The Open Is Here! A Quick Final Preview & Liverpool Pics

With all due respect to the Masters (pure class), the U.S. Open (most democratic) and the PGA (it's warm and flyover state friendly!), The Open is my favorite championship of the year and 2014 has the makings of an epic.

Players from all corners of the world are coming in on top of their games, Tiger Woods is returning to the site of a masterful triumph and Royal Liverpool is venue with the gravitas to handle storylines that include a factory worker teeing off mid-morning.

Throw in a top-notch R&A infrastructure setup, big crowds, a dear host town in Hoylake and the vibrancy of Liverpool spilling over, and we should be in for a grand four days. My enthusiasm spilled into the local economy when I ran into my old friend Paddy Power (not the Irish televangelist) who offered to reimburse me seven places deep into the top 10, cajoling each/way bets out of me on Mickelson (25-1), McDowell (28-1) and the house special, Martin Kaymer at 28-1. Yes, that fellow who won the U.S. Open. While I was catching up with Paddy, minor wagers were also placed on Mikko Ilonen, Jimmy Walker, someone named K. Brosberg (2nd Scottish Open, 150-1) and at 250-1, a sympathy bet for Paddy's countryman, Darren Clarke.

Funny, thing but as I traversed Liverpool's refreshed mixture of restored old buildings and eccentric modern architecture, I ran into my old Lad, Brokes, who enticed each-way bets on Rickie (40-1), Angel (66-1) and Paul Casey, even though the architecture-loving Englishman fell to 50-1 from 66-1. Oh and my pals at Stanley Bet across from the Cavern Club even offered a fun proposition consisting of six completely random questions at 40-1.

As for the course, the dreary day meant an unfortunate rain that negated the dry conditions Tuesday, but Hoylake dries quickly so it should be vulnerable Thursday but not overly so. Derek Lawrenson posts a nice table setter here on what to expect this week.

Your first round groupings are here.

For my friends in the States, your ESPN times are as follows:

ESPN and WatchESPN will have 11 scheduled hours of live play from each of the first two rounds on Thursday and Friday, July 17-18, from 4 a.m. - 3 p.m. ET.

The third round on Saturday, July 19, will air live from 7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The final round on Sunday, July 20, airs live from 6 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
 
ESPN3 will offer a live feed following Tiger Woods for his entire round each day he plays.

And in no particular order, some images from the first few days, including the magnificent HSBC pavillion where there is a Road hole bunker, Trackman sampler, long drive and hickory testing booth. And from this evening, scenes from Cavern Club, Hard Days Night Hotel and the river front on a British Summertime late evening: