As a former Open Champion, Todd Hamilton is exempt into the event until he turns 60. Yet the 2004 winner has not used that privilege since the 2018 British Open at Carnoustie. In fact, Hamilton has not even played in an official PGA Tour event since the 2019 Puerto Rico Open.
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But this year, the Open returned to Royal Troon, site of Hamilton’s lone major triumph and the last of his two PGA Tour victories, which both came in 2004. That week, Hamilton surged to the top of the leader board with consecutive 67s in the second and third rounds, then shot a final-round 69 to get into a playoff with Ernie Els which he won by one stroke.
In 14 Open appearances since, Hamilton has missed 11 cuts, including the last time it was at Royal Troon in 2016. Following his MC at Carnoustie, he took five years off before returning in 2024, when he had a “welcome back to the Open” in the early hours of Thursday morning’s first round.
The pot bunkers show no mercy, not even to the former champs.Â
Hamilton, smartly, went out sideways with his next, then proceeded to make a triple-bogey 7 that had to have him wondering if the plane ride to the UK was even worth it. The 58-year-old finished with an 11-over 82, which was highlighted by a birdie 2 at the par-3 14th. Hopefully, Hamilton gets some better weather on Friday and a nice little send-off coming down 18 from the Royal Troon faithful.Â
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This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
