2011 British Open: Darren Clarke Earns First Major By Conquering Royal St. George's

British Open 2011: Recapping Leaderboard Results, Highlights And More

Darren Clarke's victory in the 2011 British Open is one of the feel-good moments of the year in golf. Clarke's one of the best-loved players on either the PGA Tour or European Tour, and his first major championship provided both a very lucrative payday for him — $1.4 million in prize money — and a great excuse to eschew sleep for the company of fellow revelers at the bar.

Clarke's win also continued two strange trends in golf's majors. His victory stretched a string of majors won by different players to 12 in a row — Padraig Harrington won back-to-back majors in 2008 — and added a third trophy in the last 13 months to the ethereal Northern Ireland trophy case, joining the ones for U.S. Opens won in 2010 by Graeme McDowell and 2011 by Rory McIlroy.

The 2011 British Open also gave Phil Mickelson, who tied for second, his best career finish in an Open Championship, despite a back nine collapse on Sunday that wrecked his chances of winning. And it was the second straight top 10 in a major for Sergio Garcia, who now has 17 of them in his career; he's seemingly always around things like the British Open leaderboard, but simply never atop them.

Young guns didn't fare so well at Royal St. George's. Dustin Johnson finished tied for second, but only after joining Mickelson in essentially handing the Claret Jug to Clarke with poor play on the back nine in the final round. Rory McIlroy's bid to win consecutive majors scarcely got off the ground with an opening round 1-over 71 (of players in the top 15, only Anthony Kim and Raphael Jacquelin began the week with over-par rounds), and and his 74-73 on the weekend sank him to a tie for 25th.

Other rising stars in contention when Sunday's final round began — Rickie Fowler, Martin Kaymer, Lucas Glover — fell well back of Clarke by day's end. And Ricky Barnes, who shot 68 in his opening round, did nothing of note after, firing two 74s and a 78 to plummet down the British Open leaderboard.

In a victory for the older set, though, Tom Watson proved he can still acquit himself nicely while playing links golf, putting together a consistent 72-70-72-72 week to finish tied for 22nd — and one stroke ahead of McIlroy. Credit Watson's hole-in-one on Friday for some of that.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

Even Better Than Darren Clarke's 2011 British Open? The Celebration

2011 British Open Prize Money Gives Darren Clarke $1.4M Payday

The 2011 British Open increased the first-place purse with an additional £50,000 this year, or over $80,000, to £900,000. Either way you look at it, Darren Clarke came away with a nice prize of $1,451,830 (using July 17 conversion rates) out of a $7.3 million purse (complete winnings here). This now pushes him over the $24 million career earnings since becoming a pro in 1990.

Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson each came away with nearly $690,000 for their second-place finishes. The rest of the top 15 players received over $100,000 dollars, while the 71st player made the least at $18,712.

Amateurs Tim Lewis and Peter Uihlein did not receive any prize money, but had they been eligible, the former would have received $47,126 for his 30th place tie and the latter would have taken $23,552 for a tie at 48th place.

Here are the top earnings:

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson Stage Dueling Collapses

While Darren Clarke withstood weather to win the 2011 British Open, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson had their chances — and promptly threw them away with erratic back nine play.

Mickelson played himself into contention with a scintillating front nine. Lefty had three birdies and an eagle in his first seven holes, and tied Clarke for the lead at one juncture. He also had birdie putts on the eighth and ninth holes; had either fallen, Mickelson would have established a new career best for a front nine in a major.

But while Mickelson added to his lead on No. 10 with another birdie, things fell apart swiftly and completely shortly afterward. Mickelson bogeyed four of the next six holes, and parred the par 5 14th — the only time all week that Phil didn't play a par 5 under par — to fall back to 2-under for the day and the tournament.

It wasn't boring, even when the scores weren't bogeys: on the 18th, Mickelson sent a wayward iron into the stands, and still made par. And Mickelson's tie for second is actually his best finish in a British Open. But after a start that gave Mickelson a chance to threaten all-time major championship scoring records, the way it fizzled is undoubtedly disappointed.

Johnson, on the other hand, never made as good a sustained run as Mickelson did, but never could keep the pressure on Clarke. Two early bogeys meant three birdies in five holes only pulled Johnson to within two strokes Clarke early on the back nine, and a disastrous double bogey on the par 5 14th after a second shot that drifted out of bounds all but ended Johnson's chances of catching the eventual champion.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open: Darren Clarke Wins First Major Championship At Royal St. George's

After a career full of near-misses, a period of recession, and personal heartbreak, Darren Clarke has won the 2011 British Open. And Northern Ireland's beloved veteran could scarcely have done it more fittingly.

Clarke finished at 5-under for the tournament after a even-par final round 70, and pulled away from the field at Royal St. George's this week by playing more consistent golf than any other player. Clarke was the only player to play four rounds at par or better this week, but never went lower than 2-under for a day, stringing together a 68-68-69-70 week that left him three strokes clear of second place finishers Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson.

This is Clarke's first major championship, and he set a dubious record for persistence by breaking through at the Open Championship. Clarke is now the golfer with the most British Open appearances before his first victory, getting it done this year in his 20th start.

The chances that the gregarious, fun-loving Clarke won't be celebrating this victory into the wee hours in Sandwich (or, perhaps, elsewhere) are slim.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Phil Mickelson's Eagle Highlights Five-Under Front Nine

The 2011 British Open is coming to a close as most of the major players are making their way to the back side in Sandwich, England. While the Open Championship didn't look like it'd be won by a big-name golfer after following the first three rounds, Phil Mickelson's impressive front nine on Sunday nearly put him atop the leaderboard.

Mickelson went into Day 4 on par and tied for seventh place, but "Lefty" was able to drop his score by five strokes after his first nine holes on Sunday at Royal St. Goerge's. At five-under, Mickelson moved into second place behind Darren Clarke, inching ever closer to earning his first British Open victory.

Mickelson tied his personal-record for a nine-hole score at a major by scoring an even 30 through the first nine holes. Lefty sank an eagle on the seventh hole and birdied Holes 2, 4 and 6 to give himself the early edge, but if he had been able to pick up a birdie by sinking his first putt on either the eighth or ninth hole, he would've broke his own record and moved himself into a tie for first through the front nine.

Mickelson's already off to a solid start on the back nine, nailing a birdie at the tenth hole, so it's probably worth following along on Twitter at @SBNationLive for the remainder of the Open.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visitthe official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Phil Mickelson Making His Move

Phil Mickelson has never won an Open Championship. The golfer also known as "Lefty" is looking to change that after an impressive start during his fourth round at the 2011 British Open.

Mickelson began the final round in a tie for seventh place after staying on par through the first three rounds at Royal St. George's golf course, but has moved into a tie for second place through six holes on Sunday morning.

The American golfer birdied the second, fourth and sixth hole -- Holes 2 and 4 are par-fours while six is a par-three -- to put him in a tie with Dustin Johnson and just one stroke behind current leader Darren Clarke.

Considering Mickelson's never had the best luck in majors, his start to the fourth day in Samwich, England, is definitely worth keeping any eye on as he continues to attempt to surge to the top of the leaderboard.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visitthe official Open Championship leaderboard.

Sunday's British Open 2011 TV Schedule: Live Coverage On ESPN, ESPN3

The final round of the 2011 British Open gets underway on Sunday as the field tees-off at Royal St. George in Sandwich, England. Because the third major of the year is across the pond, the time difference makes for an early start on Sunday morning, with the broadcast set to begin in the wee hours of the morning on the West Coast. But while coverage begins early, the final group of the day, Darren Clarke and Dustin Johnson, tee-off some three hours later as they battle for The Open Championship.

ESPN has the broadcast rights again on Sunday and will be with the British Open until it concludes in the early afternoon on the East Coast. The broadcast begins at 6 a.m. EDT and is set to run until 1:30 p.m., or whenever the final group finishes its round.

In addition to the broadcast, ESPN will also provide an online stream of the final round. The stream will begin at 6 a.m., at the same time as the broadcast, and can be found at ESPN3.com.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Tee Times And Pairings For Sunday

The 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's will conclude on Sunday with final round action that could give Darren Clarke the first major of his long career. But young Americans Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler loom just behind Clarke, and talented players like Phil Mickelson and Martin Kaymer aren't much further off the pace.

On Sunday, Clarke (5-under) and Johnson (4-under) will be the last to tee off, going off at 9:10 a.m. Eastern, 2:10 p.m. local time in Sandwich, England. Here are some other notable tee times for the day.

