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CARNOUSTIE, Scotland -- A brief look at the 136th British
Open golf championship, which starts Thursday: Site: Carnoustie Golf Links Length: 7,421 yards Par: 36-35--71 Purse: $8.46 million Winner's share: $1.51 million Defending champion: Tiger Woods Last year: Woods used driver only one time in four rounds,
relying instead on long irons because of the brown, crispy
conditions at Royal Liverpool. He holed out from 209 yards on the
14th hole in the second round to match his career-best 65 in a
major and take the lead, then closed with a 67 to finish at
18-under 270 for a two-shot victory over Chris DiMarco. He became
the first player since Tom Watson in 1982-83 to win the British
Open in consecutive years. Last time at Carnoustie: In a carnival finish that led to one of
the greatest collapses in golf, Jean Van de Velde blew a three-shot
lead on the last hole by making triple bogey to fall into a
three-way playoff with Paul Lawrie and Justin Leonard. Lawrie
unwittingly staged the greatest comeback in major championship
history (10 shots) by closing with a 67. Open champions at Carnoustie: Tommy Armour (1931), Henry Cotton
(1937), Ben Hogan (1953), Gary Player (1968), Tom Watson (1975),
Paul Lawrie (1999). Noteworthy: Woods is trying to become only the fifth player to
win the British Open three straight times. Quoteworthy: "It's the most green I've ever seen a British
Open." -- Chris DiMarco. Key pairing (all times EDT): Tiger Woods, Paul Lawrie, Justin
Rose, 4:09 a.m. Television (all times EDT): Thursday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
TNT Sports. Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., TNT Sports; 9 a.m. to 2:30
p.m., ABC Sports. Sunday, 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., TNT Sports; 8 a.m. to
1:30 p.m., ABC Sports.
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