Monday 11 July was a day that will remain in the history of golf for the disabled: four players with disabilities were invited by The R&A to compete in the Champions Celebration, a team event that was played on the 18 holes of the Old Course.
The four players are: – Spanish European Champion Juan Postigo teamed up with the three Open Champions Mark Calcavecchia, Jordan Spieth and Ian Baker-Finch; – the German Jennifer Sraga teamed up with Henrick Stenson, Mark O’Meara and the 202 Amateur Latin America Champion Aaron Jarvis; – Dutchman Monique Kalkman teamed up with three golf legends such as Gary Player, Sir Bob Charles and Sandy Lyle; – Kipp Popert from England with Stewart Cink, Paul Lawrie and five-time Open Champion Tom Watson.
The Open, history
The tournament was held for the first time in October 1860 at Prestwick Golf Club on the west coast of Scotland, with eight players competing in just one day over a distance of 36 holes. The competition was born as an attempt to identify the new golf champion following the death of Allan Robertson, considered the best player of his time and who died in 1859; the first winner was Willie Park Sr., who beat Tom Morris Sr.
by two hits. The following year the tournament became open to non-professional players as well. [2] From 1871 the Open was not organized by the Prestwick Golf Club alone, but the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers of Muirfiled were added; [3] the Royal and Ancient Golf Club became the only tournament organizer since 1920.
[4] In 1892 the competition was extended to 72 holes, while two years later the first edition of an Open outside of Scotland was held at Royal St George’s Golf Club, England; in 1898 the cut was introduced after two laps of the field.
The tournament has always been played since 1860 except for four occasions: in 1871, when an agreement was not reached on the new prize for the champion; between 1915 and 1919 due to the First World War, between 1939 and 1946 due to the Second World War and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; it counts 149 editions by 2021.
