The two players who finished in a tie for second when the Open Championship was last staged at Royal St George’s, have traded places with each other in this week’s field.
Danish veteran Thomas Bjorn, who surrendered a three-shot lead to Ben Curtis with four holes to play in 2003, has stepped up to the plate at Sandwich by filling the void left by Fijian Vijay Singh.
Three-time major champion Singh, who was forced to withdraw from Open qualifying last month, was offered an invitation by the R&A into the third major of the season but opted out on Monday due to ongoing back problems.
Aussie Brendan Jones had been on standby for a start but, due to his wife expecting a baby, opted against contesting the year's third major when Singh withdrew.
“I'm very pleased but then obviously very sorry for Vijay as no one wants to withdraw from any event let alone a major,” said Bjorn, who took full advantage of being made first reserve.
“You don’t want to see players pull out, but since Sandwich I have missed some Opens and it makes you realise how much you want to play in them.”
Bjorn came agonisingly close to fulfilling his major dream eight years ago when arriving on the 15th hole with a commanding three-shot cushion.
But it all unravelled in front of millions of worldwide fans as he took three digs to get his ball out of the bunker at the par-3 16th, before dropping another at 17 to finish one adrift of Curtis, the American rookie.
“The year after what happened here was difficult, but these are the events you want to be playing in,” said the World No.80, who won the Qatar Masters in February this season.
“When I think back I just count myself lucky that I got myself in a position where I had a chance to win. Loads of people don’t get that chance.”
Bjorn will look to get off to a fast start on Thursday at 7.25am alongside fiery Englishman Simon Dyson and big-hitting American Gary Woodland.
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