The British are responsible for so many of the sports codes that the world enjoys every day. One of these is golf. The present game of golf originated in Scotland in the 15th century, although, in principle, the idea of using a curved stick to hit a leather ball was actually an old Roman game. This pastime would have been spread by the Romans during their conquests, although much of this is merely presumption and conjecture.
Golf tournaments in their current form are held in every country, and the sport is played throughout the year. The most famous golf tournaments are called the Major tournaments, and there are only 4 of these prestigious events held per year, three of which are in the USA and the fourth, the British Open, in Scotland.
Major Golf Tournaments are Seasons’ Highlights
The British Open Championship is the oldest of the 4 major tournaments in professional golf. The British Open occurs third in the international golfing calendar, and follows the US Masters and the US Open tournaments. First played in Scotland as long ago as 1860, the maiden tournament was purely for professional golfers, of which there were only eight. All these professionals were Scottish.
The British Open, or as it is often referred to, the Open Championship is a 72-hole stroke play golf tournament that is contested over four days. In its current format, 156 players complete the field. This total includes previous major winners, the top professionals who have achieved exemptions, and the winners of the top amateur championships, so simply making the field is an achievement of note in golfing terms. The field is cut after 36 holes, and only the leading 70 players play the final two rounds.
Tradition and History Have Accumulated
The British Open Golf Tournament is steeped in tradition and stories of courage, fortitude, luck and misfortune and has been a significant contributor to the overall lore of the game. In broad terms, the Open began a period of sustained public interest when in 1969 a South African, Gary Player won the tournament. Thus began the Era of the Big Three that grabbed the imagination of the worlds media. Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus dominated the sport headlines for several decades, and the charismatic trio drew many television viewers, popularised the sport generally, and brought all the American golfers to the British Open.
Sports Betting and Victory at the Open
In 2016, the British Open was played at Royal Troon golf course. The victor was Hendrik Stenson, over Phil Mickelson in another duel that became part of the folklore of the British Open Championship. In true betting style the odds for the 2017 British Open have been posted, and champion Hendrick Stenson is quoted at 18/1. The current favourite is Jason Day at 8/1 and Dustin Johnson at 9/1.
Professional golfers compete in competitions all over the world, but it is especially around the time of the larger major tournaments that the levels of sports betting spikes. These major tournaments are ideal for sports betting purposes, and with the presence of online and mobile betting sites, everyone can get to enjoy the British Open with the additional excitement having some wagers riding on the event.