5 Live Sport: All About The Open

Iain Carter is joined by Emma Ballard from Women and Golf ahead of an historic AIG Women’s Open to be held at Muirfield.

It’s as the club holds its first ever women’s event since it abolished its controversial men-only members rule in 2017.

The 2018 Women’s Open champion Georgia Hall joins the pod to talk about what it means to her to play at Muirfield and how she thinks more progress can be made for women’s golf.

The R&A chief exec Martin Slumbers tells us about the rise in the prize purse for the Women’s Open and how equal prize money with The Open has to be the goal for the sport.

You’ll also hear about what is being done to get more women into golf, how Muirfield has changed as a club in the past five years and why it’s a challenge to get more female golf fans to follow the women’s tour.

BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter and commentator Katherine Downes look at the extraordinary life and career of one of the greatest players in Open Championship history – Tiger Woods.

Iain travels to Adare Manor in Ireland to talk to the man himself about what The Open means to him as he prepares for the 150th Championship at St Andrews.

You’ll hear at length from Steve Williams, his former caddie who was on the bag for Woods for 13 of his 15 major wins, on how they spoke daily about trying to beat Jack Nicklaus’ all-time record of 18 major victories.

We look back on some of his greatest achievements - from winning four consecutive majors in 2000 and 2001 to earn the “Tiger slam”, being crowned US Open champion at Torrey Pines in 2008 with a broken leg, his unlikely “redemption” win at The Masters in 2019 and of course, lifting three Claret Jugs in sensational style.

The Golf Channel’s Jaime Diaz was one of the first journalists to get to know Tiger Woods at the age of 14. He joins the pod to talk about how he developed into one of the greatest golfers of all-time.

USA Today columnist Christine Brennan explores how Woods’ image has changed and evolved in the media spotlight in recent years following three high-profile incidents with cars, personal scandal and injury.

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1’00” – Eldrick Tont Woods - nominative determinism?

6’42” – Is he the most famous sports star there has ever been?

13’06” – Tiger Woods’ fans on why they support him

14’35” – Tiger Woods on what The Open Championship means to him

17’25” – Woods’ childhood

23’38” – How race fuelled his career

31’30” – Steve Williams on the achievement of the “Tiger slam”

38’30” – Woods’ extraordinary US Open win at Torrey Pines with a broken leg in 2008

41’50” – Tiger Woods’ three Open Championship titles

49’50” – Woods’ aim of surpassing Jack Nicklaus’ majors record

51’14” – How Tiger has transcended his sport

54’30” – Tiger Woods – the man in the media spotlight

58’00” – Car crashes, personal scandal and injury

Katherine Downes and BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter celebrate some of the greatest players in the history of The Open championship.

Five-time Open champion Tom Watson shares his memories of his victories with Iain and gives us an insight into how he handled missing out on the Claret Jug in 2009 at Turnberry.

Three-time winner Gary Player also joins the pod to talk about what The Open Championship means to him.

From Arnold Palmer to Jack Nicklaus, the former European Tour player Andrew Murray and US journalist Alex Miceli share their stories of meeting legendary players and pick their greatest Open champion.

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1’20” – What makes an “Open legend?”

Katherine Downes and BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter discuss the rise, and more recently fall, of Open champion Phil Mickelson.

They’re joined by Sports Illustrated journalist Bob Harig to celebrate his playing career, to look back on his memorable Open victory in 2013 at Muirfield and to analyse his rivalry with Tiger Woods.

Biographer Alan Shipnuck, who published Mickelson’s comments on Saudi Arabia earlier this year, tells us what he’s made of Mickelson’s downfall since those quotes were released.

The panel discuss whether Mickelson has damaged his legacy after breaking away from the PGA Tour and signing up to the controversial Saudi-backed LIV golf series.

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1’15” - Reflection on Phil Mickelson’s illustrious career

Katherine Downes and BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter are joined by Ladies European Tour winner Trish Johnson to celebrate the British and Irish golfers who have lifted the Claret Jug.

From Tony Jacklin to Shane Lowry, the panel share their favourite memories and stories of those Open Championships, which resulted in a home-grown hero.

You’ll hear at length from Sandy Lyle on what it was like to win The Open in 1985 at Royal St. George’s and how even a streaker didn’t put him off from winning.

And Shane Lowry joins the pod with Irish rugby legend Brian O’Driscoll to discuss Lowry’s memorable victory at Portrush in 2019.

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Commentator Katherine Downes is joined by BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter and European Tour winner Andrew Murray to look back on the players who appeared destined to win The Open, only to be denied from lifting the Claret Jug.

You'll hear from Jean van de Velde on his infamous performance on the final hole of The Open in 1999 at Carnoustie.

Adam Scott gives us an emotional interview, on how it still haunts him to this day, that he let The Open in 2012 at Royal Lytham St Annes slip away.

And Ian Poulter talks about coming so close, yet so far, to lifting the Claret Jug in his career.

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BBC correspondent Iain Carter takes a trip back in time to discover the origins of The Open ahead of the 150th championship at St Andrews this summer.

Commentator Katherine Downes and former European Tour player Zane Scotland join the pod to find out why the championship is called The Open and why the winner gets the Claret Jug.

During his journey, Iain visits St Andrews and Prestwick to discuss the fascinating history of The Open and to tell you about the three pioneers who helped shape what the championship has become today.

BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter and commentator Katherine Downes look back on the incredible career of three-time Open champion and legend of the sport, Seve Ballesteros.

You'll hear Iain's last interview with Seve on his retirement from golf.

Seve’s son, Javier Ballesteros, joins the podcast to share memories of his father and discuss his legacy in the sport.

And BBC commentators Ken Brown and Alistair Bruce-Ball share their stories and anecdotes of one of sport’s true greats and personalities.

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Katherine Downes, BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter and former European Tour player Zane Scotland delve into the fascinating mind of the 2021 Open champion, Collin Morikawa.

Morikawa reveals to us how he’s able to hit “the reset button” when things aren’t going his way on the golf course and reflects on his impressive victory at Royal St George’s, as he prepares to defend his title at St Andrews this summer.

Collin Morikawa’s coach Rick Sessinghaus joins the pod to tell us what it’s been like to work with him since the age of eight, about his mental strength and dealing with comparisons to Tiger Woods . . . And who exactly is Post Malone?

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Mark Chapman is joined by BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter and commentator Katherine Downes for the first episode in a brand new podcast series – All About: The Open.

In this pod, Rory McIlroy reflects on winning The Open in 2014 at Royal Liverpool and why he thinks he hasn’t won a major since his victory at the PGA Championship that same summer.

The panel are joined by Greg Allen from RTE, to give us an insight into what McIlory is really like, and to discuss whether he’ll have another “purple patch” of major wins in his career.

It’s the first episode in 5 Live’s All About: The Open series, to get you in the mood ahead of the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews from 14th July 2022.

A new pod will be released every Thursday only on BBC Sounds

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