Ordinarily in recent years it has been whoever wasn't Tiger Woods.

I have never been keen on a sport that is so dominated by one individual or team and as brilliant as Woods is, his presence at the top of any leaderboard diminishes the excitement.

So the choice was between an Englishman, an Irishman and an Australian.

And all three had their merits.

I have always liked Ian Poulter, a player unlike many others who has an opinion and is never afraid to voice it.

Padraig Harrington must be one of the nicest men in sport and had been so woefully out of form that even had he not been troubled by a wrist injury he would not have been expected to defend his crown.

Greg Norman was only using the Open as a warm up for the Seniors Open later this month and was so far off the radar before a ball had been hit in anger that you could probably have named your price at the bookies.

The way Poulter celebrated when he holed his putt on the 18th suggested he felt he still had a chance even at that late stage.

And Norman was giving hope to all the over 50s out there as he steadily plotted his way round the testing links.

But Harrington had a look of a man whose destiny it was to become only the sixth player in modern times to retain the trophy.

His speech at the presentation was warm and gracious, so different from so many given by sportsmen at their moment of triumph.

But it was Norman who continued to fascinate the watching millions.

He and Chris Evert are a sort of Saga Posh and Becks and every time he made - or missed - a crucial shot it was the former Wimbledon champion's face that lit up the screen.

What a shame her presence never had the same effect on John Lloyd all those years ago when they were tennis's first celebrity couple.

As thrilling as the finish was - up to the 17th when Harrington bagged an eagle to secure victory - the course and the weather will be the abiding memory.

The wind howled, the rain fell and the players toiled.

The young American contenders, irritatingly calling it the British Open, complained that the organisers were trying to humiliate them - they weren't but if they were they are to be applauded.

The rest played magnificently and, while never fully taming Birkdale, played at a level mere mortals can only ever dream of.

It truly is the best championship in the world.

************************

DWAIN Chambers is clearly not a man to give up easily.

After losing his appeal against the BOA's lifetime Games ban, he insisted he was focussing on London in 2012.

He knew the rules, he broke them, he must serve his punishment.
It seems fairly straight forward to me.