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spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Retief Goosen","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_goosen_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Richard Heathcote", "Getty Images", "298", "261", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "Even for the quiet and unassuming South African it’s been a quiet stretch and the most recent image of him was hardly encouraging –- a missed-cut at the U.S. Open.
In three tournaments before that he had managed just one finish inside the top 20, so it’s not like we’re going with a guy who has been in classic form. But Goosen is one of those vintage “feel” golfers, a guy who doesn’t run to a swing coach every time he sprays one, a guy who is confident enough in his talents to figure things out for himself.
Goosen can turn it around in an instant and what anchors him is his cool demeanor and unflappable focus.
In 11 British Open starts, he’s notched six top 10s, including each of the last four summers, and back when the Dunhill Cup was a true showcase, Goosen was a star at St. Andrews in the nasty October weather.
Goosen can play links golf as well as anyone in the field and with Royal Liverpool being such a mystery to all concerned, here’s a hunch that he figures out first.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","David Howell","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_howell_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Richard Heathcote", "Getty Images", "298", "219", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 31
Country: England
British Open appearances: 7
Best finish: 42nd-tie ('98)
Major titles: None
’05 British: Did not play
’06 majors: Masters (19th-tie), U.S. (16th-tie)
World ranking: 10
At 31, the Englishman is just coming into his own and it isn’t a stretch to suggest that he’s currently the best player in Europe.
Having secured his sixth international victory earlier this year, Howell has shown he has the all-round game for the majors, finishing tied for 19th at the Masters and tied for 16th at a demanding U.S. Open setup.
OK, here’s the curious part –- in seven starts in the British Open, Howell has missed the cut five times, including each of his last four attempts. Surely, that doesn’t spark confidence, but again, he has blossomed in the last 18 months so it says here that you can throw that record out and start fresh.
Howell's got a ton of game, a great on-course demeanor, and a knack for playing well in showcase events.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Tiger Woods","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_tiger_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "David Cannon", "Getty Images", "298", "230", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 30
Country: U.S.
British Open appearances: 11
Best finish: 1st ('00, '05)
Major titles: 10 ('97, '01, '02, '05 Masters; '00, '02 U.S.; '00, '05 British; PGA '99, '00)
’05 British: 1st
’06 majors: Masters (3rd-tie), U.S. (missed cut)
World ranking: 1
You knew it would take a little while to knock off the rust –- apparently three competitive rounds.
Unfortunately, two of them were in the U.S. Open, but by Round 2 of the Western Open, you’d have to say that Woods’ competitive engines were back in operation. His missed cut at Winged Foot does not factor into this equation at all; more important is the man’s track record in this oldest golf championship.
Woods has got two wins and before you scoff that they were both at St. Andrews, consider that he has also played well at Birkdale (third), Carnoustie (tied for seventh), St. George’s (fourth), and Troon (tied for ninth), so he's not exactly mystified by links golf.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Padraig Harrington","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_harrington_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ezra Shaw", "Getty Images", "298", "243", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 34
Country: Ireland
British Open appearances: 9
Best finish: 5th-tie ('97, '02)
Major titles: None
’05 British: Did not play
’06 majors: Masters (27th-tie), U.S. (5th)
World ranking: 18
Do you believe in omens? Then throw your support behind this workmanlike Irishman because his nation has produced just one British Open champion. That would be Fred Daly, whose triumph came 59 summers ago -– at Hoylake, no less.
But there’s more than history on Harrington’s side; there’s the simple fact that he’s an extraordinary grinder with a proven track record as a competitor in the majors: Seven top 10s in 32 starts.
His 2005 season was a personal roller-coaster, the ups (two wins on the PGA Tour) and downs (missed-cuts in three majors) stemming from his father’s illness and subsequent death, which forced Harrington to miss the British Open for the first time since 1995.
Back in form, he’s back at the British Open, and a good bet to challenge.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Jose Maria Olazabal","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_olazabal_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Don Emmert", "AFP -Getty Images", "298", "231", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 40
Country: Spain
British Open appearances: 20
Best finish: 3rd ('92, '05)
Major titles: 2 ('94, '99 Masters)
’05 British: 3rd-tie
’06 majors: Masters (3rd-tie), U.S. (21st-tie)
World ranking: 14
It will be the Spaniard’s 21st British Open and two things jump out at you when you digest that fact.
One, that’s a lot of claret jug pursuits for a guy who is just 40 and still very much in the prime of his career.