7:05 a.m. ET - Trevor Immelman, Tom Watson
7:15 a.m. ET - Charl Schwartzel, Y.E. Yang
7:25 a.m. ET - Fredrik Jacobson, Adam Scott
7:35 a.m. ET - Steve Stricker, Webb Simpson
7:45 a.m. ET - Simon Dyson, Raphael Jacquelin
7:55 a.m. ET - Chad Campbell, Tom Lehman
8:10 a.m. ET - Ryan Palmer, Zach Johnson
8:20 a.m. ET - Martin Kaymer, Davis Love III
8:30 a.m. ET - George Coetzee, Anders Hansen
8:40 a.m. ET - Phil Mickelson, Anthony Kim
8:50 a.m. ET - Lucas Glover, Miguel Angel Jimenez
9:00 a.m. ET - Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler
9:10 a.m. ET - Dustin Johnson, Darren Clarke

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard: Darren Clarke, Dustin Johnson Separate Themselves From The Pack

Through three rounds of the 2011 British Open, nothing has gone according to plan. Before the third major of the year began, all the talk centered on Rory McIlroy, the young phenom who clobbered the field at the US Open just a few weeks ago, and Lee Westwood, the Englishman who's come close, but never broken through in a major. With just 18 holes to play at Royal St. George, Westwood is already back at home after missing the cut, and McIlroy is nine shots off the pace.

If nothing else, we should know by now how unpredictable major championships can be. Mix in whether that can go from nearly unplayable to sunny and calm in a matter of minutes, and you've got a British Open ripe for a surprise winner.

Darren Clarke is a name most likely to fall under the "field" category before the British Open began, not having the name recognition of many of the other contenders. But Clarke has been solid all week, benefiting a bit from nice weather, but mostly from solid ball striking. His putting has been hit-and-miss, but no matter: Clarke will enter the final round atop the leaderboard and with a one-shot advantage at 5-under.

Dustin Johnson made the third round move we've come to expect from him, and finds himself in prime position to capture a major title. Johnson has developed a reputation, fair or not, for his play on Sunday's in a major. He's come close, but faltered. He's began the final round with a lead and collapsed. This time around, however, he's right there at the top of the leaderboard, just behind his playing partner in the final group, Darren Clarke.

Is the lead Johnson and Clarke hold over the field big enough to create a match play scenario? Not at all. As we've seen, anything can happen at the British Open, and no lead is safe. A shift in the weather or a less than solid round from either of the top-two could quickly turn the British Open on its head, creating a wild Sunday of golf across the pond.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Darren Clarke Will Enter Final Round With Lead

The 2011 British Open may finally be Darren Clarke's major championship breakthrough. If nothing else, he will enter his final round at Royal St. George's on Sunday with the 54-hole Open Championship lead.

Clarke finished his 1-under 69 in Saturday's third round with his 13th par of the day and sixth in a row, cementing his positioning at 5-under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of Dustin Johnson. Clarke was steady throughout Saturday, but especially late: after two birdies and two bogeys in his first eight holes, Clarke made nine pars and one birdie over his final 10 holes.

Clarke has been close before in majors. In a span of 17 majors between 1997 and 2001, Clarke accumulated all six of his top-10 finishes, including ties for second and third at the 1997 and 2001 British Opens, respectively.

If Clarke holds on, he'll be the second consecutive major champion to hail from Northern Ireland, following 2011 U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy.

Clarke's also the only player with three rounds under par this week at Royal St. George's. But he will be pursued by Johnson and Rickie Fowler, the only other players to post red numbers in the third round.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Dustin Johnson Makes Third Round Move

The skies have cleared at the 2011 British Open, and the leaders who teed off late in Saturday's third round are reaping the rewards. None is doing so better than Dustin Johnson.

Johnson, who began the day at 2-under, is now 3-under for his round and tied for the lead at 5-under with Darren Clarke. Johnson's had an up-and-down third round, with six birdies and three bogeys through 16 holes, but if he can play his final two in even par, he will have the lowest third round of the 2011 British Open yet, and might well have a share of the lead or better heading into Sunday's final round.

Just three players are under par for Saturday's third round: Johnson; Rickie Fowler, in the clubhouse with a 2-under 68; and Clarke, 1-under through 13 holes.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Rickie Fowler Fires 2-Under 68, Best Third Round Yet

Rickie Fowler entered the 2011 British Open without a single PGA Tour win, but his strong play on Saturday has some wondering if he might be able to repeat a bit of history at Royal St. George's.

Fowler made good use of calmer weather in the final several holes of his third round on Saturday to finish on a high note, making three birdies in his last six holes to polish off a 2-under 68 that bested every other player in the field by three strokes. Fowler also moved to 2-under for the tournament, putting him well within striking distance of leader Darren Clarke.

Fowler, often tabbed as one of America's brightest rising stars, could repeat Ben Curtis' feat from the 2003 British Open with a win on Sunday. Curtis won at Royal St. George's eight years ago, and claimed his first PGA Tour victory in that major.

Fowler has been forecast by some to do a bit more with his career than Curtis has. But one would be hard-pressed to find a better first PGA Tour trophy than the Claret Jug.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Darren Clarke Begins Third Round With Only Birdie On No. 1

The 2011 British Open may well be won with play close to even par on what looks to be a blustery weekend in Sandwich, England, at a Royal St. George's course that isn't conceding much to the field. If so, Darren Clarke may well win this Open Championship.

Clarke entered the third round tied for the lead with 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover, but immediately broke that tie with a birdie on the first hole to move him to 5-under for the tournament. On many courses, that wouldn't be news, but at Royal St. George's on this Saturday, it was the only birdie made on No. 1, a 444-yard par 4.

Clarke has since dropped a shot with a bogey on the fifth hole, but remains in sole possession of a one-stroke lead thanks to a bogey by Glover. And with few players looking game enough to make a weekend charge, Clarke's chances of winning his first major might be very good if he can grind out pars.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room. For full 2011 British Open scores, visit the official Open Championship leaderboard.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Tom Watson Plays Best Third Round So Far

The weather at the 2011 British Open has taken a turn for the grim and gloomy for Saturday's third round: rain and high winds have players bundled up and scrambling for pars. Considering that, Tom Watson's third round was nothing short of phenomenal.

The 61-year-old five-time British Open champion turned in another legendary performance at Royal St. George's on Saturday, firing a 2-over 72 (two birdies, four bogeys) that tied Trevor Immelman's 72 for the best score among players who have completed third rounds. The score moved him to 4-over for the Open Championship, but barring collapses by dozens of players, Watson won't win a sixth British Open this week.

That doesn't mean his round, which vaulted him 10 spots up the 2011 British Open leaderboard, wasn't impressive, though. Veteran golf scribe Steve Elling of CBS Sports noted that Watson's round may well be the day's best:

To me, score compared to field average is best indicator of play. Tom Watson is 6 shots under field's scoring average "par" for Saturday.

That this round should come a day after Watson put in an improbable hole-in-one is just further evidence that the wizened Kansan still has some of his wizardry.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Tee Times And Pairings For Saturday

The 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's continues on Saturday with Darren Clarke and Lucas Glover tied for the lead at 4-under. Clarke fired off a 2-under in Round 2 to take a share of the lead, while Glover was even-par with two birdies and two bogeys to remain at 4-under. But the highlight of the day was Tom Watson sinking a hole-in-one on the sixth hole.

On Saturday, Clarke and Glover will be the last to tee off. Here are some notable tee times for the day (full list available here):

5:30 a.m. ET - Ricky Barnes, Tom Watson
7:35 a.m. ET - Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy
8:50 a.m. ET - Tom Lewis (a), Phil Mickelson
10:05 a.m ET - Darren Clarke, Lucas Glover

Notably absent from Saturday's tee times, the top two golfers in the world, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, missed the cut on Friday.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

Saturday's British Open 2011 TV Schedule: ESPN Coverage Begins At 7 A.M. ET

British Open watchers can sleep in -- kind of -- on Saturday. ESPN opens its coverage of the event at the less daunting hour of 7 a.m. ET, three hours later than what has become the usual time for kicking off these affairs. ESPN wraps up its coverage at 2:30 p.m. ET.

ABC's "The Open Championship Today" is scheduled to run from 2 p.m. ET to 6 p.m. ET. ESPN will also broadcast a highlights package starting at 7 p.m. ET and running for three hours. If you're determined to get up before reasonable people do so, ESPN3.com will continue to cover the proceedings beginning at 4 a.m. ET.

Of course, ESPN3 is not the only tech-savvy way to keep an eye on the action. The Open's official Web site also has live video. And there are apps for your smartphone, including iPhones and those on the Android system, that will carry daily highlights.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Darren Clarke, Lucas Glover Share Second-Round Lead

Darren Clarke followed up a first-round 68 with another round of 68 to surge into a tie for the lead at the end of the British Open's second day. The product of Northern Ireland shares the lead with American Lucas Glover at 136.

