Trouble Found Bjorn Again

TROON, Scotland —  It was a classic meltdown moment and Thomas Bjorn was the one melting down.

No, it wasn’t his double-bogey five on the 70th hole last year at Royal St. George’s, where he lost a two-shot lead when it took him three shots to escape a bunker. It was his withdrawal two weeks ago from the European Open when, four over par through six holes, he had to be taken from the course because the fairway looked too small and he couldn’t see the green.

Bjorn said he has his confidence back and he’s ready to take on Troon. And he’s certainly not dwelling on what happened at the 16th hole on Sunday at Royal St. George’s.

“I put it behind me. It’s as simple as that,” Bjorn said. “I’ve put that tournament behind me. I’m looking to the future.”

*

Because he has played only twice since January after having surgery to repair torn cartilage in his left wrist, Jim Furyk is rusty with his game, but that doesn’t mean he has no expectations.

Furyk tied for 48th at the U.S. Open as defending champion and then tied for seventh at the Western Open.

“Of course I expect myself to play well,” he said. “I’m a competitor. I had my best year ever last year” -- two victories, a major, fourth on the money list. “I want to get back to that form. I also know that, given the fact that I’ve had five months off and have really only played two tournaments in the last seven months, I have to be a little patient with myself.”

*

There are 93 bunkers at Royal Troon and they are best avoided, according to Thomas Levet, who said, “You find the bunker, you are pretty dead.”

*

Ben Curtis has received a small amount of attention this week, even though he is defending the championship he won last year at Royal St. George’s when he was ranked 396th and playing in his first major.

“You look at a lot of the guys that come out, they don’t win for five or six years,” he said. “If I don’t win until my fifth or sixth year, that’s fine. I know it’s on a learning curve and all I’m doing is trying to improve each week and hopefully get myself in contention.

“And that’s all I’m trying to do, is learn and get better and improve and hopefully one day I’ll become as consistent as Tiger [Woods] and Vijay [Singh]. But, hopefully I’ll be down there in a few years.”

*

There have been 19 majors played since the last European player won -- Paul Lawrie in the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie -- but Sergio Garcia doesn’t see anything wrong with that.

“I think that we have been out there and we have given ourselves chances,” he said. “There’s no reason not to win a major championship. It’s probably the toughest to win. The field is stronger, the courses are tougher. It tests you, not only in your game, but in your mind. I can’t tell you why [Europeans haven’t won]. I don’t think it’s a major deal. It’s just a matter of time.”

*

Vijay Singh won three times before May and has three top 10s since, including a fourth last week at the John Deere, where he said he picked up some good habits with his putter. Singh said he was on his game and on track to win again.

“I’m due for another one,” he said. “I’m playing good enough.”

*

Fred Funk isn’t here, withdrawing to play instead at the B.C. Open, reasoning he has a better chance to pick up Ryder Cup points, though points are double this week at Royal Troon.

If Funk finishes out of the top 10 at the B.C. Open, he gets shut out.

*

From Peter O’Malley, who is in the first group of the day for the second time in his 11 British Opens: “They must believe I’m a fast player.”