Zach Johnson has admitted it was a bittersweet moment when the time came to hand the Claret Jug back to the R&A ahead of The 145th Open at Royal Troon. Owen Tippett Jersey . The defending champion parted company with the most coveted trophy in golf shortly before his noon news conference on Monday, although he will consider himself the Champion Golfer of the Year until Sunday evening. Get a Sky Sports Pass Dont miss The Open. Watch live on NOW TV for ￡10.99. No contract. Johnson, who edged out Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman in a play-off at windswept St Andrews last year, has enjoyed taking the Claret Jug to various places in his native Iowa, and he revealed he and his friends drank wine from the trophy at their guest house in Ayrshire. After handing the silverware back to R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers, Johnson said: It was something Ill never forget.I kind of parted ways emotionally with it at home, so once I got to the formalities of it, it really wasnt that difficult. Here are all the ways to watch The Open with Sky Sports But it was bittersweet. Bittersweet. More sweet, but the fact that youve got to give it back, you know its coming. I guess a portion of that sweetness is you still have an opportunity to get it back yourself.My thoughts now are 100 per cent positive in the sense that, technically, Im still Champion Golfer of the Year. Ive got to get the Claret Jug back, which I did. It was not pleasant, but theres still an opportunity to go out there and play. Thats what it is. Last year was last year, and now were moving on, shifting on mentally and excited for the week. Open on Sky Ways to watch The Open this week Asked when he last took a drink from the Claret Jug, he added: Im staying in a house with some buddies and we had a glass of wine out of it. Well, we didnt have a glass of wine; we had wine out of it. It is a Claret decanter, so it serves its purpose in that regard!Johnson was famously photographed using the Jug to hold an ear of corn when he returned to Iowa, and he then showed the trophy off at Kinnick Stadium - home of the Iowa University Hawkeyes football team. Johnson jokes about how he used the Claret Jug as a decanter Its been on the football field of Kinnick Stadium in my home state, on the 50-yard line, he added. Thats probably not normal. My guess is, unless Im lucky enough to do it again, it probably wont ever happen certainly in my lifetime. Hopefully that happens again, but thats a rare viewing, if you will.I probably had the thing for three months, but Ive probably been around it for a lot longer than that because Ive been with it as far as where its been. But at home, it just hasnt been on St Simons Island that long, although when it was there, it was put to great use. Johnson won his second major after a play-off at St Andrews last season Just seeing family and friends and sponsors and fans of golf embrace it has been pretty awesome. That thing has a lot of, well, weight to it in the sense that it represents golf and sports, as far as Im concerned.The stories Ive been getting with the individuals that Ive entrusted it with, its been awesome to receive it, but its been even better to give it back because of the responsibility that comes along with it. And I get it. That makes complete sense. So theyve said that, but theyve also said, Yeah, Ill take it back. Its just so much fun having the ability to have that Claret Jug for a portion of your life.Johnson played in his first Open at Royal Troon in 2004, and he is looking forward to the challenge of defending the trophy on a course in which Americans have triumphed on the last six visits to the Ayrshire links. R&A chief Martin Slumbers takes custody of the Claret Jug from the defending champion The memories were brief because I only played two days, he said. I dont remember every hole, I certainly remember the Postage Stamp and 17 and 18 coming in, and a couple of other shots I remember.I think this tournament magnifies my weaknesses more than any other tournament, but it also magnifies your strengths. And I say that because you have to have every shot. Clearly youve got to hit it low in links golf, but youve got to hit high, too. Youve got to use the wind, and youve got to fight the wind depending on the situation. Also See: Latest Open news First round tee times Ways to watch Get Sky Sports Michael Matheson Jersey . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Henrik Borgstrom Jersey .com Tour title, closing with a 6-under 64 for a four-stroke victory. The 22-year-old former North Texas player finished at 12-under 268 at Panama Golf Club and earned $112,500 to jump from seventh to second on the money list with $171,500. http://www.nhlpanthersauthority.com/authentic-connor-brickley-panthers-jersey/ .com) - Ames, IA (SportsNetwork. DENVER -- Don Mattingly knows this wont be the last time he jogs out to right field to check on his rookie phenom. The Los Angeles Dodgers manager was cautioned well in advance that Yasiel Puig has one speed -- all out. Puigs simply going to run into things, including fences. Hanley Ramirez had four hits, including a solo homer in the ninth, to help the Dodgers hold off the Colorado Rockies 10-8 Wednesday night in a game Puig left early with a bruised left hip after his leaping catch in right field. "He just plays like that," Mattingly said. "They kind of warned us coming up he plays like that and hes going to get hurt." Puig reached up to rob Nolan Arenado of a hit in the fifth, only to smack his hip on a padded column below the scoreboard in right. Puig stayed down on the warning track for several minutes before jogging around the outfield and remaining in the game. The next inning, Puig drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before being taken out when the Dodgers made a double switch. Puig, who was just named the NL player of the month, finished 1 for 3 with a double. Team officials said a precautionary X-ray was negative and hes listed as day-to-day. "I think hell be able to play but well see," Mattingly said. Puig has been sensational since being called up on June 3, hitting .440 this season with eight homers. And when he fell to the dirt, Dodger fans held their breath. Matt Kemp quickly rushed over to check on him, along with Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez. Mattingly also jogged out to the outfield to see how Puig was feeling. Earlier in the day, Puig won the National League player and rookie of the month awards. It was hardly even a contest after he hit .436 in June. His 44 hits were a Dodgers rookie record for a month. "Now, its getting to be where you kind of expect him to do something all the time," Mattingly said. Juan Uribe, Gonzalez and Kemp added homers for the Dodgers, who have won 10 of their last 11 games to climb back into the thick of the NL West race. Zack Greinke (6-2) struggled on the mound but still earned his third straight win. He gave up five runs in five innings and tied a career high with seven walks. "I felt I did as good as I could do today," Greinke said. "Its not very good, but thats how bad it was. We played well. Tough game but we pulled it out." Reliever Paco Rodriguez pitched 1 1-3 scorelesss innings to set up Kenley Jansen, who recorded the final four outs to pick up his eighth save in 11 chances. Derek MacKenzie Jersey. Jansen got pinch-hitter Tyler Colvin to pop up to end the game in front of a sellout crowd waiting to see the fireworks. Tyler Chatwood (4-2) never found his grove, surrendering a season-high six runs, five earned, and 11 hits in five innings. Chatwood entered the game with a 2-0 mark at Coors Field, with a 3.14 ERA. "He didnt get away with much," manager Walt Weiss said of his starter. "I didnt think Chat threw that bad. I thought he threw the ball all right. "I think right now theyre a tough lineup to get through." With the Dodgers leading 8-7 heading into the ninth, Ramirez and Kemp hit homers to give them some breathing room. The Dodgers would need the insurance runs as Arenado had an RBI single to drive in Wilin Rosario after the catcher led off the ninth with a walk. Every starter in the Dodgers lineup had at least a hit, with Ramirez extending his hitting streak to 14 games on a single in the first. "Hanleys just a beast," Mattingly said. "He seems to be on a mission this year. He had a rough start to the year being hurt, but hes been focused all year." A day after Michael Cuddyer had his 27-game hitting streak snapped, the outfielder singled in his first at-bat and later drove in a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Carlos Gonzalez added a solo homer off Greinke in the first inning. The Rockies couldnt hold an early 4-1 lead against a hot-hitting Dodgers team that had 17 hits. "Every team goes through those good runs. Every team goes through a downward turn," said Cuddyer, who got a haircut with his long streak over. "The good ones go through the good runs a couple of times over the course of the season. Theyre on a good run right now, playing really well, hitting the ball really well." NOTES: After a rehab stint with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga, Dodgers OF Carl Crawford (strained left hamstring) could rejoin the team in San Francisco for the weekend series. ... Rockies OF Dexter Fowler (bruised right hand) is hoping he will be ready to go when hes eligible to come off the disabled list on July 11. "We dont want it lingering on the rest of the year," Fowler said. ... Weiss said SS Troy Tulowitzki (broken rib) is progressing, but hasnt started hitting live pitching yet. Cheap Soccer Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Hockey Jerseys Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Nike MLB Jerseys China Wholesale Baseball Jerseys China Wholesale College Jerseys Cheap Jerseys From China Wholesale Jerseys Near Me Cheap Jerseys Online Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap NCAA Jerseys Authentic Cheap Nike NBA Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic MLB Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Throwback Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '