The final men's major of the year is the oldest championship in golf.

Life has changed pretty fast for Trey Mullinax.

Tiger Woods made an early and emotional departure from the British Open at St. Andrews, perhaps for the last time.

Golf’s breakaway bunch have turned into a band of brothers.

Tiger Woods may have played his final round of a British Open at St. Andrews.

None of the golfers who have opted to join the Saudi-funded breakaway series know if they will be allowed to keep playing at the sport’s four biggest events.

Defending British Open champion Collin Morikawa is set to miss the cut.

The dry conditions at the British Open turned a beautiful day for golf into a long slog for many of the players.

The one major Tiger Woods just couldn't miss started with a grind.

Tiger Woods finally has a birdie on his card at the British Open.

Already a two-time winner at St. Andrews, Tiger Woods has another honor before he even hit a shot in the 150th edition of the British Open.

The British Open returns to the Old Course at St. Andrews amid typical concerns.

The Old Course at St. Andrews is to golf what the Mona Lisa is to art or the Holy Grail is to archeologists.

Tiger Woods called it “historic” and his “favorite.”.

One of the famous lines of Bobby Jones often cited by Jack Nicklaus is that a golfer's career is not complete without winning an Open at St. Andrews.

Tiger Woods will be crossing the Swilcan Bridge for the last time at some point this week at St. Andrews.

Will Zalatoris has a chance to join some illustrious company at British Open.

Jon Rahm is looking to immerse himself in the history of the home of golf during his time at the British Open this week.

Talk about a great warmup act for the 150th British Open at St. Andrews.

Jack Nicklaus is at St. Andrews for the first time in 17 years, this time without his golf clubs.

Tiger Woods returns to St. Andrews for the British Open with plenty of memories.

(CNN) - Struggling with his game and his ailing body, Tiger Woods has withdrawn from the PGA Tour's Northern Trust event because of a "mild oblique strain that led to pain and stiffness." Continuing where he left off after missing the cut at the British Open, Woods appeared stiff and out of sorts and withdrew with a side strain ahead of the second round in New Jersey. "I went for treatment early Friday morning, but unfortunately I'm still unable to compete," he said in a statement. I was just trying to feel it, trying to find it, and then could never get it." Woods has played only four tournaments since winning that remarkable 15th major title, and first in 11 years, at Augusta.

He accomplished that in spectacular fashion Sunday with a momentous six-shot victory over England's Tommy Fleetwood to clinch his first major title at Royal Portrush. They roared him on in thunderous fashion and chanted his name in scenes reminiscent of the raucous atmosphere at the Ryder Cup. The 32-year-old described the experience of winning the Open as "surreal," saying he can't quite believe he is a major champion. "To do it here in Portrush is even more special, it is a dream come true," Lowry told CNN Sport in the Royal Portrush clubhouse during a whirlwind tour of media engagements. He won the Open at Royal Portrush in front of an excited and proud home crowd.

Rory McIlroy had made such a hash of the first day of the Open that even making the cut at Royal Portrush would represent a victory. McIlroy began the first Open in Northern Ireland for 68 years as the sentimental favorite, the local hero set to clinch a fairy tale win. But this was McIlroy, Northern Ireland's most famous sporting son, who set the course record of 61 at Royal Portrush as a 16-year-old. Agonizingly, the lengthy birdie putt stayed out. Lowry has already become something of a crowd favorite at Royal Portrush, a place he knows well.

And as if to prove the point, David Duval and Rory McIlroy both showed that even past Open champions can be made to look like weekend hackers. Duval, the winner in 2001, notched up a sizable 13 on the seventh hole, while 2014 champion McIlroy opened with a four-over-par eight at the first on day one of the 148th Open Championship. Duval had started with two birdies but made his own eight at the fifth and then outdid that in spectacular fashion at the long seventh. The seventh is one of two new holes -- along with the eighth -- at Royal Portrush for the 2019 Open and Duval has written a dramatic first chapter in its history. Things barely got better for the pair, with McIlroy finishing the first day eight-over-par as Duval finished on an astonishing 19 over.

The Claret Jug is pictured at Royal Portrush Golf Club during a media event on April 2, 2019 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. The British Open, or as it's more affectionately called in the United Kingdom, The Open, tees off Thursday at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Here are five reasons why this years British Open could be one of the best in the event's storied history. Royal Portrush can offer the same visual appeal. A big reason was civil strife that broke out in Northern Ireland that plagued the region for nearly 30 years from 1969 to 1998.

Where once he gave nothing away, Woods seems more open to letting us in. Woods described Royal Portrush as "wonderful" and an "unbelievable golf course," adding it was "amazing" the Open hasn't been played here since 1951. So he knows only too well that on the right course, in the right week, Woods can be a major threat. He's also undercooked on the golf course, having recently spent time in Thailand with his family. He won't like this stat then -- since 1986 only Woods has won the Open as world No.1.