Since last year, the tricolor flag e has been flying over the Open par excellence Francesco Molinari he is the first Italian who, starting tomorrow, must defend the coveted 2018 title in Scotland. In fact, the 148th is staged from Thursday to Sunday Open Championship, the longest running and most prestigious of the Grand Slam golf events, born in 1860 and the only one played in Europe. The change of calendars places him this year as the last major and it is appropriate to say dulcis in fundo. But perhaps the difficult fairways, fast greens and rough bunkers of Northern Ireland will not be so sweet. It is the second time in golf history that the British Open (the names with which to call this race are at least three) lands again in these lands, against the 50 times it has been played in England and the 96 times in Scotland. The course is the same as it was almost 70 years ago, the Royal Portrush Golf Club which greens in the town from which the club takes its name. There are three Azzurri in the race: the Turinese is in fact joined by Andrea Pavan, in his second experience in a major, after the one in the US Open (2014), and by Nino Bertasio, who conquered his first appearance with fourth place last Sunday in the Scottish Open
Molinari will try to score a brace, which hasn't happened since 2007/2008, author Padraig Harrington, who managed to emulate the ever unrivaled Tiger Woods (2005-2006). The field is stellar with 84 of the top 85 players in the world. Woods has a great desire to win his fourth Open and bring the majors won to 16, to get close to Jack Nicklaus' record, but the bookmakers in this round prefer him Rory McIlroy, who won his first and only Claret Jug in 2014 Rory grew up on Northern Irish bread and links and his knowledge of these courses is certainly beyond anyone else's. Among the big names present there are past winners such as Jordan Spieth (2017), Henrik Stenson (2016), Phil Mickelson (2013), not in great shape, but all very classy and capable of performing the miracle.
There is one of Chicco's most formidable rivals Brooks Koepka, world number one. Brooks is a major machine with four wins in the past two years, out of six total wins. He is always in pole position Dustin Johnson, number two, who already boasts 20 victories on the American circuit, including a major. Other prominent names are Justin Rose, Olympic gold in Rio 2016, Jon Rahm, fresh from success in the Irish Open, Bryson DeChambeau and Justin Thomas. They seem more inclined to the role of outsider, given the current condition, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed, Xander Schauffele, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Sergio Garcia, Hideki Matsuyama and Tommy Fleetwood. The prize pool is $10 billion.
The Open Championship will be televised live by Sky, exclusively and in high definition, on the Sky Sport The Open channel (205), with connections at the following times: Thursday 18 July and Friday 19, from 7 to 21,30; Saturday 20 July, from 11 to 21; Sunday 22 from 10 to 20.
