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When it comes down to winning the Open Championship, a few grey hairs and wrinkles seldom go amiss. |
Last year at Royal Lytham in Lancashire “past his best” Ernie Els roared again as he won the Claret Jug for a second time - 10 years after his first win - at the age of 42.
Twelve months previously, at Royal St George’s in Kent, “washed-out” Darren Clarke defied time and the elements to stun an elite field with a pugnacious performance also at the age of 42.
It’s a trend that has marked golf’s oldest and most prestigious major over the last few years.
In 2009 at Turnberry, American legend Tom Watson came within an eight-foot putt of pulling off what would have been one of the most remarkable triumphs in recent sporting history at the age of 59.
Greg Norman had victory in his grasp a year earlier at Royal Birkdale only for the 53-year-old to be denied by a superb final back nine from Padraig Harrington.
In short, playing links golf - the trademark of the British Open - takes time, patience and lots of experience.
South African Els, who won his first Open at Muirfield the last time it was held at the famed East Lothian course in 2002, has all of those qualities, which makes him one of the favourites next week.
It is all a matter of career building bricks, he believes.
“My last major back then was in ‘97 and so that was a five year gap. I got close quite a few times in that period in majors and kind of blew a couple here and there,” he said.
“I had a big lead on that final round (in 2002) and I kind of started leaking oil a little bit, definitely on 16 when I made double bogey. But I made birdie on 17 and par on 18 to get into the play-off.
“It really felt like it was my win because I had such a big lead throughout most of the Championship, so I think if I had not won in 2002 I don’t think I would have won another major.
“I think the psychological effect would have been such that I think I would have lost too much confidence.”
Irishman Harrington, who won back-to-back Open Championships at Carnoustie in 2008 and Royal Birkdale in 2009, but is winless since then, believes that at 41 he can still compete to win a fourth major title.
Playing in the Scottish Open on the links of Castle Stuart, outside of Inverness, Harrington said that to win on links you had firstly to be comfortable on links.
“I wouldn’t be here unless it was on a links course,” he said.
“There’s no doubt that as much as I grew up playing links golf as a kid, you need to re-familarise yourself with it.
“I can’t understand why anybody wouldn’t want to play a links tournament before they go and play the Open if they want to try and win The Open.”
Harrington at least has two Open wins under his belt which is more than can be said for American star Phil Mickelson, who endured years of futility at The Open before finishing in a tie for second behind Clarke two years ago.
Mickleson, coming off a record sixth runner-up finish at the US Open behind Justin Rose last month, is adament that, like Clarke and Els, perseverance is what counts in links golf.
“I really want to play well and I really want to play well over here and try to get an Open Championship,” he said.
“I think that it would be for me one of my greatest accomplishments to be able to conquer links golf and to win an Open Championship over here. Although I’ve come close maybe twice, I have not really played my best golf in this event.
“I think I’ve identified a couple of reasons why, but it’s time to play now. It’s time to shoot the scores and hit the shots that I’ve spent 20 years now trying to work on.”