ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Tom Watson is filled with all sorts of conflicting emotions.

He’s melancholy that such a big part of his life is winding down, yet there’s an immense sense of pride in what he’s accomplished.

He’s realistic that it’s the right time to step away, but he can still flash that ol’ competitive streak when anyone suggests this is nothing more than a nostalgic farewell at the home of golf.

“This is not a ceremony at all,” Watson said Wednesday, his eyes steely and firm. “I’m trying to compete against these players out here.”

Some of them, such as Jordan Spieth, are young enough to be his grandchildren.

Which is why, in all likelihood, the 65-year-old Watson will be playing the British Open for the final time, a five-time champion making one last crossing of the Swilcan Bridge.

“There are some tools missing now, especially distance,” he moaned. “I need everything to compete against these kids,” pausing for emphasis. “Everything.”

Watson could earn the right to play another five years if he finishes in the top 10 this week, an exception that was hastily added to the Open’s 60-year-old age limit after he nearly became golf’s oldest major champion at Turnberry in 2009. Watson went to the 72nd hole with a one-stroke lead, only to make bogey and lose to Stewart Cink in a playoff.

That one still stings a bit, but Watson doesn’t spent too much time dwelling in the past.

When he does, the mind inevitably drifts to all the good times he had during the past four decades on the links courses of Scotland and England, a brand of golf he initially despised for the inexplicable bounces and the persnickety weather, for a capriciousness that was very much at odds with his desire to be precise in everything he did.

“I fought it. I didn’t particularly like it,” Watson recalled. “In fact, I didn’t like it at all when I first played here at St. Andrews in `78. I didn’t like the uncertainty of it, didn’t like the luck of the bounce, just didn’t like links golf.”

That would change, of course, as a victory at Carnoustie in his very first British Open in 1975 would lead to another two years later at Turnberry in the famous “Duel in the Sun” with Jack Nicklaus. Another title followed at Muirfield in 1980, then back-to-back wins at Troon and Birkdale in 1982 and `83. The claret jug would come to define his career, the Open providing five of his eight major titles and transforming this stoic man of the American Midwest into a beloved figure on this side of the Atlantic.

In recent days, Watson reflected on many of the people who passed through his life because of this tournament, going all the way back to his first Open as he prepared to face Jack Newton in an 18-hole playoff.

“I was leaving the house, and it’s raining, it’s cold, and here comes a little Scottish girl, comes up to the front door and says, `Mr. Watson, please take this for good luck,'” Watson said, his lips curling into a slight grin. “I could barely understand her, but I finally figured it out. She gave me a little thing of tinfoil, and in it was some white heather. I kept that in my bag for many years for luck, and it brought me good luck. But I remember that little girl.”

Watson also remembers an immigration worker at Prestwick Airport near Glasgow, a frequent entry point into the country early in the golfer’s career. The man spoke with a thick Scottish accent that Watson never quite deciphered, but it didn’t matter. They were able to connect on a different level.

“We were friends for years and years, a man whom I never understood, but understood that he liked me and I liked him,” said Watson, his eyes watering just a bit.

“There is a certain sense of melancholy. You can sense that. The regret that it’s over,” he said. “It’s a little bit like death. The finality of the end is here. But what tempers that very much are the memories and the people I’ve met along the way.”

Another big part of his life will end next spring. Watson decided this was also the right time to announce that the 2016 Masters will be his last, his decision influenced in large part by a second-round 81 at Augusta National this year.

“The golf course is too big for me,” he said. “When you shoot 81, it’s time to say goodbye.”

While Watson’s competitive nature would never allow him to totally rule out another turn-back-the-clock performance in the British Open, he knows this will surely be his final trip across the Swilcan Bridge, an emotional crossing that so many greats have walked before him, from Arnold Palmer to longtime friend and rival Nicklaus.

In fact, Watson was paired with Nicklaus for his final British Open a decade ago. That day, the younger man bawled his eyes out as the Golden Bear walked up the 18th fairway.

There will surely be a few more tears shed this week, whether Watson’s final shot comes on Friday or if he manages to hold off the inevitable until Sunday.

“Do I have any regrets?” he said. “The only regret I have is that it’s the end.”

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – With a chance to match history at the home of golf, Jordan Spieth is trying to make the British Open feel like just another event.

And that might be as tough as any challenge at St. Andrews.

