Facts of the Open, brought to you by John Montagu, Earl of Sandwich (mmmm, Sandwich)

The Open is underway and we just want to ensure you have all the facts handy (well known and little known) for your upcoming card game banter:

The first Open included a field of eight professionals played that played three rounds of Prestwick’s 12-hole course in one day.

Roger Wethered almost refused to participate in a playoff in 1921 because he had scheduled a cricket match. Needless to say his heart just wasn’t in the competition the next day and lost by 9 strokes.

The last Englishman to win The Open was Sir Nick Faldo...previously known as Nick Faldo. His win came at Muirfield in 1992, back when pleated pants were fashion forward.

Tom Watson has won an Open on every Scottish course currently on the rota except for St. Andrews (Seve nipped him in 1984 as “New Tom” was pursuing his third straight Jug)

Bad spellers of the golf world, untie, we mean, unite! The claret jug has a spelling mistake. In 1947, when Fred Daly won the Open at Hoylake, the engraver carved it as “Holylake.” Suffice to say this isn’t easily fixed with whiteout or a backspace button on a keyboard.

Cliff Clavin Fun Fact - the Open is being played in the backyard of the man who is known as the father of the common sandwich as we know it:

• John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1702)
• enjoyed a daily card game that drew his complete attention
• his servants were asked to bring him the “leftover roast in between bread”
• guests exclaimed to want “what Sandwich is having” (voila, the sandwich is born)

Sandwich, nachos, Johnny Miller squeeze cheese...whatever your pleasure is, here’s to  a great week of early rising to watch the world’s best get ravaged by the most “unfair test on the Open rota”.