Top contenders for the Open at Troon

Best player in the world since Jack Nicklaus, he will be bidding for a ninth career major at Royal Troon, but the first in nine starts. His dominance has waned over the last 18 months and he failed to win a major last year for the first time since 1998. Won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February.

Superb putting this season has kept him in contention on the PGA Tour, where he has produced eight top-10 finishes in 12 tournaments. Has had problems, though, with his driving and the precision of his approach play. Many of his peers believe he should reunite with his former swing coach Butch Harmon.

Clinched his third U.S. Masters in April 2002 and his second U.S. Open crown two months later, drawing him level with Tom Watson in the all-time listings with eight majors. Best major finishes since then were second place at the 2002 U.S. PGA Championship and a share of fourth at last year's British Open.

Was youngest player, aged 21, to win the Masters in 1997 with a record 12-stroke victory and became the first person to hold all four majors at the same time with his two-shot triumph over David Duval at the 2001 Masters. Romped to victory by eight shots in the 2000 British Open at St Andrews.

Ernie Els (South Africa) 34

World Ranking: 2

Number of Opens: 13

Best Open finish: won at Muirfield in 2002

Has been a consistently good British Open performer since tying for fifth at Muirfield in 1992 on his first professional start in the event. Produced five more top-10 finishes before his long-expected breakthrough at Muirfield two years ago, when he clinched his third major title in a four-way playoff.

Will arrive at Troon in confident mood, following 11 top-10 finishes this season in 15 outings, including wins at the Sony Open, the Heineken Classic and last month's Memorial tournament. Ran Phil Mickelson close at the U.S. Masters before finishing second. Tied for ninth at last month's U.S. Open.

Among the longest hitters in golf, the smooth-swinging Els was one of the game's standout figures in 2003 with seven wins worldwide. Dominated the European Tour, winning four times, and clinched the first two events of the PGA Tour season.

Won the U.S. Open in 1994 and 1997 but his Muirfield victory in 2002 finally convinced him he has the game and the mind to deal with the last-day pressures down the stretch. In 2000, became the first player to place runner-up in three straight major championships, finishing second behind Vijay Singh at the U.S. Masters and to Woods at the U.S. and British Opens.

Vijay Singh (Fiji) 41

World Golf Ranking: 3

Number of Opens: 15

Best Open finish: tied for second at Royal St George's in 2003

Hottest player in the game over the last 12 months, winning five times on the PGA Tour and completing a run of 12 consecutive top-10 finishes with victory at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February. Ended Woods's four-year reign as the tour's leading money-winner in 2003.

Since tying for sixth at the U.S. Masters in April, has won the Houston Open and the HP Classic of New Orleans and shared fourth place at last month's Buick Classic. Has set his sights on eclipsing Woods as world number one but concedes he needs to win more tournaments if he is to achieve that goal.

A Fijian of Indian descent whose name means 'victory' in Hindi, Singh possesses a work ethic to match Woods's. Claimed his first major title in the 1998 U.S. PGA championship at Sahalee and won his second at the 2000 U.S. Masters.

Has produced just two top-10 finishes in 15 attempts at the British Open, but was in a good position to win at Royal St George's last year when tied for the lead with 10 holes to play. However, he bogeyed 10 and 13 on his way to a closing 70, and a share of second place one stroke adrift of winner Ben Curtis.

Phil Mickelson (U.S.) 34

World Ranking: 4

Number of Opens: 11

Best Open finish: tied for 11th at St Andrews in 2000

One of the most gifted players in the game ended a 14-year wait for a first major victory with a one-shot triumph at the U.S. Masters in April. Birdied two of the last three holes to trump a last-day charge by Els, becoming the second successive left-hander to win at Augusta after Canada's Mike Weir.

Nearly made it two major wins in as many starts when he moved one shot clear with two holes to play in last month's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Double-bogeyed the 17th, though, and ended up in second place, two behind champion Retief Goosen.

Although the British Open has been the least likely major for him to win because of his high ball flight, he is almost certain to be a factor at Troon with his meticulous preparation and less aggressive approach for this year's majors. Tied for 24th when the championship was last played at Troon in 1997.

Has been in sparkling form this season with 11 top-10 finishes in 15 PGA Tour starts, including victory at January's Chrysler Classic. Leads the 2004 U.S. money list with earnings of $4,908,3231 and has the best scoring average of 68.75.

Davis Love III (U.S.) 40

World Ranking: 5

Number of Opens: 17

Best Open finish: tied for fourth at Royal St George's in 2003

One of the game's best players for more than a decade with a remarkably consistent record at the British Open. Made his first impact in 1997, tying for 10th at Troon, and has produced top-21 finishes in his last seven starts. Tied for fourth last year at Royal St George's after starting the final day one off the lead.

Had several near misses in major tournaments before making his breakthrough in the 1997 U.S. PGA Championship at Winged Foot, successive rounds of 66 over the weekend earning him a five-stroke victory over Justin Leonard.

Failed in 2002 to finish in the top 10 at all four majors for the first time since 1994, but last year bounced back to tie for 15th at the U.S. Masters and share fourth at the British Open. Missed the cut, though, in the U.S. Open at Olympia Fields and in the U.S. PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.

Shone on last year's PGA Tour, winning four times with 10 other top-15 finishes. Began 2004 with five top-10s in eight starts, but lost momentum after tying for sixth at the U.S. Masters in April. Missed the cut at the U.S. Open last month but hit back with a tie for seventh at the Western Open on Sunday.

Retief Goosen (South Africa) 35

World Ranking: 6

Number of Opens: nine

Best Open finish: tied for eighth at Muirfield in 2002

Could hardly be more confident for Royal Troon following back-to-back wins in his last two starts. Clinched his second U.S. Open crown at Shinnecock Hills last month, holding off Phil Mickelson by two shots, and eased to a five-shot victory at the European Open in Ireland on Sunday.

Made his major breakthrough in 2001 with a playoff triumph in the U.S. Open at Southern Hills, edging out Mark Brooks after nearly squandering his victory chance when he three-putted the 72nd green. Won twice in Europe that year before ending the season at number one in the European Tour's order of merit.

Improved results since 2000 owe much to his work with Belgian sports psychologist Jos Vanstiphout. The pair no longer work together but the quietly-spoken Goosen has become a proven front-runner with an ice-cool temperament and one of the smoothest swings in the game.

Failed to extend his reign as European number one for a third successive year in 2003, but won the Lancome Trophy in France last September and clinched his third U.S. title at the Chrysler Championship in November. Has played mainly on the PGA Tour this season, with six top-10 finishes in 12 starts.

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