First-round co-leaders Thomas Bjorn and amateur Tom Lewis slid back a ways. Bjorn shot a 2-over 72 and is now in a tie for third, while Lewis shot a 74 and is now tied for 14th. 

Clarke continued on his somewhat roller-coaster tournament, turning in a card that featured lots of symbols. After a first-round that featured four birdies and four bogeys, his second round had five birdies, an eagle on No. 7, three bogeys and a double-bogey on No. 4. He closed out his round with a birdie on No. 18.

"It was a little bit more adventurous than yesterday," said Clarke, according the Open Championship's website. "There was some good and some not so good, but overall 68 is very pleasing."

Glover's round was considerably more steady. After birdieing No. 10 to get back to even for the round, he came into the clubhouse with eight consecutive pars.

Pre-tournament favorite Rory McIlroy sits in a tie for 19th at 140 following a second-round 69.

Among the players to miss the cut were Graeme McDowell, who was among the leaders after a first-round 68. He tumbled to a 77 during a round that included five bogeys, a double-bogey on No. 9 and no birdies. Kurt Barnes also shot a 68 in Round 1, only to miss the cut after a second-round 81. In all, seven players who finished the first day under par missed the cut. Other notables to miss the cut were JB Holmes, Padraig Harrington, Justin Leonard, Ben Crane and Luke Donald.

For the full leaderboard visit The Open Championship's website. For the latest on the British Open continue to follow this stream and SB Nation's golf blog Waggle Room.

British Open 2011: Lee Westwood May Miss Projected Cut, Among Other Big Names

A number of early favorites - Martin Kaymer, Dustin Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson – have performed well at the 2011 British Open so far. But others have struggled and are in danger of missing the cut after the second round.

With most players having finishing their second rounds or having already completed them, Lee Westwood is among those currently in danger of missing the cut, at -4. Along with Rory McIlroy, Westwood appeared to be one of the top contenders to win the tournament as it began, so a cut would be a serious disappointment.

Also on the outside looking in right now are Padraig Harrington (+4), Graeme McDowell (+5), Nick Watney (+5), Ian Poulter (+7) and Matt Kuchar (-11). Other big names in trouble include John Daly (+6), Ernie Els (+6) and David Duval (+15).

For more on the 2011 Open Championship, be sure to check out the rest of this storystream. Also check out SB Nation’s golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard: Thomas Bjorn, Tom Lewis Drop Back; Darren Clarke, Lucas Glover Take Over

With many players now finished with their second round at the 2011 British Open, here's a look at the leaderboard. Thomas Bjorn and the youngster Tom Lewis, who led the Open Championship following Thursday's play, both fell back into the pack. Bjorn posted a +2 today and his now tied for third, and Lewis posted a +4 and is now tied for No. 15. Bjorn was even on the first 11 holes, but bogeyed the 12th and 14th.

T1. Darren Clarke -4 (-2 today)
T1. Lucas Glover -4 (E today)
T3. Chad Campbell -3 (-2 today)
T3. Martin Kaymer -3 (-1 today)
T3. Thomas Bjorn -3 (+2 today)

Miguel Angel Jimenez is also at -3 through 15 holes, and Yuta Ikeda is at -3 through 14.

Dustin Johnson (-2), Charl Schwartzel (-2), Davis Love III (-2), Adam Scott (-1) and Phil Mickelson (-1) are among those players still very much in the hunt.

For more 2011 British Open results, keep following this storystream, and be sure to check out Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard: Second Round Starts With Four-Way Tie For First

The 2011 British Open is shaping up to have a rather eventful second round thus far in Sandwich, England, as there is now a four-way tie for first place on the British Open leaderboard.

Early Friday morning Lucas Glover and Darren Clarke finished their second rounds at four-under, but they now have a bit of competition as Day 1 leader Thomas Bjorn and England's Simon Dyson are also four strokes below par as they near completion of the front nine.

One player that won't end up at the top of the leaderboard when Friday's action ends is Phil Mickelson, though "Lefty" is moving up the leaderboard after finishing his second round with a one-under 69 after scoring an even-par 70 on Thursday. Mickelson is tied with Tom Lewis for 15th place.

Lewis had an abysmal second round, finishing four strokes over par on Friday after scoring a five-under 65 on Thursday, dropping him for first place to fifteenth.

Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy have recently began their seconds rounds at Royal St. George's so it'll be worth keeping an eye on them as the day progresses.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard: Darren Clarke, Lucas Glover Tied For Lead

The British Open's second round is underway, and while the bigger names have yet to begin their day, a couple of new golfers have moved atop the leaderboard by posting solid outings on Day 2.

Lucas Glover, an American playing in his fourth Open Championship, finished even-par on Friday to put him in a tie with Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke. Clarke finished with a 68, same as yesterday, while Glover posted an even 70 to give each a two-day score of 136.

England's Simon Dyson is currently on pace to finish his second round in a tie with those two, as well, though he's only one-third of the way through Round 2.

Other interesting names that have begun golfing their second round are Davis Love III with in a tie for eleventh place at two-under, Phil Mickelson one-under par with just a couple of holes left and Steve Stricker even through 17 holes on his second tour of the Royal St. George's Golf Course this week.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

VIDEO: Tom Watson Sinks Hole-In-One At British Open, Celebrates Politely

Tom Watson Hits Hole-In-One At 2011 British Open

Tom Watson nailed a hole-in-one on the par-3 sixth hole in Friday's second round at the 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's. Watson, 61, is a five-time British Open winner and has eight majors to his name. He finished second in 2009 at Turnberry, just missing a chance to become the oldest golfer to win a major by no small margin. 

The Telegraph reports that Watson is not the oldest player to hole a tee shot at the British; Gene Sarzen hit a hole-in-one at age 71 at Troon in 1973.

Watson is playing with Tom Lewis, the amateur player who surprisingly shared the first-round lead with Thomas Bjorn. Through 11 holes on Friday, Lewis was +2 for the day and -3 for the tournament, two shots behind Bjorn, whose second round just came underway. 

Watson is at even par through 11 on Friday, and +2 for the tournament. He sits tied seven shots behind the lead. 

Friday's British Open 2011 TV Schedule, Live Coverage And More

ESPN's live coverage of the 2011 British Open continues Friday starting at 4 a.m. and continuing until 3 p.m. on the main channel and ESPN3.com. Directly after 3, they will show replays of the day's events and highlights. 

Highlights of the early morning play before the broadcast include Anthony Kim teeing off at 2:25, Y.E. Yang at 2:58, Padraig Harrington at 3:20, Bubba Watson and Jason Day at 3:42 and Jim Furyk at 3:58.

Once the broadcast begins, so do most of the fireworks, with the first group going out at 4:09 comprised of Lee Westwood, Steve Stricker and Master's Champion Charl Schwartzel. 

Defending champion Louis Oosthuizen, who stands a 2-over-par after the first round, is in the next group with German Martin Kaymer and Phil Mickelson, teeing off at 4:20, followed by co-leader Tom Lewis, paired up with Tom Watson again, at 4:31. 

Rory McIlroy will try to not completely disappoint everyone again starting at 9:10, with Ernie Els and fellow wünderkind Rickie Fowler.

Check in with SB Nation throughout the morning for updates on Tiger Woods' status developments during the tournament.

2011 British Open Leaderboard: First Round Brings Surprising Leaders

The first round of the 2011 British Open is in the books and two surprising names are pacing the field. Tom Lewis was the story of the day, firing the lowest amateur round in The Open Championship history, earning himself a tie for the lead at 5-under for the tournament. Lewis was playing alongside the man he was named after, Tom Watson, in what surely had to be a thrilling day.

Rory McIlroy finds himself six shots off the pace after a 1-over day to begin the tournament. Unlike the US Open, McIlroy will have to come from behind after starting slow in difficult conditions. With an unpredictable course, and weather that changes from one hour to the next, McIlroy is by no means out of it.

Here's a look at the 2011 British Open Leaderboard following Thursday's play. 

T1. Thomas Bjorn
T1. Tom Lewis
T3. Miguel Angel Jimenez
T3. Lucas Glover
T3. Webb Simpson
T6. Simon Dyson
T6. Kyle Stanley
T6. Pablo Larrazabal
T6. Darren Clarke
T6. Graeme McDowell
T6. Martin Kaymer
T6. Fredrik Andersson Hed
T6. Ricky Barnes
T6. Kurt Barnes
T6. Jeff Overton
T6. Ryan Palmer
T6. Jung-Gon Hwang

You can view the full British Open leaderboard here. For further updates, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2011 British Open Tee Times And Pairings For Friday

The first round of the 2011 British Open is in the books and two surprising names sit atop the leaderboard. 20-year-old amateur Tom Lewis shocked the field, knocking in four straight birdies down the stretch to finish the day at 5-under, a tournament amateur record. He is joined by late edition, Thomas Bjorn, who also shot a 5-under. Bjorn was added to the field just three days before the event as a replacement for Vijay Singh, and thus far has made the most of his opportunity.

