SANDWICH, England – Enough about 2003. Thomas Bjorn is trying to create some new memories at Royal St. George’s.
Bjorn opened with a 5-under 65 to claim the lead in the British Open, the major title he was denied the last time it came to this course on the English seaside.
Not that he’s dwelling on what happened eight years ago.
“I’m 40 years old,” the Dane said, “and there might just be a little bit more in me.”
Bjorn ripped off three straight birdies coming down the stretch. Even with a stumble at the final hole, he was in the clubhouse with a one-stroke lead over Miguel Angel Jimenez and six strokes ahead of U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy, who got off to a sluggish start.
While McIlroy was the clear favorite, Bjorn didn’t even get into the tournament until Monday as an alternate, giving him a chance to make up for his collapse at the ’03 Open.
That’s when he squandered a two-stroke lead over the final three holes, largely by needing three swings to escape a bunker on the par-3 16th. Ben Curtis went on to claim the claret jug in one of golf’s greatest shockers.
“I probably didn’t dwell on it as much
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