Muirfield 2013

The R&A have this week announced that the Open Championship will return to Muirfield - home to The Royal Company of Edinburgh Golfers - in July 2013.

Like the best courses on the Open Championship rota, it has a history of producing great champions. Player, Nicklaus, Trevino, Watson and Faldo have all triumphed over the stunning East Lothian links. Perhaps like no other course, the list of Muirfield champions reads like a 'who's who' of golf.

One of my favourite Opens to date was held here in 2002. As a member of The University of St Andrews Men's Golf Club, myself and a merry band of fellow students were awarded with the annual privilege of marshaling the 18th hole of the championship. What I remember most about that week was the weather. It ranged from cloudless blue skies to a near apocalypse of eastern Scotland. On the Saturday morning in particular, the wind and rain collectively were almost unplayable. Tiger Woods slumped to his worst ever professional score - an 81. Colin Montgomerie was nicely placed after two rounds at four under par, but the weather took it's toll on big Monty and he walked off the course eight over par after a score of 84. I did feel a certain sympathy towards both however - it was so cold, I was having problems gripping my lunchtime gin & tonic at the Schweppes tent. Watching the leaderboard at that point, it seemed as if 76 was a very respectable score indeed. But the wind and rain subsided and the afternoon leaders were able to once again challenge the course par of 72.

The final day was full of drama. England's Gary Evans was amassing the round of his life. He was eight under par for the day, and standing in the middle of the fairway at the par 5 17th. Inexplicably he managed to smother one left into the rough, and the ball was never to be seen again. Such a moment would break mere mortals, but Evans took it on the chin, dropped back on the fairway and got down in two for a par from 250 yards. The ensuing celebration showed just how much this particular major means to the home players, and the emotional lengths some golfers will reach in searching for the ultimate fairytale.

Appleby, Els, Levet and Elkington finished in a tie on six under par. A four hole playoff was to prove too much for Appleby and Elkington, and it became France vs South Africa in a sudden death playoff up 18. Both struggled, but Els played an exquisite greenside bunker shot to four feet as his playing partner could only muster a five. Els' ball found the bottom of the cup, and in doing so he became the R&A's "Champion Golfer for the Year".

If the next installment in 2013 is anywhere near as tense over the final few holes, we have a terrific championship to look forward to.