Second day action begins early Friday morning at 4:30 a.m. ET. A full listing of tee times and pairings can be found here.

Here are some of round two's featured pairings:

7:31 AM: Tom Lewis, Henrik Stenson, Tom Watson. After shooting a blistering back nine on day one, 20-year old amateur Tom Lewis finds himself atop the leaderboard. Will he be able to carry that momentum throughout the tournament or was his first round just a fluke?

10:26 AM: Thomas Bjorn, Simon Dyson, Gary Woodland. With demons still lingering from his infamous 2003 flameout at Royal St. George, it'll be interesting to see whether Thomas Bjorn can learn from the mistakes of his past or fall victim to the same story.

12:10 PM: Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy, Ernie Els. While all three of these men have yet to break par, each of one is talented enough to put together a run to the top.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Thomas Bjorn, Tom Lewis Lead Field At 5-Under

The 2011 British Open's opening round has been completed at Royal St. George's in England. Thomas Bjorn jumped out ahead of the pack very early on Thursday morning and he finds himself atop the leaderboard at the end of the day, though he has a little company. Relative-unknown Tom Lewis shares the lead with Bjorn at 5-under heading into Friday's second round.

Three players are tied for third at 4-under (Miguel Angel Jimenez, Lucas Glover and Webb Simpson).

Twelve players are locked at 2-under after one day of action, including Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer.

Other notable finishes on the day include Steve Stricker (-1), Phil Mickelson (E), Luke Donald (+1), Lee Westwood (+1), and Rory McIlroy (+1).

Amateur Craig Hinton and Simon Edwards had themselves pretty rough days, tying for the worst score amongs all golfers, 12-over.

You can view the full British Open leaderboard here. For further updates, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

Tom Lewis Tied For 2011 British Open Lead: Who's That, Again?

Twenty-year-old amateur Tom Lewis is tied with Thomas Bjorn for the lead at the end of the 2011 British Open's opening round, with both players reaching 5-under on the day. That's the lowest score an amateur has ever posted in the Open, which is reasonably impressive. He caught fire down the stretch, connecting four straight birdies to surge into a share of the driver's seat, which in England is on the right.

Who in the world is Tom Lewis, anyway?

The English player from Welwyn Garden City won a far lesser title at Royal St. George's in his past, and nearly captured a European Tour event in 2010. He's won a handful of amateur events throughout England in his very brief time. He was named after Tom Watson, his father's favorite golfer, and ended up playing alongside Watson Thursday.

His girlfriend Lara Cornell knows the game, too -- last month the pair won the St. Andrews Links Trophy, with Cornell taking caddy duties.

Lewis has said his goal is to make the 2011 Walker Cup. Think he might have a bigger goal in mind all of a sudden? 

You can view the full British Open leaderboard here. For further updates, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

British Open 2011: Lucas Glover Birdies Last Three Holes To Move Within Stroke Of Lead

On Thursday, Lucas Glover secured his place near the top of the British Open leaderboard. The American heads to the clubhouse with a 4-under score, good for a second-place tie with Miguel Angel Jimenez.

Despite a bogey on the second hole, Glover's play remained steady through the early going, putting him in position for a terrific finish. He birdied the 16th, 17th, and 18th holes to conclude his first round. Glover, age 31, is looking to win the second major of his career and his fourth PGA Tour event overall.

With Glover's day over, here is how the top of the leaderboard looks. All players listed are in the clubhouse unless otherwise noted.

1. Thomas Bjorn (-5)
T2. Miguel Angel Jimenez (-4)
T2. Lucas Glover
4. Tom Lewis (-3 through 15 holes)
5. Nine tied (-2)

You can view the full British Open leaderboard here. For further updates, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Phil Mickelson Even Par After Nine; Thomas Bjorn Still Leads

Coming into the 2011 British Open, Phil Mickelson wasn't considered a favorite. The American media always likes to rally around Phil before the three American majors, as he's had plenty of great performances in all three of them, but he's never duplicated that success in the British Open. The oddsmakers didn't like Phil before the tournament started, and he admitted himself that the tournament is going to be a serious challenge. He's playing well so far, though, as he's even par though his front nine after a very consistent performance.

Things looked bad for Phil when he bogeyed the opening hole of his round, but he got that stroke back with a birdie on the par-5 7th hole. All of Mickelson's other seven holes have been pars. He's hit seven of nine greens in regulation and he hasn't three-putted, so he should be fairly happy with his performance.

At the top of the leaderboard, Thomas Bjorn still leads at five-under with Miguel Angel Jimenez sitting in second at four-under. Englishman Lee Westwood, one of the pre-tournament favorites, is struggling at three-over through nine holes. You can find the entire leaderboard here.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Championship: Sergio Garcia Finishes First Round Even In Quest For First Major Victory

Sergio Garcia has had a rather rough golf career for barely being past his 30th birthday, but the Spaniard is hoping to change his fortunes this week at the British Open. Through one round, it isn't off to a terrible start.

Garcia's first round at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England, was good enough for par as he scored an even 70 to finish his day in a tie for 23rd place. Had Garcia not faltered by bogeying on two of the final three holes, however, he would have been in fine position to get the monkey off his back by winning his first Major.

That isn't to say that winning the Open is now out of the realm of possibility, however. There are still three rounds to go and Garcia has more top-10 finishes (six) in the British Open than any of the other PGA Tour major events, making it possible that he could rebound over the next few days as he has in the past.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

Rory McIlroy Ends British Open 2011 First Round At 1-Over

Rory McIlroy was the odds-on favorite to win the British Open, but the Northern Ireland native didn't have a first round to remember. He obviously still has a chance to win it, but finishing 1-over on Day 1 certainly isn't what his fans had hoped to see.

McIlroy struggled with his touch on the green, bogeying two of his first three holes and three total, and even struggled a bit with his putting as he was able to only pick up two birdies in the first round due to a couple of near-misses.

With about one-fourth of the field through the first round at Royal St. George's Golf Course, McIlroy finds himself in a tie for 34th place with three rounds to go.

If McIlroy is able to comeback, he will have to hope that current leader Thomas Bjorn cools off a bit as the golfer from Denmark finished the first round at 5-under.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Update: Dustin Johnson Plays Exhilarating Even-Par First Round

Typically, opening a major championship with an even-par first round sets a player up nicely for the next three days. But Dustin Johnson's 70 on Thursday in his first round at the 2011 British Open was far from typical.

Johnson started and ended his front nine with bogeys on the first and ninth holes, then dug himself an even deeper deficit with two bogeys in his first three back nine holes to fall to 4-over through 12.

Then Johnson wiped all that away and then some with a phenomenal stretch of 5-under play on four consecutive back nine holes, with three birdies bookending a hole-in-one on the par 3 16th.

Johnson would subsequently bogey the 18th, giving him an even-par 70 with a scorecard that has more symbols than some art museums. And given how fluky his bit of great play was — it's extraordinarily unlikely that anyone will be 5-under over four consecutive holes for the rest of the week — it's probably not a good idea to extrapolate from this round.

But no one can claim that Johnson rescuing himself from the lower realms of the 2011 British Open leaderboard wasn't fun.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Miguel Angel Jimenez Pulls Within One Stroke Of Thomas Bjorn

Early in the first round of the 2011 British Open, it looked like Thomas Bjorn might have a large lead on the field. Miguel Angel Jimenez made sure that wasn't going to happen, climbing the British Open leaderboard with a strong opening round of his own.

Jimenez shot a bogey-free 4-under 66 at Royal St. George's, sprinkling four birdies (none consecutive) over his 18 holes to pull within one shot of Bjorn after the first round of the Open Championship. Neither Bjorn nor Jimenez has won a major championship, despite both having numerous top-10 finishes in majors and sterling European Tour careers. 

A bit further behind them, though, there are a few players with major championship pedigrees: Mark Calcavecchia, the 1989 British Open champion, began with a 1-under 69, and Stewart Cink's even-par 70 keeps him in shouting distance of the leaders.

Maybe the day's biggest surprise so far is English unknown Simon Dyson, whose 2-under 68 could have been a 67 if not for an 18th hole bogey. Dyson has only made five career cuts in majors.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Results: Thomas Bjorn Claims Lead With Stellar First Round

Thomas Bjorn may be a long way from making people forget about the way he lost the 2003 British Open. But his tremendous start to the 2011 British Open is at least a good start to another run at the Claret Jug.

