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Slocum Faces Long Wait Today

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The Associated Press

Published: July 17, 2008

SOUTHPORT, England - Heath Slocum debated whether to come to the British Open as an alternate.

Now he doesn't want to leave.

Slocum had planned to be in Milwaukee this week for the U.S. Bank Championship, but that was before Kenny Perry stood by his decision not to play in golf's oldest championship and David Toms withdrew.

That moved Slocum up to No. 1 on the alternate list, and it left him with a difficult choice - fly to England with no guarantee of playing, or go to Milwaukee with the chance of passing up a spot in the British Open.

"It was 50-50 to come here and sit," Slocum said Wednesday. "You hate to miss out, especially in a Ryder Cup year. It's an opportunity to earn some points, get another win or help with the FedEx Cup. It's effectively a week off if I'm not in here."

Slocum is at No. 22 in the Ryder Cup standings, and with the exchange rate, no other tournament offers more points than the British Open. He is No. 41 in the FedEx Cup standings with only five tournaments left before players are ranked for the playoffs.

So why not just go to Milwaukee?

"Because if I got in here, I'd be sick to my stomach," Slocum said.

On the eve of the tournament, his best hope for a withdrawal was defending champion Padraig Harrington, who injured his right wrist. Harrington said after 18 holes of chipping and putting that it was 75 percent he would play, 50 percent he would finish.

"I don't want to see anyone get hurt," Slocum said. "But if they withdraw, I'm here."

The toughest part might be the waiting today. Among the three majors with at least 150 players, the British Open is the only one that sends everyone off the first tee. The first tee time is 6:30 a.m., and the last group goes off at 4:21 p.m.

Slocum can't stray too far from the first tee if his name is called.

"It could be a long day," he said.

JUNIOR CHAMPION: The first Open champion of the week was a girl.

Moriya Jutanugarn, a 13-year-old from Thailand who had never been to Europe, became the first girl to win the Junior Open on Wednesday when she closed with a 78 at Hesketh Golf Club for a one-shot victory against Steven Lam of Hong Kong and Jordan Speith of the United States. Jutanugarn is a scratch golfer, but this was her first time to play a links course. She finished at 9-over 225.

The Junior Open is a 54-hole tournament for players under the age 16.

The Associated Press

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