into course designing than playing these days - including work on what he describes as 'the best 10 in Japan and one in China' - but was happy to report that he can still compete on his day.
In one round last year, he added: 'I shot 66. Seven birdies, one bogey. Now I'd be lucky to shoot 100, but I hope that my body will allow me to continue to play. I need the exercise.'

The Open highlight film:

Getting In The Mood For Birkdale: British Pathé's 1961 Open Film

British Pathé has uploaded all sorts of fun stuff to YouTube, so with the return to Royal Birkdale coming up this should whet your appetite for the place: a short recap of Arnold Palmer's 1961 victory there. This Sky Sports piece is a nice summary of the win with a couple of superb images.

Besides Palmer being relatively subdued compared to other wins (but he does give a great pants hitch), note Kel Nagle's headwear, the attire of the caddies and Dai Rees' final putt for second.

The Claret Jug ceremony in front of the clubhouse isn't bad either. Enjoy... 

And the official Open film:

Getting In The Mood For Birkdale: Thomson Wins '54 Open

To kick off the countdown to Birkdale '17, this Open footage from the past shows us 24-year-old Peter Thomson posing for the Claret Jug, one of five victories.

This Sky Sports piece is a nice wrap-up of Thomson's win.

A few things to note about the course: exposed sand in the dunes, the galleries going where they please (apparently), and how stark the difference between fairway and green cuts.

There's also a brief glimpse of putting master Bobby Locke. Enjoy!

Punters: Pre-Open Championship Karma Watch, Poulter Edition

Nothing against the four players who made it through the Open Qualifying Series at the Greenbrier Classic, and nothing against the series itself, but punters with karma hunches may want to check out this James Corrigan Telegraph story on Ian Poulter making it to Royal Birkdale by playing the Woburn qualifier.

Besides taking the local qualifying angle at a course he knows well--once one of the great features of The Open and now relegated to this last event due to the Open Qualifying Series--Poulter did this in a year he finished second at The Players. And the year The Open returns to the site of a second place finish.

“Obviously going back after what happened will be special. I honestly thought I had that 15-foot putt on the last to maybe win or to get in a play-off and then my Irish friend decided to go bananas on the last five holes.

“But still, it was a great week, my best in a major. After I finished, [his wife] Katie told me she was pregnant with Lily [the third of their four children], so it was happy days. Birkdale is my favourite Open venue.”

Just saying he's worth a look for a nice each way wager at 100-1...

R&A Moves To Dollars, Increases The Open's Purse

Read between the lines all you want, but the standout for me is the increase in purse that keeps The Open in line with the Masters and PGA/Players but behind the recently-increased U.S. Open ($12 million).

For Immediate Release...

PRIZE FUND ANNOUNCED FOR THE 146TH OPEN AT ROYAL BIRKDALE

5 July 2017, St Andrews, Scotland: The Champion Golfer of the Year will win USD1,845,000 at The 146th Open at Royal Birkdale.

The R&A announced that the total prize fund will be USD10,250,000.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are operating in an increasingly global marketplace and have made the decision to award the prize fund in US dollars in recognition of the fact that it is the most widely adopted currency for prize money in golf.”

Prize money

Place    USD         Place    USD
1     1,845,000          36     53,500
2     1,067,000          37     51,000
3     684,000          38     49,000
4     532,000          39     47,000
5     428,000          40     45,500
6     371,000          41     43,500
7     318,000          42     41,500
8     268,000          43     39,500
9     235,000          44     37,500
10     213,000          45     35,500
11     193,000          46     33,500
12     172,000          47     32,000
13     161,000          48     30,800
14     151,000          49     29,500
15     141,000          50     28,900
16     129,500          51     28,200
17     123,000          52     27,600
18     117,000          53     27,200
19     112,000          54     26,800
20     107,000          55     26,400
21     102,000          56     26,000
22     97,000          57     25,600
23     92,000          58     25,500
24     87,000          59     25,400
25     84,000          60     25,200
26     80,000          61     25,000
27     77,000          62     24,900
28     74,000          63     24,800
29     71,000          64     24,700
30     68,000          65     24,500
31     65,500          66     24,400
32     62,000          67     24,200
33     60,000          68     24,000
34     58,000          69     23,800
35     56,000          70     23,600
Prize Money shall be allocated only to professional golfers.

If more than 70 professional golfers qualify for the final two rounds, additional prize money will be added. Prize money will decrease by USD 125 per qualifying place above 70 to a minimum of USD 13,500.

Non-qualifiers after two rounds: Leading 10 professional golfers and ties USD 7,200; next 20 professional golfers and ties USD 5,750; remainder of professional golfers and ties USD 4,850.