The press room was at capacity and spilled out the door when he spoke to the media Wednesday for the first time this week, creating an atmosphere normally reserved for Tiger Woods or Rory McIlroy. Fans gathered around a board that listed the practice round schedule, scanning up and down until they found Spieth.

“Please hold the cameras until after the shot,” caddie Michael Greller told the gallery. The sound of shutters began at the top of his swing, and Spieth could only laugh when he launched his tee shot. “It’s like this on every hole,” he said.

The 21-year-old Texan does not have the aura of Woods.

He does not have the accomplishments of McIlroy.

He still is the main attraction at this British Open, and would be even if McIlroy – the defending champion and No. 1 in the world – were not out with an ankle injury.

Folks know their history at St. Andrews.

Ben Hogan in 1953 is the only other player to capture the Masters, U.S. Open and British Open in the same year. Only three players since then – Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Woods – have ever come to Scotland with hopes of a Grand Slam.

Spieth knows history, too, as much as he’d rather not think about it until he has no choice.

“I like to study the history of golf, and it’s extremely special what this year has brought to our team,” he said. “And to have a chance to do what only one other person in the history of golf has done … I’m sure embracing that opportunity.

“But by the time I start on Thursday, it won’t be in my head. It’ll be about how can I bring this Open Championship down to just another event, get out there and try and get myself into contention.”

He set out for his final practice round on a cool morning with an overcast sky, occasional rain, and not much wind. There is plenty of talk about how ready Spieth will be for his shot at history. He played two full rounds and 10 holes leading up to the start Thursday. He played the Old Course four years ago on his way to the Walker Cup.

Then again, St. Andrews has rarely been this green, this slow, because of recent rain. That takes some of the roll out of the fairway, and with it the unpredictable nature of links golf.

Spieth is the betting favorite, and it didn’t hurt that he won the John Deere Classic on Sunday for his fourth PGA Tour title of the year. Whatever he lost in study by not coming over early, he might have gained in confidence that not much has changed since the U.S. Open.

“Coming over earlier certainly could have helped,” he said. “I just liked the fact that I could go somewhere I could play hard, and possibly win a PGA Tour event in preparation. But certainly, more time on this golf course couldn’t ever hurt anybody.”

The jet lag hasn’t been a problem. Besides, Spieth won the Australian Open in late November, flew straight to Dallas, went to Florida the next day for the Hero World Challenge, and beat an 18-man field of top 50 players by 10 shots.

But this is a full field, and the oldest championship in golf on the links where it all began.

“Maybe a slightly bigger stage,” Spieth said.

The only concern is the weather. It has been reasonable all week, though the forecast is for wind to increase up to 35 mph (55 kph) with shifting directions.

“It seems a little easier than I think it’ll play,” Spieth said. “So I would have liked to see tougher conditions in practice rounds to get used to prevailing winds and wind switches. That’s part of the fun and the adjustment.”

Everything seems fun to Spieth at the moment.

Just two years ago, he didn’t even have a full PGA Tour card when he won the John Deere Classic by holing a bunker shot on the 18th and winning a playoff. The next day he was in Muirfield, and the 19-year-old was three shots off the lead going into the weekend. He faded badly.

“I remember almost thinking like that was too big for me at the time in a way,” Spieth said. “I felt like I wanted to compete, I loved the pressure, and I felt like I could do it, but it was a position I’d never been in, and it was an odd feeling being in contention in a major on a weekend. It was brief. I didn’t finish well that round.”

It’s different now.

He dominated at Augusta National and tied Woods’ record score of 270 in a wire-to-wire victory. In the final hour of the U.S. Open, he kept reminding himself that he had won a major and others in contention had not.

Now, the trick is to forget about the green jacket and the U.S. Open trophy.

“When I step on the tee Thursday, I don’t look at this as trying to win three in a row,” Spieth said. “I look at this as trying to win The Open Championship at a very special place. That’s the hardest thing for me, is trying to forget about where you are because being here at St. Andrews and looking at the past champions and who wins Open Championships here, that’s elite company.

“And that’s something I’m just going to have to forget about more than the other two majors.”

Allison Chandler and Calvin Ross – who held shares atop their respective leaderboards – climbed into solo leads following the second round of the 2015 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship. The juniors encountered wet conditions with periods of rain splitting the sunny skies over Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B.

