At time of writing, Brian Harman leads the way in The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. After a rip-roaring start to round two, he is clear at the top of the board. Harman plays the game left-handed, although he is actually right-handed for all other activities. Were he to go on and win at Hoylake, he would be just the fifth “leftie” to claim a Major title. Those to do so in the past are:
Sir Bob Charles
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New Zealand’s Bob Charles won his only Major title in the 1963 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes. He was the first player using left-handed equipment to win a Major title. The Kiwi finished on three-under after 72 holes and was tied on that number by American Phil Rodgers. Jack Nicklaus bogeyed the last two holes to finish one back. In the resulting 36-hole playoff, Charles outplayed his American rival Rodgers, beating him by eight shots. It was the last time a 36-hole playoff was used to decide the fate of the Open Championship.
Mike Weir
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It was 40 years between Bob Charles’ Open victory and the next “left-handed” Major triumph. At the 2003 Masters, Canada’s Mike Weir won his only Major title. Weir led through 36 holes but looked to have scuppered his chances with a third round of 75. But he bounced back with a closing 68 to tie with Len Mattiace through 72 holes. The American carded a fabulous final round of 65 and would have won outright had he not bogeyed the last hole. Weir won the sudden-death playoff on the 10th hole with a bogey.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson at Muirfield in 2013
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Until 2004, Phil Mickelson was considered the best player never to have won a Major. Another right hander who plays left-handed, Mickelson got the monkey off his back at Augusta. Mickelson made it back-to-back lefty wins in The Masters. Phil claimed two further Masters titles in 2006 and 2010 and he also added the 2005 and 2021 PGA Championship titles. In 2013, Mickelson became just the second “left-handed” Open champion. He triumphed at Muirfield, producing one of the finest closing rounds in the history of the championship.
Bubba Watson
Bubba from the trees in…
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