Zach Johnson excited to compete in 153rd Open Championship

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - Zach Johnson is set to compete in the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland along the scenic Antrim coast.

The 49-year-old 2015 Open Championship winner can’t wait to tee it up in Thursday’s opening round. He’ll group with Dan Brown and Daniel Hillier at 11:58 a.m. local time in Northern Ireland.

There’s a deep sense of appreciation that overtakes Johnson when he’s asked to reflect on what this championship, the oldest in the sport, does for his emotions when he looks back on his 2015 win.

“There is a reason why this is consistently my favorite tournament year in and year out. I fully appreciate everything about it, specifically the golf courses,” Johnson said Wednesday. “These links courses are just spectacular. We don’t have this type of golf back home in the states, so you kind of get an appreciation for how the game started.”

It’s fascinating when the former champ tries to sum up the feelings of the Open week quickly, because we soon realize there’s so much baked in for a lot of these guys.

“It’s also the people, it’s the elements, everything about this championship is special. Obviously the history and the trophy that I think transcends time.

“I am very grateful that, as I always say, I am truly still in awe of the whole thing.”

So how’s the game feeling at the moment?

“The game feels good. Hitting the face where I’m supposed to quite a bit,” he said. “I’m seeing the line and putting it down the line quite a bit as well for the most part.

“The body is getting up there in age, so It requires a lot more of my attention. There was a time where the driving range, chipping green and putting green were something where there was just more time devoted. Now it’s more time devoted to physio because I have to.”

Johnson accepts that his body and his overall life is evolving, so there’s nothing to necessarily keep him in his place. There are just some realities Johnson has to deal with.

“It’s hard being the oldest man essentially in every field,” Johnson said. “This week I’m not. There’s a couple that are older than me. Now that’s not a complaint, that’s just a reality.

“But I can still play, and that’s what I love. I love to compete, and there’s no better atmosphere to do that than at the Open Championship.”

Garrett Johnston has covered golf for 15 years as a freelance journalist. You can follow him on Twitter @JohnstonGarrett. The past five years, he’s hosted the “Beyond the Clubhouse” podcast with players, caddies, and broadcasters.