Bjorn fired a 5-under 65 on the Royal St. George's course on Thursday, putting in seven birdies against one bogey, dominating the 2011 British Open leaderboard, and taking a two-shot lead over Stewart Cink and Miguel Angel Jimenez to the clubhouse. Bjorn struck the ball well in windy conditions, and putted nearly as well, especially on the back nine, where three straight birdies (four in five holes) sent his first round deep into red numbers.

A poor approach on the 18th hole scuttled Bjorn's chances of a record-tying 63, which would have been the second first round 63 at the Open Championship in as many years after Rory McIlroy's 9-under 63 at St. Andrews in 2010.

Bjorn atoned for the sins of the past at the 16th hole. He birdied it on Thursday after a miserable experience in a bunker on the hole in 2003 erased a two-shot lead; that calamity eventually led to Ben Curtis earning that Open Championship's ultimate prize.

Bjorn is no stranger to low scores in a major. His 7-under 63 in the third round of the 2005 PGA Championship tied him with a slew of other players for the lowest score in a major championship. But Bjorn's competitive numbers at majors — he has six top-10 finishes at majors in his career, though none since 2005, and three second-place efforts — have not quite translated to wins.

Perhaps this year will be the great Dane's first conversion.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Leaderboard Scores: Thomas Bjorn Leading, Rory McIlroy Struggling

The 2011 British Open is underway from Royal St. George's in England, and, for the moment, it feels like the 2003 British Open, the last to be played at Royal St. George's. Blame Thomas Bjorn for that: his run to the top of the British Open leaderboard feels familiar.

Bjorn has played well in the blustery conditions this Thursday, getting to 3-under through 12 holes for a one-shot lead on Mark Calcavecchia and Miguel Angel Jimenez. Bjorn has made four birdies, three on the front nine, to one bogey, and has been managing the high winds better than any other player.

Bjorn was also in contention throughout the 2003 Open Championship, leading after 54 holes and finishing one stroke back of winner Ben Curtis. Bjorn never played a round in 3-under in 2003, however.

Beyond the top of the leaderboard, the world's newest golfing star is starting his 2011 British Open a bit more fitfully: Rory McIlroy is 2-over through his first six holes.

McIlroy has struggled with his touch on the green, bogeying two of his first three holes. He's far from out of the 2011 British Open, but it certainly doesn't seem like he will repeat the runaway victory he scored at the 2011 U.S. Open.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

British Open 2011 Live: How To Watch The Open Championship Online

The star-studded field of the 2011 British Open tees off at 1:30 a.m. ET bright and early early Thursday morning. Luckily, for those who will be unable to view the television broadcast, there are still myriad ways to ensure that you can catch all the action live and online.

The Open Championship's official website will provide a live-stream channel that will cover the entire event. The channel will also be streamed live on Facebook and LiveStream.com. For mobile users, The Open's iPhone and Android apps will provide additional coverage. Lastly, for European viewers, BBC Sport will stream a live broadcast of the famed tournament.

The first group set to tee off is a threesome that includes Jerry Kelly, Nathan Green, and Danny Willett. The featured pairing of 2002 British Open champion Ernie Els, 2011 U.S. Champion Rory McIlroy, and 2010 PGA Rookie of the Year Rickie Fowler tees off at 4:09 ET.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open: Chance Will Play A Role As Players Battle Harsh Conditions

The San Francisco Chronicle writes that the 2011 British Open, like all Open Championships, will be about adjusting to strange playing conditions.

It’s dramatically different than the style required at most PGA Tour events, but this makes the Open utterly fascinating. The greatest players solve the puzzle.

That’s why the career Grand Slam qualifies as the most meaningful achievement in golf. Only five players in history – Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods – have won all four majors at least once.

Winds, blind shots and other challenges are likely to produce a variety of unforeseen outcomes, which means that the results of the British Open have more to do with chance than in some other tournaments. The news that the wind has tournament organizers considering moving in the tees suggests that this particular British Open could be a wacky one indeed.

The Chronicle article suggests that American players, in particular, will have to keep a positive attitude when things happen they can’t control. That’s true – you can only play the hand you’re dealt. Look for strange things to happen as the Open unfolds in the coming days.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation’s golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

British Open 2011 TV Schedule: ESPN's Coverage Starts At 4 A.M. ET

ESPN's end-to-end coverage of the British Open will begin at 4 a.m. eastern on Thursday and be carried live all the way through to the end of the tournament. Each broadcast day will start at 4 a.m. and be carried live all the way through the final hole. Coverage will take place on ESPN as well as online at ESPN3.com. On Saturday and Sunday, ABC is currently scheduled to start their broadcast at 3 p.m., although on Sunday the Women's World Cup final may be moved to ABC from ESPN.

In addition to ESPN's coverage, the BBC will carry the broadcast to English speakers in Europe both over the air and on their website. The tournament will also be live-streamed on The Open Championship's official website. There is also an iPhone app, as well as an Android app that will carry daily highlights.

The first group to tee off will include Jerry Kelly, Nathan Green and Danny Willett. The broadcast will pick up right around the time the group that includes Ernie Els, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler tees off. Ben Curtis, the American who won the tournament the last time it was held at Royal St. George's, tees off one group earlier.

British Open 2011: Tees Could Be Moved Closer Due To Wind And Weather

The 2011 British Open is set to begin on Thursday and Rory McIlroy has already been declared the early favorite. Due to what's predicted to be a rather windy weekend, however, the annual event in Sandwich, England, could be anybody's game.

The events organizers have said that they may need to alter the course, specifically moving tees closer to the green, if the forecast continues to stay its course

"We do have some wind issues out there which may, dependent on direction, make some of the very back tees difficult to reach fairways from," chief executive Peter Dawson told reporters on Wednesday.

If the  wind does cause British Open organizers to move the tees, the seventh hole seems to be the most popular candidate according to Dawson.

"We have told the players we may move some tees up. The back tee at the 564-yard, par-five seventh was always going to be challenging," Dawson said. "It's about 270 to 280 yards to the top of the crest there and 220-ish to the fairway. Some players were having great difficulty reaching the fairway from the back tee yesterday. Without wishing to pre-empt what we do exactly, the seventh would certainly have been a candidate, as would the 243-yard, par-three 11th yesterday, for moving up."

The British Open has never been the most golfer-friendly tournament when it comes to the weather and it seems like this year will be no exception.

2011 British Open: Phil Mickelson Anticipates Challenge

The Los Angeles Times has a good piece on Phil Mickelson and why the British Open has, historically, been tough on him.

"I'm trying to pretend like it's my first time here," he said, "and appreciate playing the ball on the ground on [windy] days like this and appreciate being able to play some through the air when the wind is a little bit calmer."

The Times notes that Mickelson's style is built around wedges, which doesn't usually work well in the Open, which is played on links courses, where players must often hit line drives that negate the effect of the wind. 

Due to his poor performances at the British Open (he only finished in the top 10 once, in 2004), Mickelson isn't expected to do particularly well. Bodog gives him 40 to 1 odds of winning, compared to 13 to 2 for favorite Rory McIlroy. 

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

British Open 2011: Weather Will Be Factor At Royal St. George’s

Sunshine and a light breeze greeted golfers on Monday as the practiced for the 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England. Perhaps thinking themselves lucky, they were brought back to reality on Tuesday when the sky turned overcast and wind gusted to more than 30 mph.

The weather forecast for Thursday and Friday call for partly cloudy conditions and high 60's temperatures, providing a brief respite from the tough stuff. Then Saturday will kick in some good old-fashioned English rain

The wind and rain of the British Open has plagued some the best golfers to ever step up to the tee. In 2002, bitter, wind-lashed rain were a big part of Colin Montgomerie's dreadful 84 a day after shooting 64. Last year's open was rain-drenched as well and contributed to Rory McIlroy's collapse.

World No. 1 Luke Donald knows what to expect and that's the unexpected.

“You don’t really know what you’re going to get,” Luke Donald, the world’s top-ranked player, said after his practice round. “That’s the nature of links.”

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

British Open 2011: Rory McIlroy's Notoriety Takes Pressure Off Lee Westwood, Luke Donald

For a large chunk of the last decade, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald have been two of the best British golfers in the world and two of the best hopes for a golfer from the Home Nations to take home a British Open title. Donald is currently the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world, while Lee Westwood sits at No. 2. The latter player is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished golfers never to win a major. So, the pressure should be higher than ever, right?

Wrong. Thanks to Rory McIlroy's charisma and 2011 U.S. Open championship, the young Northern Irishman is getting most of the media attention in the build-up to the 2011 British Open. The relative lack of attention compared to years passed has Westwood and Donald, Englishmen who are the top two ranked golfers in the world, somehow flying a tiny bit under the radar.

