European tigers ready for a big Open feast

ALL the talk here is of how well Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Ernie Els are playing. But, as Pádraig Harrington has argued, the 24 year drought since a European last won the US Open is about to end.

And the man to rob Tony Jacklin (who won at Hazeltine National in 1970) of his unwelcome record could well be either Harrington or Spain's Sergio Garcia, now back in the world top ten after victories in the Byron Nelson and Buick Classics.

By and large, the title has been the preserve of the Americans since Jacklin's triumph with the odd exception Retief Goosen in 2001; Ernie Els in 1997 and '94 and David Graham of Australia in 1981.