Pressure increases on Englishmen to win the Open Championship
As the clock ticks, pressure is increasing rapidly on the English golfers featuring in the British Open. The Open tees off on the 19th of July at the Lytham Golf Course in Lancashire.
Tony Jacklin was the last Englishman to win the Open on English soil in 1969. Nick Faldo, although managed to win the Open in 1992, but that was on Scottish soil.
This time around Luke Donald and Lee Westwood are one of the favourites to win the Open. Being the world number one and three, respectively, people have high hopes from them, especially English fans.
Ernie Els and Maria Olazabal have both backed Lee Westwood for the victory at the Open.
Both of them feel that Lee’s game suits the setting of the golf course. All he needs to do is absorb the pressure and putt well. Lee has a very good control over the golf ball, which will be essential, as the Lytham course is full of bunkers.
Both, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood, have never won a major in their career. However, Lee has been closest to triumph in the majors among the two.
Westwood was the runner-up at the Open back in 2010. He is one of the most consistent players on the tour and if he has to win his first major, then he must be consistent over the course of four days.
Luke Donald, the world’s best golfer has not performed well in the majors. As an Englishman, playing at the Open the pressure increases as the expectations rise as well.
Luke knows that people are expecting good results from him this time around and he is certainly feeling the heat.
''I have realised that I do get a little bit more anxious, a little bit more uptight and I have gotta try and control that, and that is going to kind of be the priority - go out there and try to play with a little bit more freedom, a little bit more fun,
and hopefully that is the key to getting off to a better start,'' he said ahead of his preparation for the Open.
Unlike Luke Donald, Lee Westwood absorbs the pressure intelligently, that is why many people are tipping him for the Open.
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