Though Donald's press coverage hasn't been close to McIlroy's, his 19-under finish in 54 holes at the Scottish Open has him at least in second place, as far as hype goes. Rob Hodgetts of the BBC explains:

What about Lee Westwood? According to an article over at the BBC, he's a confident fellow. And why shouldn't he be? He's the No. 2 golfer in the world, he keeps finishing in the top five in majors, and for once in his life, he's only the third most popular (and most scrutinized) British golfer in the world.

All eyes will be on Rory McIlroy this week at Royal St. Georges, which is just fine with Westwood and Donald.

British Open 2011: Vijay Singh Withdraws, Thomas Bjorn Added To Field

Three time PGA Tour leading money winner Vijay Singh withdrew from the 2011 British Open field late Monday afternoon, citing continual injury concerns stemming from problems with his back. The withdrawal itself was not a large surprise, given the persistent questions surrounding the Fiji native's health since his mid-tournament departure from the AT&T National. However, the belated nature of it is sure to raise some inquiries.

Filling Singh's spot is Denmark's most successful golfer, Thomas Bjorn. An extremely efficacious European Tour mainstay, Bjorn was a member of the victorious European Ryder Cup teams in both 1997 and 2002. Though, it should be noted that the 40-year old has quite a long and tenuous relationship with the course at Royal St George's Golf Club.

Bjorn famously held a two shot tournament lead at the 2003 championship with just three holes to go, before crumbling at the 16th green. The Dane's opening tee shot tumbled into a bunker and stayed there for three successive shots. By the time the dust settled, Bjorn had notched a double-bogey on the hole, losing both his lead and the tournament championship to Ben Curtis in the process.

British Open 2011: Ben Curtis Returns To Site Of Greatest Feat

It was eight years ago that an essentially unknown 26-year-old American hoisted golf's most-prized trophy. Ben Curtis came out of virtually no where to outlast such golfing luminaries as Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Davis Love III and win the Claret Jug by one stroke. Now, Curtis returns to the scene of his greatest golfing accomplishment as Royal St. George's prepares to host the Open Championship for the 14th time starting on Thursday.

Curtis has not won another major since then, but he has won three other PGA events and has three top-10 finishes in majors since his British breakthrough. As the 194th ranked player in the world, he seems to realize that repeating as champion is a bit of a longshot:

"Obviously you want to win, but I just want to play good for four days. I’ve been struggling a little bit the last few months, and just want to play good golf and try to make as many birdies as I can, keep the ball in play and out of those bunkers, and try to hit as many greens as I can."

In 2003, Curtis was the only player in the field to come in under par, needing a final-round 69 to pull it off. As much as any player, he seems to understand how to play on what can be one of the world's tougher courses.

"You’ve got to be able to control the flight of your ball here, more so than in the States, and you’ve got to know — you’ve got to kind of figure out how much roll you’re going to get after the ball lands. And that’s just through a little bit of preparation, playing today, tomorrow and Wednesday, just getting used to seeing how far each club in the bag would roll downwind, into the wind, side wind. You have a pretty good idea by Thursday, and then you still learn more as you go on and on."

Curtis will be in a group with Paul Casey and Aaron Baddeley. They will tee off at 8:58 a.m. local time.

2011 British Open Tee Times, Pairings: Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickleson In Marquee Groups

With a major championship now on his resume, Northern Irishman and 2011 British Open favorite Rory McIlroy will feel like he has every chance at putting last year's British Open disappointment behind him to compete for the title in this year's tournament. He's in one of the headlining groups in the first two rounds of the tournament, as he'll be playing with young American star Rickie Fowler and veteran Ernie Els. Their Thursday tee time is 9:09 A.M. BST, and they tee off on Friday at 2:10 P.M. BST.

Phil Mickelson is also in one of the best groups of the first two rounds, as he'll be playing with Martin Kaymer and Louis Oosthuizen. England's two darlings are also in headline groups, with Lee Westwood, Steve Stricker and Charl Schwartzel playing as one group, and Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and Ryo Ishikawa playing in another. The entire list of groups and tee times can be found below, via the BBC. All times below are BST, which is five hours ahead of Eastern Time. The first time is the Thursday tee-off time and the second time is the Friday tee-off time.

0630 & 1131 Nathan Green (Aus), Jerry Kelly (US), Danny Willett (UK)

0641 & 1142 Thongchai Jaidee (Tha), Mark Calcavecchia (US), Graeme Storm (UK)

0652 & 1153 Gregory Havret (Fra), Charley Hoffman (US), Markus Brier (Aut)

0703 & 1204 Simon Khan (UK), Todd Hamilton (US), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha)

0714 & 1215 Rhys Davies (UK), Fredrik Jacobson (Swe), Mark O'Meara (US)

0725 & 1226 Simon Dyson (UK), Vijay Singh (Fij), Gary Woodland (US)

0736 & 1237 Ryan Moore (US), Kyung-Tae Kim (Kor), Alvaro Quiros (Spa)

0747 & 1248 Bo Van Pelt (US), K J Choi (Kor), Martin Laird (UK)

0758 & 1259 Bill Haas (US), Stephen Gallacher (UK), Hiroyuki Fujita (Jpn)

0809 & 1310 Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Peter Uihlein (US), Miguel Angel Jimenez

(Spa)

0820 & 1321 Francesco Molinari (Ita), Tetsuji Hiratsuka (Jpn), Stewart Cink

(US)

0831 & 1332 Nick Watney (US), Matteo Manassero (Ita), Angel Cabrera (Arg)

0842 & 1343 Yuta Ikeda (Jpn), Ian Poulter (UK), Dustin Johnson (US)

0858 & 1359 Paul Casey, Ben Curtis (US), Aaron Baddeley (Aus)

0909 & 1410 Ernie Els (SA), Rory McIlroy (UK), Rickie Fowler (US)

0920 & 1421 Luke Donald (UK), Ryo Ishikawa (Jpn), Sergio Garcia (Spa)

0931 & 1432 Hunter Mahan (US), Retief Goosen (SA), Anders Hansen (Den)

0942 & 1443 Brian Davis (UK), Camilo Villegas (Col), David Duval (US)

0953 & 1454 Ross Fisher (UK), John Daly (US), Peter Hanson (Swe)

1004 & 1505 Jason Dufner (US), Gregory Bourdy (Fra), Craig Hinton (UK)

1015 & 1516 Alexander Noren (Swe), Paul Lawrie (UK), Kevin Na (US)

1026 & 1527 Seung-yul Noh (Kor), Sean O'Hair (US), Thorbjorn Olesen (Den)

1037 & 1538 Simon Edwards (US), Bob Estes (US), Richard McEvoy (UK)

1048 & 1549 Francis McGuirk (UK), Matthew Millar (Aus), Kevin Streelman (US)

1059 & 1600 Mark Laskey (UK), Thomas Shadbolt (UK), Rick Kulacz (Aus)

1110 & 1611 Chris Tidland (US), Simon Lilly (UK), Neil Schietekat (SA)

1131 & 0630 Spencer Levin (US), Peter Whiteford (UK), Thomas Aiken (SA)

1142 & 0641 Prom Meesawat (Tha), Martin Maritz (SA), Harrison Frazar (US)

1153 & 0652 Chad Campbell (US), Kenneth Ferrie (UK), Scott Jamieson (UK)

1204 & 0703 Mark Wilson (US), Raphael Jacquelin (Fra), Kyle Stanley (US)

1215 & 0714 Steve Marino (US), Richard Green (Aus), Pablo Larrazabal (Spa)

1226 & 0725 Sandy Lyle (UK), Rory Sabbatini (SA), Anthony Kim (US)

1237 & 0736 Charles Howell III (US), Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Joost Luiten

(Ned)

1248 & 0747 Brandt Snedeker (US), Lucas Bjerregaard (Den), Trevor Immelman

(SA)

1259 & 0758 Jonathan Byrd (US), Darren Clarke (UK), YE Yang (Kor)

1310 & 0809 Lucas Glover (US), Hiroo Kawai (Jpn), Robert Karlsson (Swe)

1321 & 0820 Bryden Macpherson (Aus), Matt Kuchar (US), Padraig Harrington (Ire)

1332 & 0831 Zach Johnson (US), Adam Scott (Aus), Justin Rose (UK)

1343 & 0842 Jason Day (Aus), Graeme McDowell (UK), Bubba Watson (US)

1359 & 0858 Bernhard Langer (Ger), Jim Furyk (US), Tadahiro Takayama (Jpn)

1410 & 0909 Lee Westwood (UK), Steve Stricker (US), Charl Schwartzel (SA)

1421 & 0920 Martin Kaymer (Ger), Louis Oosthuizen (SA), Phil Mickelson (US)

1432 & 0931 Henrik Stenson (Swe), Tom Lewis (UK), Tom Watson (US)

1443 & 0942 Robert Allenby (Aus), Davis Love III (US), Fredrik Andersson Hed

(Swe)

