Great Scott!: This Week’s Senior Open at the iconic Carnoustie Golf Links is worth a watch

If you have the appetite for links golf after watching The Open at Royal Troon, you might want to consider checking out this week's Senior Open presented by Rolex, which will take place at the iconic Carnoustie Golf Links in Scotland.

The legends of the game, both from the Champions Tour and Legends Tour, will be competing from Thursday onwards in this 72-hole event for a $2.85 million purse.

Favourites in the field include Padraig Harrington (Ire) and Darren Clarke (NI) – who both played all four rounds at The Open at Royal Troon.

Harrington lost last year in a play-off to Alex Cejka (Ger) – in atrocious weather at Royal Porthcawl.

All will be hoping for better weather this week.

Former Dubai resident Thomas Bjorn (Den) will hope to continue his good form of late as the 53-year-old stands 22nd in the Charles Schwab Champions Tour Standings.

Defending champion Cejka will be joined by the likes of John Daly (US), the in-form Ernie Els (RSA), current Legends Tour Order of Merit leader Scott Hend (Aus), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain), Bernhard Langer (Ger), Justin Leonard (US), 1999 Open champion again at Carnoustie Paul Lawrie, Paul McGinley (Ire), Colin Montgomerie (Scot), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Dubai Golden VISA Awardee Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) and Ian Woosnam (Wales).

Jeev Milkha Singh told Khaleej Times, “I have played Carnoustie many times – including in both The Open as well as the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. In my opinion, it is the toughest links course of them all.

“I like it – I am known to play well in challenging conditions and work the ball – which is what is needed for links golf. So many of the players do not like the look of bad weather and so half the field can often be eliminated before a shot is played. Golf is not a perfect game.

“As with all links golf – it very much depends on the weather and the luck of the draw. Looking at the forecast for Thursday onwards – it looks like rain – but you never know in Scotland. Whatever it throws at us – I will be ready,” said Milkha Singh

Statistic of the week is that Ernie Els stands top of the 2024 Charles Schwab Champions Tour Order of the Merit Rankings having won $1,807,160 so far this season.

• McIlroy hopes to bounce back at Carnoustie