Five Players To Keep an Eye on This Weekend

Tiger’s not here, but as Peter Dawson, secretary of the R&A, said yesterday, he hasn’t won eight of the 11 Open Championships he’s played in, so the odds are whoever does win this week would have won anyway. Here are five players that will entertain the crowds in Tiger’s absence.Anthony Kim (America)This is the Californian’s first trip to the Open Championship, so it will be interesting to see how he copes in conditions that he has admitted are totally alien to him. His practice round with Mark O’Meara on Monday will certainly prove beneficial, as will his immense power (averaging 301 yards this year), but it took even Woods six years to figure out the mysteries of links golf, so making the cut will be a good result. Mind you, one suspects entering tournaments to make the cut is not what this brash, young star is all about. If he’s in contention come Sunday, he certainly won’t be backing off.Age: 23Open Record: DebutAndres Romero (Argentina)In his first two appearances at the Open Championship, Romero has shown he has the game to win multiple Claret Jugs. Two years ago at Hoylake, his tie for eighth could have been a lot better had he not been two over par for his final six holes, and last year, he was on his way to victory when his approach to the 71st green rebounded sharply off the wall of the Barry Burn and flew out of bounds. With one win on the PGA Tour and six elsewhere in the world, Romero is another of the game’s young stars who appear ready to claim their first major.Age: 27Open Record: Two Appearances, Best Finish: 3rd (2007)Ross Fisher (England)A superb seven-stroke victory over Sergio Garcia at the European Open in London two weeks ago suggested Fisher might actually be the most talented of England’s current crop of young, world-class players. Fisher has two wins on the European Tour since becoming a full-time member 2 1/2 years ago and is in contention for a Ryder Cup spot later this year.Age: 27Open Record: One Appearance; Missed Cut (2007)Rocco Mediate (America)The darling of the Torrey Pines galleries four weeks ago, Mediate hasn’t played in the Open Championship since 2002 at Muirfield, where he ended four rounds in a tie for 47th. Since the start of June, he has a low finish of T28 on the PGA Tour and, in addition to the runner-up finish at the U.S. Open, he tied for sixth at the Memorial. The Pennsylvanian will definitely be looking to strike again while his irons are hot.Age: 45Open Record: Nine Appearances; Best Finish: T17 (1996)Padraig Harrington (Ireland)The defending champion is not having the best of seasons so far, having failed to add to his 19 worldwide victories. And only four players — Tiger Woods, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, and Arnold Palmer — have successfully defended at the Open Championship in the last 50 years. To make matters worse, the Irishman picked up a wrist injury last Saturday just hours after defending his Irish PGA Championship title at the European Club, and it was unclear yesterday if he was going to play at all. Had this not been the Open, Harrington says he would have pulled out on Sunday. Age: 36Open Record: 11 Appearance; Best Finish: 1st (2007)tonydear71@comcast.net

Five Players To Keep an Eye on This Weekend

Five Players To Keep an Eye on This Weekend

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