Shane Lowry will defend the title he won in 2019 when the 149th Open Championship belatedly takes place at Royal St George’s from July 15-18.
Here, the PA news agency looks at five of the main talking points ahead of the year’s final major.
Can Rory McIlroy end his major drought?
Will Royal St George’s produce another surprise winner?
Can Rahm win back-to-back major titles?
CHAMP UPDATE: Things are going well… ??? | @JonRahmpga
?: @thesleezyman pic.twitter.com/C3ZGJ3a4gN
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 25, 2021
It is easy to forget that Rahm has played in just four Open Championships, starting with a tie for 59th in 2016 in what was just his third event as a professional. Rahm was 44th in 2017 and missed the cut the following year, but finished 11th at Royal Portrush in 2019 and is a two-time winner of the Irish Open on links courses. His US Open win came just 15 days after he had been forced to withdraw from the Memorial Tournament after testing positive for Covid-19, the Spaniard receiving the news on the 18th green after establishing a six-shot lead after 54 holes.
Will Covid-19 cause problems?
— Johanna Konta (@JohannaKonta) June 28, 2021
The strict coronavirus protocols in place for players have caused mutterings of discontent – mostly from those used to far looser restrictions across the Atlantic on the PGA Tour – and could even trigger a number of withdrawals. As Britain’s Johanna Konta discovered ahead of Wimbledon, coming into contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19 could also force players out of the championship and the 156-man field will have to be exceedingly careful to avoid suffering the same fate.
Can Louis Oosthuizen finally double his major tally?
