OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FOR
ROYAL ST. GEORGE'S IN 2003

 

The Championship Committee of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club have announced the 2003 Open Championship will take place at Royal St. George's Golf Club, Kent, from Thursday July 17th to Sunday July 20th.

It will be thirteenth time the Open has been staged at Sandwich, the last being in 1993 when a superb final round 64 gave Greg Norman victory by two strokes from Nick Faldo.

There was British joy on the previous occasion however in 1985 when Sandy Lyle became the first Briton to win since Tony Jacklin at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 1969.

Indeed Open Championships at Royal St. George's are steeped in the history of the game with previous winners including Bobby Locke, Henry Cotton, Walter Hagen, Harry Vardon and J.H. Taylor.

Although a decade will have elapsed between the last staging of the Open at Royal St. George's and the 2003 CHampionship, the club has maintained a strong link with the Royal & Ancient and played host to the 1997 Amateur Championship, won by Scotland's Craig Watson.

"We are delighted that the Open Championship 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."

Prior to 2003 the Open Championship will be staged at St. Andrews (July 20-23, 2000), Royal Lytham and St. Annes (July 19-22, 2001) and Muirfield (July 18-21, 2002).