Tom Watson celebrates his 1977 Open victory

Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson fought out the "Duel in the Sun" at the 1977 Open at the Ayrshire course, a tussle so famous that the course's 18th hole has been renamed in its honour.

Twenty-six years on, the American pair are back in Scotland, with Nicklaus hoping to avenge Watson's last-gasp victory on that occasion.

On that occasion, Nicklaus closed with successive 66s - and lost by a stroke to Watson, who carded 66, 65.

Watson rallied from two shots behind with nine holes left to go, the drama continuing right to the 72nd hole when Watson hit a glorious seven iron to 30 inches and then holed the resultant birdie putt to win.

"I hit it dead flush," Watson recalled. "It was one of the best shots I ever hit. It's something I will never forget."

Watson comes into his second Senior British Open in fine form, having finished second at the recent Ford US Players Championship and tied 18th at the subsequent Open Championship at Royal St George's.

It's the magical number - get a bottle of wine, turn 50 and you start playing well Craig Stadler

However, the man in form is undoubtedly 50-year-old Craig Stadler who created history last weekend when he became the first Seniors Tour golfer to win on the regular US PGA Tour.

A closing 63 saw him claim his 13th US PGA Tour title at the BC Open in New York.

"I was kinda waiting for my 50th birthday to see what would happen and then, all of a sudden, I started playing well again," said Stadler, who would take his earnings to over $1m in three weeks if he won this week's �157,800 first prize.

Nicklaus, Stadler and Watson are three of the big names in the finest field ever assembled for the Senior British Open.

Altogether, eight former Major champions will take part, the others being Bob Charles, Tom Kite, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Fuzzy Zoeller.

The home challenge is headed by Ireland's Des Smyth, who goes into the championship sitting in 23rd place on the US Champions Tour money list.

Also teeing up will be Neil Coles, Eamonn Darcy, Bill Longmuir, Carl Mason, Christy O'Connor Jnr and Manuel Pinero.