PGA Tour Notebook: Open gallery among largest ever, despite no Tiger

SOUTHPORT, England (AP) -- Tiger Woods missing his first major as a pro didn't keep the fans away from Royal Birkdale. More than 200,000 attended the Open Championship, which Royal & Ancient officials said was among the top six in history. Three of the largest crowds were at St. Andrews, and two others that were larger than last week were at Royal Liverpool in 2006 and Royal Lytham & St. Annes. The Birkdale attendance was particularly impressive because there was a steady rain and 30-mph wind for most of the first round, which officials said probably kept as many as 5,000 people at home that day. "When you think of the weather, people talking about a possible economic recession, Tiger Woods not here ... I think it was a wonderful crowd," R&A Chief Executive Peter Dawson said. Perhaps a better measure than attendance was the... [read full story]