Philip Reid talks to last year's champion and how the win has changed his life

So, a year on, what's changed? Well, Todd Hamilton - the man who beat Ernie Els in a play-off at Troon - gets recognised a lot more, that's for sure. In restaurants, in football stadiums, even in toilets.

"One time I was in a bar and had to go to the bathroom. I was in there doing my business and a guy peaked his head across the little stall, and he says, 'hey, I know you'."

Also, in Oquawka in Illinois, a town once famous for the fact that an elephant was buried in the town square, they've recognised their most famous son by putting his name on a road sign. "They've got a sign outside, it's got the name of the town with the population and then underneath, it's got Todd Hamilton, British Open champion 2004," he revealed.

Up to Hamilton's major win, the elephant was what Oquawka was known for. It seems that in 1974, a circus came through town and an elephant was chained to a tree. A bolt of lightning struck the tree, passed through the chain and left the circus without its main act.

"It killed the elephant right on the spot. They couldn't take it and deliver it where it needed to go, so they decided they would bury it right in our town square," recalled Hamilton.

Life has unquestionably changed for Hamilton, and fame has had its price.

For the man who once eked out a living on the Asian and Japan tours and the Nationwide Tour in America before finally breaking into the big time, his deeds of 2004 have proven to be a hard act to follow. So much so, in fact, that he is the same price - 200 to 1 - to win the claret jug as he was a year ago.

Hamilton has been busy so far this season, but not quite as fruitful as he was last year when he won the Honda Classic and the British Open.

In 20 tournaments on the US Tour, he has missed the cut six times and has a best finish of tied-13th, which came in last weekend's John Deere Classic.

"If I knew why I haven't played well, obviously I'd go fix it," remarked Hamilton on the eve of his defence. "I think if I could attribute it to one thing, I would say probably my short game and especially my putting.

"It's been poor overall . . . I've been a good chipper and putter since I was a kid and, when you do something well for a long time, and all of a sudden it starts to go south, it kind of affects everything else."

Not surprisingly, Hamilton is looking for a return to the form of last year - when he was named the US Tour's "rookie of the year" - and, if the golfing gods have a hand in his fate, he is convinced there was some sort of an omen occurred in his practice round yesterday.

"There was a picture taken last year on Wednesday afternoon. I was on the fourth tee and my caddie said, 'look at that guy's hat over there' . . . this kid had on this black hat with the word H-A-M-M-Y on it. That kid showed up again today, wearing the same hat. He presented me with a little notebook that had the word Hamilton on it, and a little key chain of the Hamilton clan."

If all that put a chill down Hamilton's spine, what happened next brought him back to reality. He looked over to the leaderboard where the attendants were doing some practising of their own. On top of the leader board was Tiger's name. "So, he's probably going to be your winner," said Hamilton.

Still, Hamilton has enjoyed his year. The financial implications meant he was able to build a new house in McKinney, Texas, where he lives, and he also attempted to bring the claret jug around to as many golf courses in the States as he could.

"I think I got a bigger kick out of seeing the smiling faces on the people that may never, ever have had a chance to see it."