British Open TV Schedule 2012: Dates, Times & Channel Info for Entire Tournament

The Open Championship will be held at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club for the 11th time in the tournament's history. With such a talented and wide open field, just about anything can happen.

It is difficult to remember a time when parity was so prevalent in golf, but it seems like essentially any player can win any tournament they are entered in, including the British Open.

Many consider The Open to be the biggest tournament in golf as it dates back to 1860 and has been competed in by all of the sport's greatest players. The entire field will have hopes of taking home the Claret Jug next weekend, but only one will sufficiently conquer the challenging links course enough to do so.

Here is your complete viewing guide for the British Open, including when and where to catch all of the action at the 141st Open Championship. 

Where: Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England  

When: Thursday, July 19 - Sunday, July 22 

Watch: ESPN and ABC 

TV Schedule

Thursday, July 19: 5 a.m. ET - 3 p.m. ET (ESPN)

Friday, July 20: 5 a.m. ET - 3 p.m. ET (ESPN) 

Saturday, July 21: 7 a.m. ET - 2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) 

Sunday, July 22: 8 a.m. ET - 1:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) and 3 p.m. ET - 6 p.m. ET (ABC) 

Golfers to Watch

Tiger Woods

The big question heading into every major is whether or not Tiger Woods can come out on top and inch closer to Jack Nicklaus' record.

Woods still hasn't won one since a huge infidelity scandal rocked his life and career, and multiple injuries caused him to miss time, but Woods appears to be back on track for the most part. Woods has won three tournaments this season and was in the hunt until a poor third round in the U.S. Open.

Although it is probably frustrating for him to be unable to close things out at a major, he still has to be encouraged by his overall play this year.

Even the dominant Tiger Woods of years past probably would have had some trouble against such a talented field, but when Tiger is on his game, he is still the best in the world. He will have to be locked in to lift the Claret Jug for a fourth time. 

Darren Clarke

Darren Clarke's Open Championship victory last year was one of the most surprising in recent memory at the event, but it came at a great time for him as his career was beginning to flounder.

Clarke hasn't played particularly well since that huge win, but the Northern Irishman has a ton of experience playing on European-style courses and will look to become a repeat winner just like Woods and Padraig Harrington were in recent years.

Clarke has played sparingly on the PGA Tour this season and has only made two cuts over five tournaments. He struggled in a big way at The Masters and couldn't compete at the U.S. Open due to injury.

Clarke is back and hopeful he can perform well in the British Open once again, though. The odds don't look great, but I wouldn't put anything past Clarke. 

Rory McIlroy

After winning the U.S. Open last season, Rory McIlroy entered this year with very high expectations.

He has certainly had his moments and managed to score a victory early in the year at The Honda Classic, but the young Northern Irishman's play has been sporadic to say the least.

McIlroy finished 40th at the Masters and failed to make the cut at the U.S. Open. In fact, he has missed the cut in the three of the past four tournaments he has competed in.

That doesn't necessarily mean anything since he has the talent to turn things around quickly, but this year has been a mixed bag for McIlroy.

McIlroy managed a third-place finish at the British Open two years ago and I have to believe that this is a tournament he wants to win more than any other.

He'll try to get off to a good start, but if he doesn't, you have to wonder if he will flounder like he did at the U.S. Open.

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