Recent headlines had indicated three-time British Open champion Jack Nicklaus would make this Open his last.
He won his first British Open at his beloved Muirfield 26 years ago. It seemed to make sense for him to exit on the same stage.
But the 52-year-old Nicklaus put his British retirement party on hold on the eve of the 121st Open.
”As to the future, I suppose if I won I would have to defend, wouldn`t I?” he said after Wednesday`s practice round. ”I don`t think it needs to be a dramatic exit. Muirfield could well be my last Open-it could be one of my last 10 Opens.”
Only history is awaiting his decision, because the one-time terror of the British links hasn`t been much of a factor around here lately. His highest finish since 1982 was 25th in 1988, but it wasn`t always that way. After Arnold Palmer helped revive American interest in the British Open with victories in 1961 and `62, Nicklaus kept it alive with his victory here and at St. Andrews in 1970 and `78. In a remarkable run from 1963 to `80, he finished out of the top five only twice, and he grew to love the quirky nature of links golf.
Revivalists may pray for a repeat this weekend, but Nicklaus` glorious past probably will not make much difference.
”As far as my game goes, who knows what my game is anymore?” Nicklaus said.
He still can pull a crowd-his Wednesday tuneup with Raymond Floyd and Greg Norman drew a large and appreciative gallery-but the attention will shift to others Thursday: Norman, Fred Couples, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, to name a few of the favorites.
The predictions ran across the board. ”I think it`s safe to say a past major winner will win,” said Couples, winner of this year`s Masters.
But Norman thinks the pressure of a big tournament can work against a veteran. ”I think the pressure to win is greater as you get older,” said Norman, winner of the 1986 British Open at Turnberry. ”When you are a rookie and for the first five or six years, there is no pressure because you have nothing to prove. You go for broke. One thing I have noticed: It gets harder to keep going and perform than it was 10 years ago.”
The favorites` biggest concern Wednesday was the weather. Namely, when will it arrive? The first sporadic raindrops began falling about midway through the practice round, but forecasters say it will be dry with winds of 12 to 18 m.p.h. Thursday. Rain is expected Friday through Sunday, but rain almost always is expected in Scotland.
Drought conditions have prevailed in southern Scotland most of this summer. More dry weather, coupled with relatively light winds, could turn Muirfield into a shooting gallery.
”If the weather stays like it is, the Open may be won with 8 under,”
Norman said. (Tom Watson shot a 13-under 271 to win in warm, dry conditions in 1980).
The consensus is that a spell of bad weather will benefit only the top players, but Muirfield always has weeded out the field anyway. Its champions since World War II are something of a golf honor roll-Henry Cotton (1948), Gary Player (1958), Nicklaus (1966), Lee Trevino (1972), Watson (1980) and Faldo (1987).
”Someone who wants to win must play it intelligently,” Nicklaus said.
”It`s a course that requires a great deal of restraint.”
Faldo showed the proper restraint in the 1987 Open when he toured the course in 18 pars on the final round to lock up the championship. And he has been blazing lately, winning the Irish Open and placing third in his two most recent tournaments.
Couples also is listed as a favorite because his third-place finish in the Western Open seems to have turned around a post-Masters slide. But Couples has played Muirfield only once before, in 1987. He finished 40th and could have been on a plane back to the States by the time Faldo nailed his winning putt on the 18th hole.
Couples had his eye on the sky Wednesday. He hopes for more wind, if only to make things a little more unpredictable. ”It hasn`t been much fun because it`s been so calm,” he said. ”You come over here and you look for the wind.”
The recent dry weather has kept the rough much shorter than it has been in past Muirfield Opens. That also could keep scores down, because the big hitters might wale away fearlessly.
”Before, if you hit it in the rough, you just hacked it out,” Couples said. ”This year, you can get onto the green from the rough.”
John Daly, the biggest hitter of all, did just that to save a par 4 on the 447-yard 1st hole Wednesday.
That wasn`t a good omen for control players, but it was, after all, only practice. Nicklaus admitted he was bored practicing on a course he has played 40 or more times. He expects the fire to return Thursday:
”It`s hard to get from Sunday to Thursday. I don`t have trouble getting excited for a major tournament.”
