2008 British Open

The 2008 British Open was played July 17th to July 20, 2008. This was the 137th Open Championship. The Course was, for the ninth time, the Royal Birkdale Golf Club. Arnold Palmer who won on this course in 1961, started “the renaissance of The Open”. The Royal Birkdale was founded in 1889, with a design by Hawtree & J H Taylor Ltd.

The most anticipated player was of course Tiger Woods, who unfortunately was unable to play due to knee surgery. With stiff competition from Ian Poulter and Greg Norman, Padraig Harrington defended his Open Championship and won his Second Open title, in a row, when he won the 2008 British Open. He had reported a serious wrist injury prior to the tournament and there was concern he may have to pull out, but he decided he was healed enough to play and proved it by winning. The “Irishman” won with three over par to total 283. Greg Norman had announced he was trying for the “oldest major champion” and it was looking good until the final round, 77. He did end up finishing in third place. Ian Poulter was trying to be the first Englishman to win since Nick Faldo, but he came in second, being four strokes behind. In order, the top five winners were; Padraig, Harrington, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Greg Norman, and Jim Furyk.

The Golf Champion Trophy awarded at the British Open is officially known as the Championship Cup. It is commonly referred to as the “Claret Jug” because in reality that is what it is, a Claret Jug. The Trophy was made in same style as the silver jugs that were used to serve Claret, a French, dry, red wine, in the 19th Century at social gatherings.