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Oosthuizen set sights on second Open win

Cape Town - It's been seven years since Louis Oosthuizen lifted the Claret Jug at St. Andrews in 2010.

In 2015, Oosthuizen came close to securing a second Open Championship title, but lost in a playoff hole to American Zach Johnson.

Heading into this week's tournament at Royal Birkdale, Oosthuizen is looking to capitalise on his good form and get into the mix for the weekend.

"I've been happy with my form so far this year and I've had some pretty good results, particularly at The Players," Oosthuizen told Sport24.

"It's all about competing and winning and hopefully I can do one better over the next few weeks and months."

The 34-year-old finished in a tie for second at The Players Championship in May, alongside England's Ian Poulter and three shots behind winner Kim Si-Woo of South Korea.

At this year's US Open, Oosthuizen was South Africa's top finisher with a tie for 23rd at three-under-par at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.

When stating his aims this week, Oosthuizen said he is hopeful to make the cut for the weekend and go from there.

"As a player you can't set targets as such," he said.

"Everyone knows that a major only really gets going on the back nine on Sunday and we all want to do whatever it takes to be in the mix when that time comes. At an Open Championship, anything can happen. I can't wait for Birkdale."

Ever since Ernie Els' Open Championship win at Royal Lytham in 2012, a South African has not walked away with another major title.

Oosthuizen shrugged off any notion that he's feeling pressure to become the next South African major winner.

"Not at all," said Oosthuizen.

"I appreciate the support from home - it means so much to me - but it doesn't feel like pressure."

Oosthuizen is one of nine South Africans in the field at Royal Birkdale this week.

Oosthuizen will tee off in Round 1 alongside Rio Olympic gold medallist Justin Rose and American Justin Thomas at 10:58 SA time.

Tee times and groupings for the first and second rounds of the British Open at Royal Birkdale on Thursday and Friday (GBR or IRL unless stated; a-denotes amateurs):

All times SA

1st round, Thursday, July 20

07:35 - Mark O'Meara (USA), Chris Wood, Ryan Moore (USA)

07:46 - Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), a-Maverick McNealy (USA), Stuart Manley

07:57 - Stewart Cink (USA), Sandy Lyle, Wang Jeung-Hun (KOR)

08:08 - Paul Broadhurst, Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Roberto Castro (USA)

08:19 - Tom Lehman (USA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR), Darren Fichardt (RSA)

08:30 - Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Billy Horschel (USA), Danny Willett

08:41 - Matthew Fitzpatrick, Steve Stricker (USA), Emiliano Grillo (ARG)

08:52 - Jason Dufner (USA), Branden Grace (RSA), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)

09:03 - Russell Knox, Alex Noren (SWE), Ian Poulter 

09:14 - David Duval (USA), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), K.T. Kim (KOR)

09:25 - Song Young-Han (KOR), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (RSA)

09:36 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Charles Howell III (USA), Shiv Kapur (IND)

09:47 - Russell Henley (USA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Peter Uihlein (USA)

10:03 - Brendan Steele (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA), Webb Simpson (USA)

10:14 - Wesley Bryan (USA), Anirban Lahiri (IND), a-Alfie Plant

10:25 - Darren Clarke, Gary Woodland (USA), a-Harry Ellis

10:36 - Pat Perez (USA), Padraig Harrington, Thomas Pieters (BEL)

10:47 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Jordan Spieth (USA)

10:58 - Justin Rose, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Justin Thomas (USA)

11:09 - Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Brooks Koepka (USA), Tommy Fleetwood

11:20 - J.B. Holmes (USA), Brandt Snedeker (USA), Shane Lowry

11:31 - Shaun Norris (RSA), Richard Bland, a-Luca Cianchetti (ITA) 

11:42 - Chang Yi-Keun (KOR), Chan Kim (USA), Mark Foster 

11:53 - Kang Sung-hoon (KOR), Tony Finau (USA), Matthieu Pavon (FRA)

12:04 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Joseph Dean, Robert Streb (USA)

12:15 - Julian Suri (USA), Robert Dinwiddie, Adam Hodkinson

12:36 - Adam Hadwin (CAN), Andrew Johnston, Todd Hamilton (USA)

12:47 - John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (AUS), a-Connor Syme

12:58 - William McGirt (USA), Toby Tree, Jamie Lovemark (USA)

13:09 - Austin Connelly (CAN), Matthew Griffin (AUS), Matthew Southgate

13:20 - Cameron Smith (AUS), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin

13:31 - Brian Harman (USA), Michael Hendry (NZL), Martin Laird

13:42 - Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (RSA), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)

13:53 - Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer (GER), Aaron Baddeley (AUS)

14:04 - Jason Day (AUS), Zach Johnson (USA), Sergio Garcia (ESP)

14:15 - Andy Sullivan, Joost Luiten (NED), David Lipsky (USA)

14:26 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Paul Casey

14:37 - Matt Kuchar (USA), Richie Ramsay, Ryan Fox (NZL)

14:48 - Charley Hoffman (USA), Kevin Kisner (USA), David Drysdale

15:04 - Hideto Tanihara (JPN), Jimmy Walker (USA), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)

15:15 - Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Brandon Stone (RSA), Sean O'Hair (USA)

15:26 - Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Daniel Berger (USA), Yuta Ikeda (JPN)

15:37 - Paul Lawrie, Kevin Chappell (USA), Yusaku Miyazato (JPN)

15:48 - Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (USA), Charl Schwartzel (RSA)

15:59 - Jon Rahm (ESP), Patrick Reed (USA), Lee Westwood

16:10 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Marc Leishman (AUS)

16:21 - Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Scott Hend (AUS), Bubba Watson (USA)

16:32 - Paul Waring, Kyle Stanley (USA), Kevin Na (USA)

16:43 - Xander Schauffele (USA), Kim Gi-Whan (KOR), Andrew Dodt (AUS)

16:54 - Li Haotong (CHN), Kent Bulle (USA), Haydn McCullen

17:05 - Jbe Kruger (RSA), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (AUS)

17:16 - Ryan McCarthy (AUS), Laurie Canter, Sebastian Munoz (COL)

2nd round, Friday, July 21

07:35 - Adam Hadwin (CAN), Andrew Johnston, Todd Hamilton (USA)

07:46 - John Daly (USA), Adam Bland (AUS), a-Connor Syme

07:57 - William McGirt (USA), Toby Tree, Jamie Lovemark (USA)

08:08 - Austin Connelly (CAN), Matthew Griffin (AUS), Matthew Southgate

08:19 - Cameron Smith (AUS), Bill Haas (USA), Callum Shinkwin

08:30 - Brian Harman (USA), Michael Hendry (NZL), Martin Laird

08:41 - Ross Fisher, Ernie Els (RSA), Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)

08:52 - Tyrrell Hatton, Martin Kaymer (GER), Aaron Baddeley (AUS)

09:03 - Jason Day (AUS), Zach Johnson (USA), Sergio Garcia (ESP)

09:14 - Andy Sullivan, Joost Luiten (NED), David Lipsky (USA)

09:25 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Adam Scott (AUS), Paul Casey

09:36 - Matt Kuchar (USA), Richie Ramsay, Ryan Fox (NZL) 

09:47 - Kevin Kisner (USA), Charley Hoffman (USA), David Drysdale

10:03 - Hideto Tanihara (JPN), Jimmy Walker (USA), Thorbjorn Olesen (DEN)

10:14 - Jhonattan Vegas (VEN), Brandon Stone (RSA), Sean O'Hair (USA)

10:25 - Daniel Berger (USA), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Yuta Ikeda (JPN)

10:36 - Kevin Chappell (USA), Paul Lawrie, Yusaku Miyazato (JPN)

10:47 - Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson (USA), Charl Schwartzel (RSA)

10:58 - Patrick Reed (USA), Jon Rahm (ESP), Lee Westwood

11:09 - Francesco Molinari (ITA), Phil Mickelson (USA), Marc Leishman (AUS)

11:20 - Scott Hend (AUS), Rafael Cabrera-Bello (ESP), Bubba Watson (USA)

11:31 - Kyle Stanley (USA), Paul Waring, Kevin Na (USA)

11:42 - Kim Gi-Whan (KOR), Xander Schauffele (USA), Andrew Dodt (AUS)

11:53 - Li Haotong (CHN), Kent Bulle (USA), Haydn McCullen

12:04 - Jbe Kruger (RSA), Nick McCarthy, Ashley Hall (AUS)

12:15 - Laurie Canter, Ryan McCarthy (AUS), Sebastian Munoz (COL)

12:36 - Chris Wood, Mark O'Meara (USA), Ryan Moore (USA)

12:47 - Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), a-Maverick McNealy (USA), Stuart Manley 

12:58 - Stewart Cink (USA), Sandy Lyle, Wang Jeung-Hun (KOR)

13:09 - Thongchai Jaidee (THA), Paul Broadhurst, Roberto Castro (USA)

13:20 - Tom Lehman (USA), An Byeong-Hun (KOR), Darren Fichardt (RSA)

13:31 - Billy Horschel (USA), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Danny Willett

13:42 - Steve Stricker (USA), Matthew Fitzpatrick, Emiliano Grillo (ARG)

13:53 - Jason Dufner (USA), Branden Grace (RSA), Bryson DeChambeau (USA)

14:04 - Russell Knox, Alex Noren (SWE), Ian Poulter

14:15 - David Duval (USA), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), K.T. Kim (KOR)

14:26 - Song Young-Han (KOR), David Horsey, Dylan Frittelli (RSA)

14:37 - Mike Lorenzo-Vera (FRA), Charles Howell III (USA), Shiv Kapur (IND)

14:48 - Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Russell Henley (USA), Peter Uihlein (USA)

15:04 - Brendan Steele (USA), Alexander Levy (FRA), Webb Simpson (USA)

15:15 - Wesley Bryan (USA), Anirban Lahiri (IND), a-Alfie Plant

15:26 - Gary Woodland (USA), Darren Clarke, a-Harry Ellis

15:37 - Padraig Harrington, Pat Perez (USA), Thomas Pieters (BEL)

15:48 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Jordan Spieth (USA)

15:59 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA), Justin Rose, Justin Thomas (USA)

16:10 - Brooks Koepka (USA), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Tommy Fleetwood

16:21 - Brandt Snedeker (USA), J.B. Holmes (USA), Shane Lowry

16:32 - Richard Bland, Shaun Norris (RSA), a-Luca Cianchetti (ITA)

16:43 - Chan Kim (USA), Chang Yi-Keun (KOR), Mark Foster

16:54 - Kang Sung-Hoon (KOR), Tony Finau (USA), Matthieu Pavon (FRA)

17:05 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Joseph Dean, Robert Streb (USA)

17:16 - Robert Dinwiddie, Julian Suri (USA), Adam Hodkinson

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