The 2008 British Open

The British Open Golf Classic or the Open Championship is the oldest golf tournament on record and it dates back to the 1860’s. It is one of four major tournaments on the PGA tour. Comparable golf tournaments are the Masters that started in 1934, the US Open which started in 1895, and the PGA Championship that started in 1916. The Claret Jug is the trophy presented to the winner of the British Open, commissioned in 1872 and first presented in 1873 to Tom Kidd.

The 2008 British Open golf tournament was an action packed event which was not decided until the final day. The opening of the final round of golf saw Greg Norman, the oldest man playing in the tournament, start the final day with a two stroke lead. Greg Norman was outplayed on the 17th hole by Padraig Harrington who sank a 3-foot eagle putt to take the lead. This was Harrington’s second consecutive win in an exciting match that was not decided until late in the third day of the tournament. This win moves Harrington up to the number three spot in golf world rankings. He only trails Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Harrington won his second British Open Championship with a 69 to win by four strokes over Ian Poulter and five stokes over Greg Norman.

The list of past winners is impressive. Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo are the only two players who have won the tournament three times since 1986. Padraig Harrington is the only man besides Tiger Woods who has won the championship back to back. There have been several men who have won the championship twice: Padraig Harrington, Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Nick Faldo.