Chandler began the day holding a share of the three-way tie atop the Junior Girls division. The Chester, N.S., native separated herself from her competitors with a 5-over-par 77 performance to take the solo lead at 152. Chandler recorded birdies on holes 2 and 7, then kept a steady pace through the back nine as the rain began.

Claire Konning moved into second place, posting a score of 6-over 78 to sit 3 strokes behind the lead. The Indian Mountain, N.B., product recently finished runner-up at the New Brunswick Junior Girls Championship. Sharing third place at 156 are the 2015 New Brunswick Junior Girls Champion Laura Jones from Moncton, N.B., and Felixe Jacques from St-Gabriel de Valcartier, Que. The two signed for scores of 81 after holding shares of the first-day lead.

In the Junior Boys division, Calvin Ross emerged from the second round with the lead at even par after beginning the day in four-way tie for first. The Fredericton, N.B., native notched three birdies on the day and matched his opening round of 72. The 16-year-old recently finished second in this year’s New Brunswick Junior Boys Championship – a competition he won in 2014.

Three strokes back of the lead at 147 – and in a tie for second place – is five-time Newfoundland and Labrador Junior Boys Champion Blair Bursey. The Gander, Nfld., product recorded a second round of 2-over 74. He is joined by opening-round co-leader Julien Roy of Rimouski, Que., who shot 75 on the day.

Holding fourth place at 149 are Quebec natives William Gagné of Québec City, who posted a round of 76, and Vincent Poirier from Candiac, who shot 1-over 73.

The juniors at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club are also vying for the opportunity to compete in their respective national junior competitions next month. The top six finishers in both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls divisions at the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship will be awarded exemptions into their respective national championships.

The 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be hosted at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., from August 2-6 while the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be contested from August 3-7 at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask. In addition, the CN Future Links Junior Girls Atlantic champion will receive an exemption into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event of her choosing.

The final round of the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship will begin tomorrow with the first group on the tee at 7 a.m. ADT.

For complete scoring, final-round pairings and more information on the 2015 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship, please click here.

Welcome to the 10th tee!

No matter what your score was on the front nine of the Great RBC Canadian Open Quiz, you can make up some strokes on the back nine.

(If you haven’t played the front nine yet, you can tee it up here.)

A perfect score gives you Hall of Fame credentials and bragging rights when you are watching the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont., from July 20 to 26.

If you tally 15 out of 18, you belong on Tour. Ten out of 18 means you’re headed for qualifying school, and nine or fewer has you destined for the range.

Quiet on the tee, please … Play away!

Answers are at the end.

10. In the 2004 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey, Mike Weir lost in a playoff to Vijay Singh. Prior to that, which Canadian had the best Open finish at Glen Abbey? (Bonus point: In what year?)
    1. George Knudson
    2. Dan Halldorson
    3. Richard Zokol
    4. Dave Barr
    5. Stephen Ames
11. Mark Calcavecchia set a PGA TOUR record for consecutive birdies in the second round of the 2009 RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. How many did he make in a row?
    1. Five
    2. Six
    3. Seven
    4. Eight
    5. Nine
12. The RBC Canadian Open has seen several exciting playoff finishes at Glen Abbey. How many holes did the longest playoff last? (Bonus point: Which two players were involved?)
    1. Three
    2. Four
    3. Five
    4. Six
    5. Seven
13. In addition to being the title sponsor of the RBC Canadian Open, RBC also has a team of ambassadors representing some of the best golfers, male and female, in the world. Which Canadian golfers are members of Team RBC?
    1. Mike Weir
    2. Graham DeLaet
    3. Brooke Henderson
    4. Adam Hadwin
    5. David Hearn
    6. Nick Taylor
    7. All of the above
14. Along with a cheque for US$1,044-million, the professional who wins the 2015 RBC Canadian Open has his name engraved on a stunning silver trophy. The low Canadian is also honoured with an award. What is it called?
    1. The George S. Lyon Cup
    2. The Sandy Somerville Medal
    3. The Rivermead Cup
    4. The Golf Canada Trophy
    5. The Gary Cowan Award
15. Golf fans will never forget Tiger Woods’s unbelievable shot out of the fairway bunker on the final hole of the 2000 RBC Canadian Open. Another incredible shot is commemorated by a plaque on the grounds of Glen Abbey. Whose shot does it mention?
    1. Greg Norman
    2. Mike Weir
    3. Nick Price
    4. John Daly
    5. Fred Couples
16. The RBC Canadian Open course record at Glen Abbey is 62. Which men have shot that score?
    1. Greg Norman
    2. Leonard Thompson
    3. Andy Bean
    4. Tiger Woods
    5. All of the above
17. While players and spectators are obviously essential for the RBC Canadian Open to succeed, the championship could not take place without the support of men and women who volunteer their time. These avid golf fans provide services ranging from marshalling and hospitality to transportation and maintenance. How many volunteers are needed during RBC Canadian Open tournament week?
    1. 400
    2. 750
    3. 1,000
    4. 1,400
    5. 2,000
18. The 2016 RBC Canadian Open will once again take place at Glen Abbey. In total, how many times will that mean Glen Abbey has played host to our national Open?
    1. 17
    2. 19
    3. 20
    4. 22
    5. 28

