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    The British Open Is Special to Tom Watson. He’s Won It Five Times.

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    He talks about landing his first major at the event 50 years ago.A half century has passed since Tom Watson captured the first of his five British Opens, defeating Jack Newton by one in an 18-hole playoff at Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland.Watson’s most memorable Open triumph, however, came in 1977 at Turnberry in Scotland when he closed with a 65 to edge Jack Nicklaus by a stroke in what became known as the Duel in the Sun. Turnberry was also the venue for one of Watson’s toughest losses. In the 2009 British Open, Watson led by one on the final hole but made a bogey and fell to Stewart Cink in a four-hole playoff.With this year’s Open starting Thursday at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, Watson, 75, reflected on his past appearances.The following conversation has been edited and condensed.What stands out about your British Open win in 1975?What stands out is when I was receiving the trophy from the captain of the R&A, he said to the crowd, “Now I’d like to introduce as the champion golfer of the year, Tom Kite.” That’s how unknown I was.What did the victory do for your confidence?It was obviously a victory in a very important tournament, but I was still trying to learn how to win. I hadn’t learned how yet. I felt I had the tools to win, but I didn’t perform when the chips were down. A lot of it has to do with trusting your golf swing, but it also had to do with swinging too fast and making quick decisions. I finally learned by walking a beat slower and deep breathing coupled with a trust in your golf swing. Things started to fall into place.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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      British Open: A Royal Course Prepares to Star Again

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      The town of Portrush in Northern Ireland will host the event for the first time since 2019.Driving into the town of Portrush, host of this week’s Open Championship, you’re greeted by a mural on the entire wall of a house that features two things: a smiling cherubic face — albeit one with a bright, ginger beard — and the claret jug, one of the oldest trophies in golf.The jug goes to the winner of the Open Championship, who is otherwise known as the champion golfer of the year. The face belongs to Shane Lowry, who won the Open in 2019, the last time it was played in Portrush, a seaside town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.What that mural captures is more than a victory. It captures elation. It was the first time the Open Championship, also known as the British Open, had been played in Northern Ireland since 1951, when the English golfer Max Faulkner won it. In 2019, Lowry was a native son who led the tournament for the final three rounds, prevailing on a misty Sunday evening over Tommy Fleetwood, from England, who finished six shots back.Lowry, who grew up in Clara, in the Republic of Ireland, was then dividing time between Dublin and Jupiter, Fla. He was already established as a formidable golfer in Ireland and Europe. As an amateur, he won the Irish Open in 2009; it was the first event he played on the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) and it started his professional career.A decade on, his victory in Portrush did more than just add another great Irish golfer to the list of Open champions, which include Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington, and Darren Clarke. His win shined a light on a town and a region that an international sporting audience had not seen on such a grand stage.At the heart of Portrush is the area around the harbor.Portrush is a seaside town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More