| Tiger Woods today strolled to his second British | | | | another poor overall showing by the UK based |
| Open Golf title finishing fourteen shots under par, five | | | | players. |
| shots ahead of the veteran, the Scot Colin | | | | The weather remained fine throughout the four days |
| Montgomerie. It was Tiger's tenth success in major | | | | of competition with barely a shower of rain. |
| tournaments and now only Walter Hagen's eleven | | | | Occasionally the wind blew but never gale force as it |
| majors, and Jack Nicklaus's total of eighteen lie ahead | | | | can do on this exposed Scottish east coast course. |
| of him. | | | | The crowds came in their droves, forty thousand |
| Earlier in the week on the Friday Jack Nicklaus had | | | | more than last year, and despite the one sided |
| said an emotional farewell to a huge crowd of golf | | | | victory everyone enjoyed the week. Once again the |
| fanatics who applauded him and Tom Watson all the | | | | old course failed to throw up a hole in one, there |
| way around the famous old course at Saint Andrews | | | | hasn't been one on this course in the Open |
| on the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, the headquarters | | | | Championship since Ben Crenshaw's in 1984. |
| of golf. | | | | Before the championship began Tiger was available |
| But this was Tiger Woods' tournament and he | | | | on the betting exchanges and in the betting tents at |
| stretched his lead overnight as all of his rivals failed to | | | | 3/1 against and a huge tip went round that Tiger was |
| put in a strong challenge. One by one they fell by the | | | | in the mood to do the business. Plenty of huge bets |
| wayside, and in truth Tiger always gave the | | | | were struck and many of the professional punters |
| impression that should a real challenge have | | | | went home happy to thoroughly toast Tiger |
| materialised, he would have been able to raise his | | | | throughout the evening. Just for once the |
| game. Nevertheless he won by five clear shots to | | | | bookmakers must have taken a battering. Aint that a |
| confirm once again, as Colin Montgomerie said | | | | shame! |
| afterwards, that he is indeed the leading golfer of his | | | | Next year the championship returns to England, and |
| generation, possibly any generation. It wasn't all bad | | | | to Hoylake for the first time since 1969. Hoylake is a |
| news for Colin, his second place moved him fifty-nine | | | | seaside links too, set on the Wirral beside the Dee |
| places up the world rankings to twenty-second. | | | | estuary that looks out across Hilbre Island and over |
| Jose Maria Olazabal finished a creditable joint third on | | | | to North Wales and Snowdonia beyond. |
| minus eight, sharing the third prize with a delighted | | | | Tiger has already sent out a warning to all the others. |
| Freddie Couples. As for the other challengers Retief | | | | They will have to improve considerably down on |
| Goosen and Vijay Singh fell away and were never | | | | Liverpool Bay if they are to stand any chance of |
| able to land a blow, the same could be said for | | | | removing the coveted claret jug from Tiger's iron |
| Sergio Garcia, and Kenny Perry. Ian Poulter finished | | | | grip. |
| the best placed Englishman in what was ultimately | | | | |