LYTHAM ST ANNES, England (Reuters) – There is no better partner to play alongside this week than five-times British Open champion Tom Watson and Japanese sensation Ryo Ishikawa has that chance again on Thursday and Friday.

The 20-year-old, already a 10-times professional winner, partnered American great Watson, 62, in the 2010 Open at St Andrews.

LYTHAM ST ANNES, England (Reuters) – U.S. PGA champion Keegan Bradley tipped Masters winner Bubba Watson to land this week’s British Open after Watson predicted that his fellow American would end the current streak of 15 different major winners.

“I’ll pick Bubba to win this week, how about that?,” world number 24 Bradley told Reuters after a club-by-club practice session at a windswept Lytham driving range on Wednesday morning.

LYTHAM ST ANNES, England (Reuters) – Journeyman Barry Lane is not daunted by having to hit the opening shot at the British Open on Thursday after finding out he had the honour whilst in the birthplace of Motown.

Lane, 52, had been in Michigan for the U.S. Senior Open and was waiting for a flight back from Detroit on Monday, after his original was cancelled, when he called up an internet page to find out he would be the first golfer off the tee at 0519 GMT.