The history, holes, and heroes of Royal Birkdale

Kevin Markham takes a look at the Royal Birkdale as the course prepares to host The Open Championship.

You could call it the Van de Velde moment that got away. Leading by two shot in the final round, Pádraig Harrington stood on Royal Birkdale’s 17th fairway and called for his five wood. I covered my eyes in despair and when I opened them, the crowds were roaring and his ball was four feet from the hole. To this day I still think it was a crazy shot to play. The replay showed the ball landing short of the green, just clearing the bunker. Yes, it ended up four feet from the cup, leading to an eagle three, and yes, it became one of the greatest shots in Open Championship history, but it was a risk he simply didn’t need to take.

As the Open returns to Royal Birkdale for the 146th staging of the event, Pádraig Harrington, now 45, has found some form and will undoubtedly see himself in the mix come this weekend.