Answers below (highlight to see)

10. d) Dave Barr finished tied for fourth in the 1988 RBC Canadian Open.
11. e) After starting with two pars, Calcavecchia reeled off nine straight birdies, shooting 65.
12. d) In 1983, John Cook needed six holes to defeat Johnny Miller.
13. g) All of the above. Team RBC also includes Jason Day, Luke Donald, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar, Graeme McDowell, Ryan Palmer and Brandt Snedeker.
14. c) The Rivermead Cup was donated to the Royal Canadian Golf Association by the Rivermead Golf Club in Aylmer, Que., in 1920. It was awarded to the winner of the Open until 1935 when a new trophy was procured. Subsequently, it has been awarded to the low Canadian.
15. d) In the 1994 RBC Canadian Open Pro-Am, John Daly attempted to drive the green on the 452-yard par-4 11th hole. His drive from the elevated tee found the creek in front of the green, travelling an estimated 390 yards in total.
16. a) Norman (third round, 1986), b) Thompson (second round, 1981) and c) Bean (final round, 1983) all shot 62. None would win the championship that year, however. Bean might have, had he not been assessed a two-stroke penalty in the third round for tapping in a two-inch putt with the grip end of his putter, rather than the head, in violation of Rule 14.
17. d) More than 1,400 men and women volunteer to make the RBC Canadian Open at Glen Abbey a success.
18. e) In 2016, Glen Abbey will play host to its 28th RBC Canadian Open.

Athletes representing Team Canada in golf at the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games will be outfitted by Hudson’s Bay and FootJoy. The tournament looks for Team Canada have been released for the practice rounds beginning July 14 at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont., and the competition dates from July 16-19. The outfits include clothing by Golf Canada’s exclusive headwear and apparel licensee, Hudson’s Bay, and custom Canada-themed footwear provided by FootJoy. Both the Canadian men’s and women’s teams will sport red shirts on the final day of competition.

Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games Tournament Looks for Team Canada men

Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games Tournament Looks for Team Canada women

With Canada sporting 7% of the world’s golf facilities (as identified in the recent Golf Facilities in Canada report), you’d like to think there is a good number of up-and-coming golf stories to share from coast-to-coast. Newfoundland’s Blair Bursey is one of those stories.

Hailing from the northeastern town of Gander, the 18-year-old lefty just notched his fifth consecutive junior provincial title in his home province.

“I never really thought about setting records or milestones,” said Bursey of his win streak. “I’ve been taking it one day at a time, keeping my head down and focusing on improving my game.”

With the win, Bursey received an exemption to play in the Canadian Junior Boys Championship from Aug. 2–6 at the Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Qué.,  where he will look to improve on a T57 finish in last year’s event.

Bursey has another significant accolade that doesn’t quite fit on his trophy shelf, but perhaps carries more weight than all the rest. He is the first local of Newfoundland & Labrador to receive an NCAA Div I scholarship, playing for the Utah Valley Wolverines—something he doesn’t take lightly.

“It’s always an honour to be the first of anything,” said the two-time Golf Newfoundland Labrador Golfer of the Year. “It’s definitely special and it gave me a certain sense of pride that I can accomplish what I set out to do and I’m really proud of doing that.”

In his freshman season, Bursey posted a strong string of results, highlighted by a T14 at the Western Atlantic Conference Championships and a team-leading T10 finish at the PING Cougar Classic to close out the season.

