The Open returns to Royal Lytham this July

THE Open Golf Championship is to return to Royal Lytham and St Anne’s this July.

This is the first time the event has been held at the North West course since 2001, when David Duval took the title.

That was the same year Ian Woosnam was leading the competition, but had to take a two-shot penalty at the first tee on the Sunday because he had too many clubs in his bag.

In 2001 Duval finished with a 67 with birdies at the 6th, 7th and 11th. His total was 274, which was three better than Niclas Fasth who came second.

The Open has been played 10 times at Royal Lytham and St Anne’s.

American amateur Bobby Jones was the winner of the first Open to be staged at the course in 1926. He finished with rounds of 72, 72, 73 and 74 with a combined score of 291.

The first European winner of The Open was England’s Tony Jacklin in 1969.

Seve Ballesteros, the only other European to win the event at Lytham, won his first Open in 1979 and his third and last Open at the course in 1988. He also took the title in 1984 at St Andrews.

The first American to win at Lytham after Bobby Jones was Tom Lehman in 1996. He played in the last round with Nick Faldo, who the majority of home fans were cheering for.

Lehman won by two that year from Ernie Els who came joint second with Mark McCumber.

Nick Faldo finished fourth.