Open Returns to Sandwich

 

The 2003 Open Championship will be played at Royal St George's Golf Club in Kent.

The Championship Committee of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club announced that the course would host the Open for the 13th time from July 17-20 by which time it will be 10 years since it last staged the tournament.

At Sandwich in 1993, Greg Norman lifted the old claret jug by two strokes from Nick Faldo after a suberb final round of 64. Sandwich was the scene of British joy in 1985 when Sandy Lyle became the first Briton to win the tournament since Tony Jacklin at Royal Lytham & St Annes in 1969.

"We are delighted that the Open will be returning to Royal St George's in 2003," said Peter Dawson, secretary of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club. "The Links has been strengthened by the addition of several new championship tees and by the remodelling of the 14th hole. It will provide an excellent test of golf and produce a worthy champion."

Gerald Watts, secretary of Royal St George's Golf Club, added: "This will be the 13th time we will have hosted the Open Championship and we are very much looking forward to it returning to the south of England, and particularly because it is returning to Royal St George's where there was such an outstanding Championship in 1993."

The distinguished roll call of previous Open winners at Sandwich includes J.H.Taylor (1894), Harry Vardon (1899 and 1911), Walter Hagen (1922 and 1928), Henry Cotton (1934) and Bobby Locke (1949).

Although by 2003 it will be a decade since Royal St George's last hosted the Open, the club has maintained strong links with the Royal & Ancient and played host to the 1997 Amateur Championship.

Prior to 2003, the Open will be staged this year at St Andrews (July 20-23), Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2001 (July 19-22) and Muirfield in 2002 (July 18-21).