Golf

Rory McIlroy tees off from the 11th during the second round of the Scottish Open yesterday

Rory McIlroy: Closer to the dream

Rory McIlroy believes he can triumph in The Open at Turnberry next week – and no one is arguing. James Corrigan reports

Inside Golf

Goosen has last laugh after opening gaffe

Saturday, 11 July 2009

Retief Goosen is not in the habit of reducing galleries to giggling fits, but when he topped his first shot of the morning and it proceeded to trundle off the tee-box and hop up the fairway like an embarrassed duck the muffles barely concealed the laughter. But if ever the first act was unfaithful to the conclusion, it was this drive.

Duel in the Sun: The epic battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus

Saturday, 11 July 2009

At Turnberry in 1977, golf – and the spirit of sportsmanship itself – were taken to heights rarely seen before or since. James Corrigan recalls the 'Duel in the Sun', an epic battle between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus that will live for ever on the famous links

A hacker's guide to Turnberry

Saturday, 11 July 2009

The links' glories are best appreciated as spectator rather than amateur, as James Corrigan discovered in a round that caught the attention of Sergio Garcia...

Padraig Harrington: 'If I win a third, I'll sing from the rooftops'

Saturday, 11 July 2009

Padraig Harrington has won the last two Opens – not bad for a man who once seemed destined to remain an also-ran. He tells Brian Viner about his plans to add to the collection of replica Claret Jugs in his kitchen

Ten reasons to love Turnberry

Saturday, 11 July 2009

1. The Craig The spectacular coastline of the Firth of Clyde includes views of the Isle of Arran and the hills of the Kintyre peninsula but hauntingly stuck 10 miles off the coast is the imperious Ailsa Craig. The volcanic rock, two miles in circumference, rises 1,114 feet above the sea and is now only fit for birdlife, particularly gannets, but was once a haven for Catholics during the Scottish Reformation, while for a century granite was mined from the rock and used for making curling stones.

Will Tiger roar again?

Saturday, 11 July 2009

Since his career-saving knee surgery last year, the world No 1 has yet to recapture the power and glory that swept him to 14 majors. But the lunar landscape of Turnberry could be the ideal backdrop for a spectacular return to form, writes James Lawton

Something for the Open weekend: Squeaky bum time for Colin Montgomerie

Saturday, 11 July 2009

Now, before you call up an image of Monty's derrière and think to yourself "wow, that will be some squeak", feel a little sympathy for the burly Scot. Europe's Ryder Cup captain has not missed an Open Championship in 19 years – but this could be his last. Monty has never won – sorry, "has yet to win" – a major and, seeing as he went into last week's French Open without a top-10 finish in a whole year, the chances of him qualifying for St Andrews next year via any money-list is on the Camelot side of remote. So his best chance of extending his run to 20 could be to finish in the top 10 next week. Not as unlikely as it might seem. Monty has his training academy at Turnberry. He might even pop in there himself.