1454 & 0953 Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel), JB Holmes (US), Sang-moon Bae (Kor)

1505 & 1004 Webb Simpson (US), Robert Rock (UK), Alejandro Canizares (Spa)

1516 & 1015 Justin Leonard (US), Kurt Barnes (Aus), Jeff Overton (US)

1527 & 1026 Lee Corfield (UK), Ben Crane (US), Floris De Vries (Ned)

1538 & 1037 Tom Lehman (US), Ryan Palmer (US), Adam Wootton (UK)

1549 & 1048 Jung-Gon Hwang (Kor), Gary Boyd (UK), Robert Garrigus (US)

1600 & 1059 George Coetzee (SA), Andy Smith (UK), Brad Kennedy (Aus)

1611 & 1110 Jason Knutzon (US), Andrew Johnson (US), Chih-bing Lam (Sin)

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

2011 British Open Odds: Rory McIlroy Becoming Bigger Favorite, Phil Mickelson Falling

Do you love gambling? Of course you do. Of course, that's only if it's legal where you live, as breaking the law is demonstrably not awesome. The United Kingdom is a place where gambling is legal, so there's a lot of betting action on the 2011 British Open, causing the lines to fluctuate frequently. Opening favorite Rory McIlroy is still the oddsmakers' favorite to win the tournament, but the gap between him and Lee Westwood is climbing. However, thanks to his Scottish Open triumph, Luke Donald is closing in on the 2011 U.S. Open winner.

If you're a Phil Mickelson fan, you can bet on him at increasingly more favorable odds. Just three days ago, Lefty was sitting pretty at 28/1, the joint eighth favorite. Now, he's down the list of favorites quite a bit, and you can place a bet on him at 40/1. Here are the odds on some notables.

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British Open 2011: Luke Donald Wins Scottish Open As Warmup To Open Championship

One week from Sunday, the 2011 British Open will have a winner, but on this weekend Luke Donald, the No. 1 golfer in the world, will enter the Open Championship with a victory at the 2011 Scottish Open. Playing in a rain-shortened tournament, Donald picked up his first win since becoming the top golfer in the world, shooting 19-under over 54 holes.

Donald's third and final round was a 9-under 63, but second-place finisher Fredrik Andersson Hed came up with a 10-under 62 in the third round to finish at 15-under. Both will be confident heading into Royal St. George's Golf Course on Thursday.

Lee Westwood, the No. 2 golfer in the world, finished seven strokes behind at 12-under. Angel Cabrera finished tied for third at 14-under and will look to improve upon his best finish in the British Open, fourth in 1999. Colin Montgomerie needed a top-five finish to qualify for the British Open, but his 10-under put him in a tied for 31st place.

For more 2011 British Open news and results, stay with this StoryStream, visit SB Nation's golf hub, and check out our golf blog, Waggle Room.

British Open 2011 Odds: Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood Hold Best Betting Lines

With Tiger Woods out of the 2011 British Open, oddsmakers were forced to adjust, changing the lines for some of the favorites to compensate for his withdrawal. While Woods hasn't been on form lately, he still held solid odds to win the British Open, though it's a moot point now. With the tournament just a few days away, the latest odds are out and, not surprisingly, Rory McIlroy is favored.

By no means is McIlroy a runaway favorite; in golf there hardly is such a thing. With a large field of competitors and the element of luck, it was always unlikely McIlroy would be the clear favorite. Instead it's he and Westwood atop the latest odds, with the US Open winner holding 6/1 odds and Westwood with 7/1 odds.

Phil Mickelson holds the best odds for an American, but is only listed at 28/1, tied with Graeme McDowell. Luke Donald (14/1), Martin Kaymer (20/1) and Sergio Garcia (22/1) are each in the top-10.

Here are the latest odds, courtesy of Bodog.

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British Open 2011: Lee Westwood Looks For Elusive Claret Jug Victory

Lee Westwood enters the 2011 British Open near the top of the golf world. He is No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings, behind only fellow Englishman Luke Donald, but a win in his home tournament has yet to come. He's played in every Open Championship since 1995, but he's finished all over the leaderboard, including four missed cuts.

But for the last two years, Westwood has seen victory just out of his reach. In 2009, Westwood was in position to stay neck-and-neck with his competitors, but he bogeyed several holes to finish one stroke back of Stewart Cink and Tom Watson, the former picking up a victory in a playoff. Coming off his third-place finish, Westwood came back in 2010 with a 9-under, but that wasn't enough to eclipse Louis Oosthuizen who shot 16-under.

Westwood's other top-five finish came in 2004 when he shot 6-under at Royal Troon. The one time Westwood competed at Royal St. George's came in 2003 and he shot a 9-over, missing the cut.

With better finishes the last two years, is the top spot Westwood's to claim this year?

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British Open 2011: Colin Montgomerie Trying To Make Field, David Toms Withdraws

The 2011 British Open may be without one of the most recognizable European players of the past generation, and has just lost another major champion from its field.

Colin Montgomerie's last-ditch attempt to qualify for the 2011 British Open will require a top-five finish at this week's Scottish Open. On Thursday, he started that pursuit well, with a 5-under 67 that left him two shots back of the lead. A bogey on the ninth hole — his final hole of the day — pushed him back. Montgomerie, who is barely in the top 300 of the World Golf Rankings, has never won a major championship.

David Toms, the 2001 PGA Championship winner, has, but he won't be a part of the 2011 British Open field, withdrawing from the field on Thursday and leaving Thomas Bjorn as the first alternate. Bjorn tied for second in the 2003 British Open, held at the same Royal St. George's course that will host the 2011 British Open beginning July 14.

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British Open 2011: Royal St. George's Plays Host To 14th Open Championship

The Royal St. George's Golf Club course that will play host to the 2011 British Open is no stranger to the event. 2011's iteration will mark the 14th time the Open Championship is played at the track in Sandwich, which became the first golf course outside of Scotland to host a British Open in 1894.

Most recently, Royal St. George's was the site of the 2003 British Open, a brutal affair that saw only eventual winner Ben Curtis finish in red numbers, at 1-under 283, for the week. But in the next most recent Royal St. George's British Open, Greg Norman set the Open Championship aggregate scoring record with a 13-under 267, a mark that still stands nearly two decades later.

The 2011 British Open will be the first in an unprecedented string of two consecutive Open Championships to take place in England. The 2012 British Open will take place at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.

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British Open 2011: Luke Donald Looks To Win First Major At Open Championship

Luke Donald is currently the world's top-ranked golfer, and rightly so: he won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, won the BMW PGA Championship, a European Tour major, in May, and has eight top 10s in 10 PGA Tour events this year. But despite his perch atop the World Golf Rankings, Donald has never won a major championship, and he'll be looking to do that in the 2011 British Open at Royal St. George's starting July 14.

Donald has just five top 10s in 32 career major starts, and his British Open record is even less impressive. Donald has played in 10 Open Championships: he has been cut in five, finished in the top 30 just twice, and placed in the top five just once. That top five finish, a tie for fourth in 2009, came after Donald battled gamely to get back to even par for the tournament with a 3-under 67 on Sunday. He finished two shots back of eventual winner Stewart Cink and his playoff foe, Tom Watson.

Donald played in the last British Open to take place at Royal St. George's in 2003. He was cut after shooting 76-79 on the par-70 course in his first two rounds.

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British Open 2011: Tiger Woods' Injury Opens Door For Jason Dufner

Time and time again, we hear the sentiment said: one man's loss is another man's opportunity. Of course, what that particular man does when that particular opportunity arrives is a different story, but rest assured, Jason Dufner plans to make the most of his.

Mired by a long up-and-down career, Dufner never could quite find the chance to make his big break. After a nine year stretch in which the golfer qualified for just four major tournaments -- and only placed in two, with his best finish coming in 2006 when he tied for 40th at the U.S. Open -- Dufner was facing a slump for the ages.

However, as the decade began anew, everything would change for the Cleveland native. Refocused and reenergized by a year that saw him finish in 33rd on the money list, Dufner qualified for each of 2010's four majors, in the process recording three of the best finishes of his life. He capped off the year with the greatest performance of his career, streaking up the leaderboard to stun everyone with a 5th place finish at the PGA Championship. Dufner's time had come.

With the onset of 2011, the American appeared poised to take his game to the next level. Dufner opened the year strong, nearly winning his first PGA tour event at the Waste Management Phoenix Open before losing in a playoff to Mark Wilson. Following that abrupt disappointment, everything began to spiral downward for the 34-year old.

After failing to qualify for The Masters, Dufner was unable to clear an early cut at the U.S. Open. The situation only compounded itself after he failed to qualify for next week's British Open. He had traveled backwards, it seemed. All the progress lost; all the momentum gone.

