(Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
History tends to repeat itself.
That is exactly what happened at Royal Birkdale last year as Padraig Harrington defended his championship victory from the previous year at Carnoustie.
Well not exactly. How it happened was vastly different.
Last year he held off Ian Poulter and Greg Norman (1986 Turnberry, 1993 Royal St. George's) with that brilliant 5-wood that enabled him to eagle No. 17 on Sunday. He won by four strokes over Poulter and five over Norman who tied for third with Henrik Stenson. Even though it was much closer than the final results indicate the Irishman was able to walk up the 18th knowing he had done it again.
The year before was much different with Andres Romero making a heroic 10-birdie effort to win the world's biggest championship. However the 2008 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year faltered down the stretch.
As with Jean Van de Velde in 1999 walking down the 18th fairway it was Sergio Garcia's Major to win. The Spaniard's one-stroke lead was erased as he bogeyed the home hole to fall into a tie with Harrington. Padraig beat him in the cumulative four-hole playoff to win his first Major.
The No. 1 exemption category of 30 for this year's Open is the top 10 and ties from Royal Birkdale in 2008. Of course two-time defending Champion Padraig Harrington heads this list.
Well-known golfers the likes of Ernie Els (2002 Muirfield), Ben Curtis (2003 Royal St. George's), Paul Casey, Steve Stricker and Anthony Kim are also exempt in this category as are lesser known players like David Howell and Chris Wood.
Howell the Englishman who beat playing partner Tiger Woods in the 2006 HSBC Champions has not played well this year on the European Tour. His best finish is tied for 37th at the Qatar Masters.
Wood also an Englishman as an amateur placed joint fifth and won the Silver Medal at Birkdale last year. Since then he went through Q-School to gain his 2009 European Tour card. This 6'5" golfer has four top 10s in 15 events this year including three straight prior to his last tied-30 finish.
With nine players tied for seventh place last year the first exemption category included a total of 15 golfers.
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