“Once I got there it was golf straight away for four months, which I wasn’t really used to,” said Bursey of his first competitive season with the Wolverines. “I qualified for 10 out of 11 events which is really positive, and I was quite happy with my scoring average. It was a great year to start and something I can definitely build on—I grew a lot as a golfer and as a person as well.”

With his most competitive years ahead of him, Bursey’s roots are still at home, the only place where he truly “has a sense of feeling at ease,”—an important feeling in the world of competitive golf.

In any case, Bursey’s story goes to show that no matter where you come from, however small the town—or however high the odds seem stacked against you—dreams are always within reach.

With that said, Mr. Bursey still has a long road ahead of him, continuing this summer with competition back on home soil.

In addition to the Canadian Junior Boys, Bursey is teeing-it-up once again this week in the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship (T4 finish in 2014) at the Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club.

Down the road, Bursey was clear in where he hopes to take his game.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play professional golf. I think it’s important to be realistic about what the goals are, and take this far as it can go. However, I won’t be jumping into it without good experience so I’m looking forward to making the most out of my future years of collegiate golf.”

The RBC Canadian Open won’t be the only national golf competition taking place this coming week at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ont.

CN, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada will play host to twenty-two competitors from across Canada at Glen Abbey on Saturday, July 18 for the seventh annual CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event.

The event will be delivered in the same format as the qualifying events. As determined by their standing on the National Leaderboard, the competitors will compete in a four-part skills challenge (putting, chipping, driving and iron play) with one overall winner per age-group (9-11; 12-14; and 15-18) and gender.

A total of 22 competitors who achieved the highest skills challenge scores from events across Canada during the 2015 golf season will travel to Glen Abbey with the hope of becoming a CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge national champion.

The day will begin with a practice and warm-up session from 10 to 11:45 a.m. before the competition’s opening address. The competitors will take centre stage for the CN Future Links Junior Skills Challenge National Event from noon until 2 p.m. before the afternoon concludes with a complimentary BBQ and an awards presentation. The champions in the boys and girls 15-18 age groups will receive an exemption into their local CN Future Links Championship in 2016. All other attending participants of the CN Future Links Junior Skills National Event will receive prizing courtesy of Titleist Footjoy.

The competition format:

• Driving: Each competitor receives three drives. Points are awarded and dependent on distance and aim of the drive. The drive must land within the 30-yard width to qualify for points. The number of points is dependent on the distances completed.
• Chipping: Each competitor receives three shots from their distance. Points are awarded and dependent on the distance of the chip shot from the target.
• Putting: Each competitor receives two putts each from each distance of 3, 5 and 8 feet. Points are awarded for holing the putt.
• Iron Play: Each competitor receives three shots from their distance. Points are awarded and dependent on the distance of the iron shot from the target.

In celebration of the event being hosted for the first time in the lead-up to the RBC Canadian Open, junior participants will also have the opportunity to test the storied Glen Abbey layout in an exciting match play format on Sunday, July 19 prior to tournament week. Junior participants will be provided weekly grounds passes, as well as, opportunities to be involved in Monday’s Pro-Am and Wednesday’s CN Future Links Walk with a Pro event during the Wednesday Pro-Am.

The CN Future Links Atlantic Championship opened at Gowan Brae Golf & Country Club in Bathurst, N.B., with 98 juniors in the field. At day’s end, the crowded leaderboards featured four players tied for the Junior Boys division lead at even par, while three junior girls posted 3-over for the low score in their division.

Four players opened with rounds of 72 to sit atop the Junior Boys division. Gabriel Gingras of Chelsea, Que., closed the day with two birdies to secure his share at the top. Playing in his home province, Calvin Ross of Fredericton, N.B., kept a steady pace, balancing three bogeys with three birdies. Rimouski, Que., product Julien Roy took full advantage Gowan Brae’s par 5s, notching eagles on holes 11 and 14. Michael Simms from St. John’s, Nfld., joined the trio at even par by shooting 1-under across the back nine.

One stroke back of the leaders at 1-over par are Blair Bursey from Gander, Nfld., William Gagné of Québec City, Que., and Charlottetown, P.E.I., native Ryan Legault. Tristan Vandette of Beaconsfield, Que., and Nathan Douglas of Thornhill, Ont., follow closely behind with scores of 2-over 74.

