In the foreword to a book celebrating the 150-year anniversary of the oldest championship in golf, Arnold Palmer refers to the event as The Open Championship. In his autobiography, Palmer refers to the major he won twice as the British Open.So which is it?That depends on the source. And it depends on the audience.The Open Championship began in 1860 when Willie Park Sr. defeated seven other golfers at Prestwick. It was 35 years until another big championship came along at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island known as the U.S. Open. That was followed by the South African Open, the Canadian Open and the Australian Open.When the British Open began is a little more unclear.According to an Associated Press account in 1900, J.H. Taylor won the open golf championship at St. Andrews. Two paragraphs later, however, the story noted that Taylor scored his third triumph in the English championships, even though it was held in Scotland.In 1910, the AP reported from St. Andrews that the open golf championship tournament ended in victory for James Braid. Just four years later, however, an AP story in The Los Angeles Times said that Harry Vardon won for the sixth time the British open golf championship.The R&A has never referred to it as anything but The Open Championship, and it recent years it has made a stronger case for the name of golfs oldest major to go by one name -- the proper name -- in any country.The USGA in its official U.S. Open entry form for years noted that players were exempt from qualifying if they had won the British Open in the last five years. This year, the language was changed to refer to a five-year exemption for winning The Open conducted by the R&A.William McGirt, headed over to Scotland for the first time, said he received a packet in the mail reminding players that its called The Open Championship.Im sure Ill call it the British Open and get pounded for it, McGirt said. But hey, its in Britain.The R&A has never referred to its premier championship as anything but The Open. It just happens to be held on links courses in Britain, with an exception in 1951 at Portrush in Northern Ireland, where it will return in three years.The name of the championship hasnt changed in 155 years, said Malcolm Booth, communications director for the R&A. The reason we think 155 years on there is legitimacy in calling it `The Open Championship is it really was the birthplace of open competition.It was the first. It was the original. It was the template. It is The Open.But not to Jack Nicklaus.Nicklaus was asked in late February about how he decided which sons would caddie for him in the majors. He recalled one year when Jackie, his oldest son, caddied in the Masters and I think he had the Open. And then he mentioned his second-oldest son, Steve, had the British Open and the PGA.The British Open?Thats what it is, Nicklaus said.Has he ever referred to the major he won three times The Open?Sure, when Im over there, he said. Over here, people dont know what The Open Championship is. Its `The Open Championship of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. If its The Open Championship, it could be the U.S. Open, the Australian Open, the Japanese Open.Thats where the R&A might beg to differ.When championship golf began in 1860, the golfing world was defined by Scotland. The Open was not held anywhere else until it went to Royal St. Georges in England in 1894, one year before the U.S. Open began.We dont consider ourselves a national championship, Booth said. The Open remit is to identify the champion golfer of the year.Three years ago, that champion golfer was Phil Mickelson, who grew up in San Diego referring to it as the British.Now that Ive won it, and the R&A strongly prefers it to be called just `The Open or `The Open Championship, I try hard to call it that, Mickelson said. But its not comfortable to me because its not what I referred to it as growing up in the United States.Hes not alone. And its not just Americans.Russell Knox of Scotland says he goes by British Open, though he has been in Florida the last 15 years. Branden Grace of South Africa grew up calling it the British Open. So did Jason Day of Australia.Adam Scott, however, was adamant that it is The Open and nothing else. That national championship in his home country? The Australian Open.I understand that when you say the `British Open you mean `The Open Championship, Scott said. When you call it the `Open and you mean the U.S. Open, then Im confused. Because thats called the United States Open.Jim Furyk simply goes by the calendar.A runner-up at Oakmont last month, he said people came up to him at the Bridgestone Invitational and congratulated him for his performance at the Open and it stopped him. His mind already was on the next Open, the one at Royal Troon that starts next week.If I were ever lucky enough to win the claret jug, I would definitely call it `The Open to show respect, he said. But when Im not thinking about it, then it comes out as `British Open because thats the way I grew up hearing it.And, he added with a smile, I might have fun with some folks when I know it will rub them the wrong way, just to watch them cringe.Chicago White Sox Pro Shop . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Stitched White Sox Jerseys .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. https://www.cheapwhitesox.com/ . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. White Sox Jerseys 2020 . LOUIS -- Rookie Tavon Austin has missed another day of practice, lessening the odds hell be ready for the St. Chicago White Sox Store . Each of Houstons starters scored in double figures as the Rockets improved to 2-0 against the Spurs this season, with both victories coming on the road. They also moved within 3 1/2 games of San Antonio (22-7) for the lead the Southwest Division.RICHMOND, Va. -- After seven months and 28 races, NASCAR has hit that part of the season that really matters. The start of the playoffs signifies a shift in attitude and aggression, and if there was any doubt the mindset had changed, Kevin Harvick posted a warning about his mood for the next 10 weeks.It was a video of an angry bull charging into the grandstands.And so the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship begins Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway with 16 drivers laser-focused on the big prize. Its 10 races, three rounds of elimination, and every man for himself.So dont be surprised if tempers boil over, paint is traded on the track, angry words are exchanged. Its already started, to a degree. Tony Stewart has intentionally wrecked drivers in two consecutive races, including Saturday nights regular-season finale with contact that officially ended Ryan Newmans shot at making the Chase.A frustrated Newman called his former boss bipolar and said Stewart had anger issues. Stewart was nonchalant, said Newman had it coming after running into him three times at Richmond.Remember, the Chase and this format can bring out the worst in even the most mild-mannered driver. Matt Kenseth tackled Brad Keselowski in a very un-Kenseth-like attack in 2014, then he earned a NASCAR suspension last year for an intentional crash that ruined Joey Loganos title chances.Denny Hamlin, who won Saturday night at his home track to give Joe Gibbs Racing three consecutive victories at Richmond and wins in nine of the last 15, said the jockeying for the final spots in the Chase field led to some of the recent aggression. He also speculated the length of the season could be a contributor, especially for drivers not battling for the title.Some guys have a care factor thats really low right now, Hamlin said. I think things get a little bit tamer in the Chase because people are aware of the Chase cars. Whether they say so or not, they definitely race a little bit more careful around those guys, especially when youre not racing for a win.As for the Chase drivers themselves? When the field will be trimmed by four at the end of each round, Hamlin expects to see tense racing.As guys get eliminated, it could definitely ramp back up again, he said.Harvick certainly plans to live up to hhis word.ddddddddddddThe 2014 champion, the first winner under the elimination format, has never backed down from anyone or anything. His scathing assessment of his pit crew led to two changes to his race team last week. When he was flagged for speeding on pit road, driver error instead of team error, it could have been seen as a bit of karma working against Harvick for being less than politically correct about his own crew.He doesnt care what it takes, though, he just wants results.You just have to be selfish. You have to do whats best for your team, worry about the consequences when all the dust settles, he said. You have to be narrow-minded, not listen to anything, and do whatever it takes to figure out how to make the best performance. Every point matters. This is a minute-by-minute battle.You just try to think of dotting every I and crossing every T because thats what its all about, and you have to get everything out of every person that touches everything on that car at another level to win this deal.So now its about strategy and how each driver plans to attack each round.For some, like Chris Buescher, just getting into the 16-driver field was the prize. Last years Xfinity Series champion made the Chase by winning a rain-shortened race at Pocono, but he doesnt want to settle for a happy to be here attitude.We look at this first round, and we want to make it past that round. We want to move through the Chase, Buescher said. Then we can re-evaluate from there. If we can keep going farther and improve our program each and every weekend, thats always going to be what were aiming to do.Stewart is also assessing his final Chase appearance before he retires at the end of the year. He slumped his way into the 2011 Chase and said his team didnt even deserve a spot in the field.Then he won the whole thing, his third NASCAR title.So hes just going to play this one by ear.Who knows whats going to happen? he said. All I care about right now is getting ready for Chicago. Once we get through that, Ill worry about Week 2. This is a stressful 10 weeks and you take it one week at a time. Thats what we did in `11, and it worked. ' ' '