Two, it’s rather surprising that he’s got such a spotty record (only two top 10s) in an event that appears to suit his game.
Olazabal, however, is a fascinating study, a guy who can dazzle you with his shot-making skills or baffle you with his slumps.
Right now, he appears on the upswing, having finished in the top 10 in five of his 14 worldwide starts in 2006, which includes a tie for third in the Masters, and on a course that will not demand excessive length, but rather, solid ball-striking skills, Olazabal could shine.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Ernie Els","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_els_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Nicolas Asfouri", "AFP-Getty Images", "298", "195", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 36
Country: South Africa
British Open appearances: 15
Best finish: 1st ('02)
Major titles: 3 ('94, '97 U.S.; '02 British)
’05 British: 34th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (27th-tie), U.S. (26th-tie)
World ranking: 8
You remember him, don’t you?
He used to be a fixture at all these major events. The top four spots in the world rankings used to include his name every week. Had a great demeanor and wins used to come easy.
Ah, but times have changed and the big guy from South African is in the midst of one long and baffling stretch of golf.
Els hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since the fall of ’04 and his current spot in the world order is No. 8. That doesn’t seem right, but it’s hard to tell if it’s more mental or physical.
A strong performance at Royal Liverpool, however, could go a long way toward restoring a dominant gleam to his game.";
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spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 30
Country: South Africa
British Open appearances: 3
Best finish: 23rd-tie ('05)
Major titles: None
’05 British: 23rd-tie
’06 majors: Masters (2nd), U.S. (missed cut)
World ranking: 17
There had been a stretch of five consecutive majors in which he had fared well –- two top 10s, four top 25s –- before Clark missed the cut at the U.S. Open. But he bounced back and played well at the Western Open, so it doesn’t appear as if any sort of panic button needs to be hit.
When the wind blows, he’s at his best, which makes him a guy to watch.
Unassuming that he is, Clark perhaps doesn’t grab the public’s attention, but among his colleagues he’s highly respected and every time he tees it up you have to wonder if this will be the breakthrough win he’s been waiting for.
Tied for 23rd at last year’s British Open, he was second in the Masters in April, so he’s no stranger to major championship leaderboards.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Davis Love III","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_love_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ezra Shaw", "Getty Images", "298", "215", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 42
Country: U.S.
British Open appearances: 19
Best finish: 4th-tie ('03)
Major titles: 1 ('97 PGA)
’05 British: Missed cut
’06 majors: Masters (22nd-tie), U.S. (missed cut)
World ranking: 24
It will be his 20th consecutive start in the British Open and before he missed the cut at St. Andrews last year, you could have argued that he was at his ball-striking best in this major.
Admittedly, it took him a while to get used to links golf, but once he did, the solid performances followed. From 1997 to 2004, Love was no worse than tied for 21st, with five top 10 efforts in those eight starts.
Like several of his marquee colleagues (Retief Goosen and Ernie Els, most notably), it hasn’t been the most consistent of seasons for Love and he missed the cut at last month’s U.S. Open.
The seaside courses, however, seem to bring out the best in Love and if there is a second major left in his tank, it would seem to be at this championship.";
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("","Nick Faldo","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/060713/060713_brit_faldo_vert.standard.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "Ross Kinnaird", "Getty Images", "298", "247", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i-1].body = "
Age: 49
Country: England
British Open appearances: 30
Best finish: 1st ('87, '90, '92)
Major titles: 6 ('89, '90, '96 Masters; '87, '90, '92 British)
’05 British: 11th-tie
’06 majors: Masters (missed cut), U.S. (did not play)
World ranking: 476
What the heck, here’s a hope for a feel-good story.
It will be the 30th anniversary of Faldo’s debut in this championship and if you want to know how long it’s been since Royal Liverpool was in the rota, consider that not even Faldo has taken part of a British Open held there.
Even though he's paired with Tiger Woods, there really won’t be an ounce of pressure on him, which is a far cry from the landscape back in the 1980s when a nation demanded so much of Faldo. He came through with three claret jug conquests –- two at Muirfield –- and while he’s long past his prime, there have been glimmers of excitement in 2003 (tied for eighth at Royal St. George’s) and in 2005 (tied for 11th at St. Andrews) and if he’s on his game early, no one will ride the crowd’s enthusiasm quite like Faldo."; spt_BritishOpen_handicap[i++] = new Array("spt_0711_BritishOpenHandicap","VOTE: Who will win?","","","","", "lv2", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", "", ""); // END editorial data