Justin Leonard - The Defending Champion

Justin Leonard came from six shots off the lead to win the OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP at Royal Troon last year.

This year comes to Royal Birkdale to defend his title having had five top-ten finishes in his last seven majors.

He arrives on Saturday not having played the course before and plans to start practicing on Sunday.

"I will keep the same sort of schedule as I used last year at Royal Troon, just play as much as I can and get to know the course," he says.

"I will be working on hitting the shots I will need during the week, like hitting the ball low and putting around the greens."

"Compared to playing on links courses in England to courses I play on the USPGA Tour I feel there are more options when playing shots on a links course."

"In preparing for a major, I look forward to a very diferent challenge, I plan for adversity on the course. Preparing for a major is not very different to me than for any other tournament. Of course, I get a little more excited beforehand because the stakes are higher. But I try to do the same routine before every tournament, small or big."

"All the majors have a different feel, therefore I try not to compare them. One thing I like about the Open Championship is the galleries. They seem to have more respect for the game and its traditions."

He is currently in sixth position in the Sony World Golf Ranking having entered 18 events this year and finishing in the Top-Ten five times giving him tour earnings of $1.2 million for 1998.

He won the Players Championship in March, tied for 8th place in The Masters and tied for 40th place in last month's US Open.

In The Bag
Check out the clubs that Justin Leonard had in his bag when he won last year