British Open Facts and Figures

Event: 129th British Open golf championship.

Dates: July 20-23.

Defending champion: Paul Lawrie.

Site: The Old Course at St. Andrews.

Length: 7,115 yards.

Par: 36-36--72.

Format: 72 holes (18 daily) stroke play.

Playoff, if necessary: Four holes, stroke play.

Purse: 2.75 million British pounds (approximately $4.4 million).

Winners share: 500,000 British pounds (approximately $800,000).

Last year: At Carnoustie, Paul Lawrie staged the greatest comeback in major championship history--10 strokes--but only after an unforgettable collapse by Jean Van de Velde. The Frenchman led by three strokes going to the 72nd hole, but took triple bogey with a series of bizarre shots to finish at 6-over 290 with Lawrie and Justin Leonard. Lawrie birdied the last two holes in the playoff to win by three strokes.

Open champions at St. Andrews: Tom Kidd (1873), Bob Martin (1876, 1885), Jamie Anderson (1879), Robert Ferguson (1882), Jack Burns (1888), Hugh Kirkaldy (1891), J.H. Taylor (1895, 1900), James Braid (1905, 1910), Jock Hutchison (1921), Bobby Jones (1927), Denny Shute (1933), Dick Burton (1939), Sam Snead (1946), Peter Thomson (1955), Bobby Locke (1957), Kel Nagle (1960), Tony Lema (1964), Jack Nicklaus (1970, 1978), Seve Ballesteros (1984), Nick Faldo (1990), John Daly (1995).

Open champions in the field: Seve Ballesteros (1979, 1984, 1988), Mark Calcavecchia (1989), Bob Charles (1963), John Daly (1995), Nick Faldo (1987, 1990, 1992), Paul Lawrie (1999), Tom Lehman (1996), Justin Leonard (1996), Sandy Lyle (1985), Jack Nicklaus (1966, 1970, 1978), Mark O’Meara (1998), Gary Player (1974, 1968, 1959), Nick Price (1994), Tom Watson (1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983).

Television (all times EDT): Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., ESPN. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., ABC. Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., ABC.