Hoping for a 2009 vintage
In 1977 Turnberry staged the epic Duel In The Sun between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus when the two Americans slugged it out side by side for two compelling days, leaving the rest of the field playing a separate tournament.
Watson eventually prevailed by one shot after holing out at the last from close range but only after Nicklaus had taken him the distance with a wonderful 35-foot putt.
The ferocious but sporting contest was summed up by an exchange at the 16th tee between the two men. Watson, who had just evened the match up with a 60-foot putt from off the green at the 15th, looked at Nicklaus and said: “This is what it’s all about, isn’t it?” Nicklaus turned to him and said: “You bet it is.”
As Turnberry readies itself to stage another Open, we surveyed a cross-section of combatants and onlookers at the Ayrshire venue and asked who they would choose to watch in a modern-day Duel In The Sun this weekend.
Tom Watson – Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy
Ian Poulter – Tiger Woods and Nick Faldo 1990 version
Jim Furyk – Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington
Justin Leonard – Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington
Camilo Villegas – Tiger Woods and Greg Norman
Craig Connolly (caddie) – Tiger Woods and Paul Casey
Lee Westwood – Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington
Thomas Levet – Sergio Garcia and Raphael Jaquelin
Frank Cruickshanks (Turnberry locker room steward) – Tiger Woods and John Daly
Tiger Woods – two other guys