In the Junior Girls division, three players share the lead at 3-over 75. Allison Chandler, a Chester, N.S., native, highlighted her round with an eagle on hole 14 before adding a birdie on 15. St-Gabriel de Valcartier, Que., product Felixe Jacques earned her share at the top of the leaderboard with an even-par back nine. Reigning New Brunswick Junior Girls champion, Laura Jones of Moncton, N.B., claimed her place among the leaders with a strong 1-under front nine start.

Holding a tie for fourth place and signing for rounds of 5-over 77 are Claire Konning of Indian Mountain, N.B., and Oceane Jacques of St-Gabriel de Valcartier, Que.

The top six finishers in both the Junior Boys and Junior Girls divisions at the CN Future Links Atlantic Championship will be awarded direct entry into their respective national championships. The 2015 Canadian Junior Boys Championship will be held August 2-6 at Summerlea Golf & Country Club in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Que., while the 2015 Canadian Junior Girls Championship will be contested at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask., from August 3-7. In addition, the CN Future Links Junior Girls Atlantic champion will also receive an exemption into a 2016 Canadian Women’s Tour event of her choice.

The second round begins tomorrow with the junior girls teeing off at 7 a.m. ADT before the junior boys take to the course at 8:10 a.m. ADT.

For complete first round scoring from the 2015 CN Future Links Atlantic Championship, please click here.

When Graham DeLaet arrived in St. Andrews for The Open Championship on Sunday his most valuable possessions – his golf clubs – failed to find its way. Finally, he was able to take a breather when his clubs arrived Tuesday, but something wasn’t as expected. The Canadian tweeted out the following picture of his bag covered in protein powder:

You just can’t make this stuff up. pic.twitter.com/CWyEQXIPcK

— Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) July 14, 2015

It was quite deceiving when he first received his clubs from the airline, he thought he could get right to work, but some tender loving care was needed first.

54 hours later…my babies have arrived! Time to get to work! pic.twitter.com/qSnmimQgZz — Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) July 14, 2015

Luckily DeLaet was able to practice and tune up his game thanks to Titleist.

Big thanks to @TitleistonTour for hooking me up with a set of hooks this morning so I could play a practice round. pic.twitter.com/xL4QJf06Cj

— Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) July 13, 2015

And for good measure, at least the pro golfer was able to have some fun with the unfortunate situation.

Carry it in that bag every week of the year, but it was a protein powder explosion, not this…. pic.twitter.com/T6NzboPIYn — Graham DeLaet (@GrahamDeLaet) July 14, 2015

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – Tiger Woods is still gunning for Jack Nicklaus’ record.

Despite a slump that has sent him plummeting to No. 241 in the world golf rankings, Woods remains confident he can win at least four more majors in his career.

Woods comes into the British Open with 14 major titles on his resume, but his last victory in one of golf’s biggest events came at the 2008 U.S. Open.

Nicklaus holds the record with 18 championships.

Woods pointed out he doesn’t turn 40 until December.

“I’m still young,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “I know some of you guys think I’m buried and done, but I’m still right here in front of you.”

Woods is a three-time British Open winner, capturing two of his titles at the Old Course.

He hopes that familiarity will carry him into contention this week.

“I just love the creativity,” Woods said. “You need to have the right angles. Over the years of learning how to play the golf course under all different type of wind conditions, it changes greatly, and it’s based on angles. You have to put the ball on certain sides of the fairways in order to get the ball close.

“To me, that type of thinking and the strategy that goes into that is something I’ve always loved. Yeah, you can run the ball up here on a lot of the holes. It won’t really be doing that this week because it’s a little bit softer, but still, you have that option. You know, a five-degree wind change here changes the whole golf course completely. I’ve always found that very fascinating.”

Once the world’s most dominant player, Woods has been plagued by injuries and turmoil in his personal life since his stirring victory at Torrey Pines more than seven years ago.

He missed the cut last month at the U.S. Open, after opening with an 80. Woods hasn’t finished in the top 10 of a major since a sixth-place showing in the 2013 British Open at Muirfield.

Even so, he feels better about his game after making the cut two weeks ago at the Greenbrier Classic, insisting that he “hit the ball the best I’ve hit it in probably two years.”

“That was awfully nice to be able to do coming into this week,” Woods said. “I’ve hit the ball just as well in my practice rounds.”