But now, with the exit of Tiger Woods, Dufner will get the big break he so badly wanted. Given the spot at the British Open vacated by the sport's greatest titan, he surely can't help but wonder. 

The power of the underdog is an amazing thing. Doubt is the great equalizer. Please don't be shocked to look up at the leaderboard on July 14th and see that Clevelander has taken advantage of his opportunity. 

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Tiger Woods Will Not Play In British Open, Cites Concern Over Risking Further Injury

In recent days, it had appeared less and less likely that Tiger Woods would play in the 2011 British Open, and so Tuesday's news is hardly unexpected: the noted golf enthusiast indeed will not participate. The announcement was posted on Woods' website:

"Unfortunately, I've been advised that I should not play in the British Open," Woods said. "As I stated at the AT&T National, I am only going to come back when I'm 100 percent ready. I do not want to risk further injury. That's different for me, but I'm being smarter this time. I'm very disappointed and want to express my regrets to the British Open fans."

Sports betting site Bodog had listed Woods as the American with the best odds to win the Open Championship, which begins July 14th. Woods still hasn't played competitively since withdrawing from the Players Championship in mid-May; this will be the ninth consecutive event he has skipped. He won the 71st PGA Tour event of his career in September of 2009, and is still looking for the 72nd.

British Open 2011: Vijay Singh, Four Others Earn Spots; Tiger Woods' Status Uncertain

Vijay Singh was one of several golfers to earn spots in the upcoming 2011 British Open on Monday, although he may not play due to back trouble.

Webb Simpson, J.B. Holmes, Steve Marino and Yuta Ikeda received spots as well. 

Singh withdrew from the AT&T National on Saturday after experiencing problems with his back. It's not yet clear whether he'll be able to play.

In the meantime, Brendan Jones is the first reserve, and will wait to see whether Tiger Woods will be able to play in the Open. Woods is dealing with injuries to his knee and Achilles and is not sure whether he's going to play, but it sounds doubtful:

"I don't know and that's the hard part," he said. "That's what is killing because I don't have a timetable. I'm just taking it one day at a time and that's kind of hard.

"As of right now I've got to go day by day in my training sessions. We push it each day to see how it is, and the next day if I recover right we push it a bit harder."

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British Open 2011: Thomas Levet May Miss Tournament After Celebration Injury

According to reports, 2002 British Open runner-up Thomas Levet may have to sit out the 2011 version of The Open following a bizarre injury incurred while celebrating a recent tournament victory. 

After winning the French Open last week, Levet -- in accordance with golf tradition -- exuberantly jumped into the course lake in celebration. The plunge unfortunately resulted in a small fracture to the 42-year old's shin, which will keep him out of this week's Scottish Open, and may keep him out of this year's British Open depending on the severity of the damage. Levet is scheduled to receive concentrated treatment throughout the next few days, and will consultant an expert again later this week before making his formal decision.

Levet nearly won the 2002 British Open, having taken eventual-champion Ernie Els to the brink with a four-hole playoff, followed by a one-hole sudden-death playoff, before finally succumbing to the South African. After failing to qualify for The Open from 2006-2008, Levet has participated in the major for two consecutive years.   

British Open 2011: Sergio Garcia Qualifies For Field After Late Push

Despite saying that he was not going to attempt to qualify for the 2011 edition of the British Open, Sergio Garcia earned admittance and will run his streak to 49 consecutive appearances in golf's Majors. Garcia earned his spot by finishing second in last week's BMW International Open on the European tour, falling to Pablo Larrazabal on the fifth hole of a playoff.

"I would love to have won the tournament, but my main goal was to qualify for The Open and I’ve done that," he said.

Garcia, as has been well documented, was once considered a contender to Tigers Woods' spot as the world's top golfer. The Spaniard made his Top 10 debut as a 20-year-old in 2000 and spent the next seven years there, but could never quite break through. Despite winning 15 times on the U.S. and European tours and finishing second in three Majors, he never was able to win on golf's biggest stages. His best finish at the British Open was a second-place in 2007 when he led after each of the first three rounds and carried a three-stroke lead into the final day, but fell a stroke short after needing to par the final hole at Carnoustie.

His last win came three years ago in the Castelló Masters Costa Azahar, which gave him a career-high World Golf Ranking of No. 3. But his career quickly unraveled after that to the point that he recently took several months off, causing him to fall out of the top 50 of the golf rankings, which would have given him automatic entry into the majors.

British Open 2011: Charles Howell III Turns AT&T National Finish Into St. Andrews Invite

According to British Open rules, any player who finishes in the top five of the AT&T National earns himself entry into the Open Championship. Charles Howell III shot 66 during Sunday's final round in Newtown Square, sliding him from 13th into a tie for third place.

Howell has earned a top-20 finish at each PGA Tour major besides the Open; he'll have a chance to top his No. 42 placing earned in 2004 at St. Andrews.

He said he was aware of what was at stake, but focused on the task at hand: 

It was in the back of my head. But that doesn't mean anything ... I'm obviously thrilled, but the more important thing today was to climb up the leader board.

British Open 2011 Odds: Tiger Woods Only American With Decent Odds

The 2011 British Open is set to begin in just about a week and a half and oddsmakers are already handicapping the field. As expected, Rory McIlroy is favored in the early betting lines after running away from the field at the always difficult US Open. At 5/1, McIlroy paces the field, though a few familiar names hold favorable odds.

Europe dominates the top of the betting odds board, with Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Martin Kaymer all in the top-5. Perhaps surprisingly, Tiger Woods holds 14/1 odds, the third-best in the field and tied with Donald. Woods may not even compete in the British Open and has vowed to stay away from competition until his knee is fully healed.

Sergio Garcia is also hanging around after rediscovering his swing and placing himself in competitive positions recently. Garcia holds 20/1 odds, the sixth-best in the field.

Here are some of the players with the best odds, courtesy of Bodog.

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British Open 2011: Rory McIlroy Talks Time Off On Piers Morgan

Rory McIlroy might be coming off the biggest win of his young life, but despite that -- or perhaps because of it -- he's already running into some criticism. Mostly for not playing between his big U.S. Open win and the British Open. He talked to Piers Morgan about it.

"Time off and time away from the game is nearly as important as the time you practice, because if I play golf every day, you get stale, you go through the motions it becomes a little bit tedious," McIlroy said. "But once you go away from the game for a couple of weeks you get that freshness back, that determination and hunger that makes you want to practice."

McIlroy also spoke, somewhat awkwardly, about being called the next Tiger Woods. And Morgan wasn't just asking about his drive.

McIlroy is also a fan of Swedish House Mafia, in case you were wondering. And we know you were.

British Open 2011: Even Without Tiger Woods, Ticket Sales Are Strong

Ever since Tiger Woods broke onto the golfing scene, there has been no better way to sell tickets than having him in the field. Conversely, when he doesn't play, ticket prices tend to take a hit, as anyone trying to resell their U.S. Open tickets found out. At least in England, it appears one thing may be an even better draw: The chance of seeing British golfers at the top of their game playing for the British Open.

With Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy holding the top three spots in the world, ticket sales are reportedly up 20 percent for the July 14-17 Open Championship at St. Andrews Golf Course. McIlroy, a 22-year-old from Northern Ireland, seems to be the main reason, at least according to Peter Dawson, chief executive officer of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews:

"Rory’s win at Congressional has certainly injected a lot of life into ticket sales for the championship," Dawson said in a telephone interview. "It’s very noticeable. It’s taken us from a cumulative position of slightly ahead of the last time we were at Sandwich to being 20 percent ahead at this point."

British Open 2011: Rory McIlroy The Favorite, Tiger Woods Unlikely To Play

The 2011 British Open will take place at Royal St. Georges Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England from July 14 to 17. Louis Oosthuizen, who won the open championship last year, will attempt to defend his title.

It currently appears very unlikely that we'll see Tiger Woods, who hasn't taken a shot in about seven weeks. Most eyes will turn instead to Rory McIlroy, the 22-year-old who won the U.S. Open. McIlroy is currently on a break, but will return in time to play:

McIlroy has pulled out of the French Open, which starts in Paris on June 30, and will not play again until the British Open at Sandwich, southeast England, from July 14-17.

After the celebrations, McIlroy intends to relax with his family following his first major victory -- an eight-shot win at Congressional on Sunday.

After his runaway performance at the U.S. Open, McIlroy is currently the favorite at the British Open as well, at 6:1, followed by Lee Westwood at 10:1 and Woods and Luke McDonald at 15:1.

"I'm going to take three weeks off, I think, get myself ready for the Open Championship," McIlroy said after shooting four straight rounds in the 60s to win the US Open.

"I want to give myself a great chance to prepare well for that and hopefully give myself a good chance to win."

A focused McIlroy could be tough to beat, given the way he's played recently.

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