The PGA Tour has left Great Britain and moved to Ontario for the RBC Canadian Open, but the Champions Tour is at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England for the Senior Open Championship.
Royal Birkdale was established in 1899 and is one of the courses in the Open Championship rotation. It has hosted the men’s Open Championship on nine occasions. Peter Thompson, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Ian Baker-Finch, Mark O’Meara and Padraig Harrington all won Claret Jugs here.
1965 and 1969 saw two Ryder Cups contested at Royal Birkdale. Golf fans witnessed one of the most memorable acts of sportsmanship in the history of golf, when Jack Nicklaus conceded Tony Jacklin’s putt on the last hole to halve their match and ensure a 16-16 tie in 1969.
The first Senior Open Championship was held in 1987 at Turnberry. This will be its first visit to Royal Birkdale.
This will be the third consecutive senior major tournament on the Champions Tour schedule. It offers a total purse of $2 million with $315,000 to the winner.
Fred Couples will defend his 2012 Senior Open Championship win at Turnberry. He will need to contend with the hottest player on the Champions Tour, Kenny Perry, who has won the last two senior major titles.
Perry won the Senior Players Championship at the end of June and the U.S. Senior Open Championship, two weeks ago.
He is currently leading both the Charles Schwab Cup point standings and the Champions Tour money list with $1.5 million total earnings.
David Frost trails Perry in the Charles Schwab Cup standings by 1,100 points. Fred Couples is third and Bernhard Langer and Duffy Waldorf round out the Top-5.
The Senior Open Championship is the last major tournament of the year on the Champions Tour and is also the last chance to collect the double Charles Schwab Cup points that go to the winner of major tournaments.
Previous winners of the Senior Open Championship include: Gary Player, Bob Charles and Tom Watson.
Only ten events remain on the Champions Tour schedule before the season ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship to be held at Harding Park in San Francisco.
ESPN2 will carry the Senior Open Championship all four days Thursday-Sunday, July 25-28, 12:00-2:00 PM ET.