ST. ANDREWS, SCOTLAND -- A brief look at the British Open, which starts Thursday on the Old Course at St. Andrews:
Event: 150th Open Championship.
Site: St. Andrews (Old Course).
Length: 7,313 yards.
Par: 72.
Field: 156 players.
Playoff (if necessary): 3 holes, aggregate score.
Prize money: US$14 million.
Winner's share: $2.5 million.
Defending champion: Collin Morikawa.
Last year: Collin Morikawa won his second major in as many years with a dynamic short game for a two-shot victory over Jordan Spieth as the British Open returned after two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last time at St. Andrews: In the first Monday finish since 1988 because of rain and wind delays, Zach Johnson won a three-way playoff over Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen. Jordan Spieth bogeyed the 17th hole and missed the playoff by one shot, ending his bid for the Grand Slam.
Tiger Tales: Tiger Woods is playing his third major of the year. He finished 47th in the Masters and made the cut in the PGA Championship and then withdrew after the third round. He has won the British Open twice at St. Andrews.
Key statistic: The last five majors have been won by five different players in their 20s, the longest such streak in major championship history.
Noteworthy: The average winning score of the last four Opens at St. Andrews was 16-under 272.
Quoteworthy: "I think it's the holy grail of our sport." -- Rory McIlroy, on winning a British Open at St. Andrews.
