BRITISH OPEN 2008
Since the great Lee Trevino in 1972 only two players have managed to defend their British Open thrones.
In 1983 Tom Watson managed it and in total the Kansas City kid piked up an amazing five claret jugs.
Twenty three years later Tiger Woods won back to back opens joining the select club of defending Champions.
And for those into statistics the last European golfer to have successfully defended his title was the Scot James Braid way back in 1906.
This week at the Royal Birkdale Golf Club Ireland's Padraig Harrington aims to follow in the footsteps of Woods, Watson, Trevino and Braid but he more than anyone else knows that doing so will be amazingly difficult.
Nursing an injured right wrist the Open Champion will have it all to do if he's to challenge for the top honour but he's determined to give it his best shot at the Lancashire course.
Harrington's injury came last weekend when he played in the Irish PGA Championship, an event he won for the fifth time on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters today he said that the injury would have kept him out of most other tournaments.
"If it wasn't the Open I would have pulled out. I would have had treatment and then decided I couldn't risk it. But because it's Open week I'll make the effort. However I know I will not get through 72 holes this week wothout going in the rough and the biggest worry is if I do something that will flare it up and give me a problem" said the 36 year old.
Harrington drew solace from the fact that he suffered an injury before last year's tournament at Carnoustie which also saw him miss out on practice time.
He said "It's not the end of the world. Birkdale is a good straight forward course. It would not be the worse course in the world to just have one practice round."
Spain's Sergio Garcia (pictured right) who lost out to Harrington in a play off hole last year is the favourite with the bookies to finally get his hands on the jug.
Ranging from anywhere between 8/1 and 13/1 the bookmakers believe he has a good chance of continuing Spain's excellent year in sport.
The usual suspects such as Ernie Els, Lee Westwood, Phil Mickleson and Jim Furyk are also hotly tipped but if you really want a flutter that could deliver big than the new Scottish Open Champion Graeme McDowell may be your man.
The Northern Irish player who virtually guaranteed his place in September's Ryder Cup team with Sunday's win is available at 40/1 with most bookmakers.
In inspired form the likes of McDowell could spring a suprise and make the most of the fact that Tiger Woods will not be playing.
Ladbrokes Odds on British Open:
S.Garcia 12/1
E Els 16/1
L Westwood 20/1
P Mickleson 20/1
J Furyk 25/1
G Ogilvy 25/1
P Harrington 25/1
J Rose 33/1
MA Jimenez 33/1
A Scott 33/1
V Singh 33/1
S Cink 33/1
R Goosen 40/1
R Karlsson 40/1
G McDowell 40/1
Selected others:
A Cabrera 66/1
I Poulter 80/1
C Montgomerie 100/1
P Lawrie 200/1
D McGrane 250/1
T Lehman 250/1
J Daly 500/1
P Walton 500/1
I hear Garcia is favourite after Tiger's absence...will be fun....