Golf legend Gary Player belueves that US golfers will be denied a clean sweep of the four majors at the British Open played over the Royal Lytham and St Annes links this week. The 76-year-old South African, who won his third and final Open Championship at Lytham in 1974, points to the wet and windy weather conditions that are set to make the course a stern test for the entire 157-strong field. That he sees working in favour of those golfers who are most used to it. “If I look at what the weather man is saying, this Championship, in my opinion, is favouring a European player,” Player said. “Anyone can win. So to try and predict winners is very difficult. However, I would love to see Lee Westwood win. “He’s been working hard and came so close to winning that I think it might be his turn. “A golf course like this is made for him, because it’s very narrow and he is a straight driver. Luke Donald is another who is always consistent and you don’t become world No.1 for nothing.”
Americans have won the last three majors through Keegan Bradley at last year’s PGA Championship, Bubba Watson at The Masters and Webb Simpson at the US Open, ending a long winless streak. And another US win at Lytham would make it the first time since 2004 that Americans have held all four major titles at the same time.
Despite his inkling for a European win, Player has said that he would not rule out Tiger Woods ending a four-year-long drought by lifting his 15th major. “He is a force to be reckoned with again. He has a good mind, is very focused and is playing smarter golf than he did before,” Player said of Woods. “Tiger will be right there at Lytham, I am sure, but the other big debating point, of course, now that he is back to something like his old self, is: can he match Jack Nicklaus’ total of 18 major Championships? “I always felt that Tiger, who has already won 14, would do it, but the lost two years have hurt him. “That’s eight major Championships that have slipped by. I think if he is going to do it, he has to win one major Championship this year. “That means The Open or the US PGA in August. When he’s playing well, he’s much better than anybody else. I would be surprised if he doesn’t do it.”
