The Open 2013: Muirfield provides the perfect platform for Tiger Woods to get his major run back on track

There can be no doubt that Steve Stricker truly loves his wife. Despite being
the 11th‑best golfer in the world and despite being 46 with time running
obviously out on his major dream, the American has sacrificed playing in the
142nd Open to celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary. Bless.

On the prowl: world No 1 Tiger Woods has endured a five-year barren run in majors and would dearly love to win at Muirfield to edge closer to Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 majorsPhoto: GETTY IMAGES

What makes it yet more romantic is that Muirfield is not any old Championship venue. Granted, it is renowned as one of three golf clubs on the Open roster which does not have any female members – a policy which may, just may, gain a few headlines in the next seven days – but its layout is certainly not numerically challenged when it comes to admirers.

On sneaking into the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers’ clubhouse it would be pointless, in the few seconds you were afforded before the SWAT team arrived, to inquire to the huge mirror: “Who is the fairest of them all?”

One would only need the quickest scans down Muirfield’s Open winners’ board for the answer.

You can rely on it. Originally designed by Old Tom Morris, the Gullane masterpiece has a habit of not just finding the best golfer of the week, but the best golfer in existence.

Of course, no roll call of great post-War championships would be complete without the name of Tiger Woods – and what a place this would be to end his five-year barren run and restart his steady march towards Nicklaus’s major total of 18.

Already, Muirfield holds a unique position in Woods’s record books. The 81 he shot in the third round of the 2002 Open remains the only time he has failed to break 80 in 17 years as a professional.

There were mitigating circumstances. The storm which blew in on that infamous Saturday saw 10 players veer the wrong way out the 70s.

Woods was out in the very worst of it and then produced the very best of himself when standing up in front of the media immediately afterwards and not raging against the fates but accepting the punishment.

Still, it would not have been a wise time to remind Woods about the equability of Muirfield.

The then 26-year-old began that afternoon just two shots off the lead and an odds-on chance to win his third major in a row and so set up a tilt at the first calendar Grand Slam in the professional era.

If anything, he comes back even more desperate for a Claret Jug, but instead of starting 6-4 as he did 11 years ago, he can be backed at 9-1.

On the bare facts this might be considered curious. He has won four times on the PGA Tour this season, while in 2002 he had won three times going into the Open.

Admittedly, two of them were majors, but Woods’s victories this season have been in top-class events.

So what accounts for this anomaly, other than his recent major shortfall, of course? Woods has not played since the US Open, where he revealed he has been nursing an elbow injury since the start of May.

It forced him to withdraw from his tournament, the AT&T National this week and, as updates on his well-being arrive from his ultra-guarded camp as often as snow reports from the Sahara, his fitness must be taken on trust.

Paul Azinger, the 2008 Ryder Cup captain, is just one who refuses to do so.

“If Tiger’s hurt, stick a fork in him,” Azinger said. “It’s not going to happen at this Open.”

Azinger will be at Muirfield as an analyst for ESPN and has clearly done his research.

“Here is something probably most of you don’t know: Tiger Woods has not shot under par since 2007 on the weekend at The Open,” Azinger said.

“Yes he did miss 2008 and 2011 with injuries, but that is still a phenomenal stat.”

Indeed it is, and it fits in with the pervading theory that when the major finishing line is in sight Woods is simply pushing too hard. He gets behind, starts to press and invariably finds himself knee-deep in trouble.

In this regard, Azinger’s ESPN colleague and fellow former major winner, Curtis Strange, has an interesting take.

“Why did he aggravate his injury at the US Open?” Strange said. “Because he drove it in the rough every hole.”

Will he need a driver at Muirfield? That is an even more tantalising question. The reports from the course suggested that at last, after so many years of saturation, the R&A will finally have the underfoot conditions they always crave.

Luke Donald, the world No 9, has staked out Muirfield more studiously than perhaps anyone this last week and after his round on Saturday he told Telegraph Sport: “It was firm, fast with a good wind out there – just what Opens are all about.”

Donald is evidently enthused about the possibilities, particularly after he experienced the heat in the final round of the US Open when he played alongside the winner, Justin Rose.

Along with Lee Westwood, who comes in off a three-week break, they have to be England’s best shot of a first Claret Jug since Faldo prevailed here 21 years ago.

After a three-year absence, Faldo tees it up at “my favourite course” and he has his own idea of the winner.

“If you look at Adam [Scott] and Justin they were both players who had been there in the mix before and who appeared ready to win,” Faldo said.

“I think that may well be the theme for this major season. And because of this, I would look at Matt Kuchar. He’s been there, won a WGC, won a Players Championship and come down the stretch with a chance. He is the one who I think is primed.”

The defending champion Els, who is also the returning champion having won here in 2002, believes Muirfield might witness a third golden oldie in succession, after his and Darren Clarke’s resurrections.

Stricker would have entered this equation, having played just seven times this season had having finished in the top 10 four times.

Stricker, himself, admits it is bizarre, but he intended only to play 10 times this year and will not be compromised.

“For a guy who has not won a major and trying to win one still, this is probably not the best way to go about it,” Stricker said.

“But I’ve always missed our anniversary because I’m at the British. It will sting a little bit when I’m watching it on TV. But we’ll be doing some fun things.”

Would any Muirfield member question Striker putting a woman first? Perhaps one or two.

Five to watch

The favourite Justin Rose is at the top of the bookies’ lists – as always. In truth, the Englishman would be the favourite to become the first Briton to achieve back-to-back majors in the modern age. Is the type who could stay on the roll and has played well at Muirfield before.

The 40-plus-year old The last two winners, Darren Clarke and Ernie Els, have both been in their forties and expect the tearducts to burst forth once again if Lee Westwood finally breaks his major duck. There is no doubt that Muirfield suits the Englishman; if only his putter would oblige

The rank outsider David Lynn should not be 200-1. He finished second in his last but one major – the US PGA – and then led the Masters in April. Lynn has proven himself to be an able performer in his first season on the PGA Tour and will not fear the challenge of Muirfield.

The 32 year-old Brandt Snedeker is the same age as Adam Scott and Rose, who won this year’s Masters and US Open respectively, but has rather more in his favour than the right age. A brilliant putter, the American has the creativity and disposition for the links test.

The South African The Golfers from the Rainbow Nation have won two out of the past three Open championships – Louis Oosthuizen in 2010 and Ernie Els last year – and Charl Schwartzel is a former Masters winner who has the class and the heart to contend at Muirfield.