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The Loop

Little known facts about Louis Oosthuizen

July 16, 2010

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- The time difference has always been an unavoidable challenge for American fans keeping tabs on an Open Championship, to the extent that most in the U.S. went to bed with Rory McIlroy in command, then woke up to the only vaguely familiar name of Louis Oosthuizen atop the leader board.

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*(Photo by Getty Images)

While not a complete unknown entity, Oosthuizen's record in majors has been well short of impressive -- he's never made a cut in a British Open, and he missed the cut in this year's Masters and U.S. Open as well -- so you're excused if the name isn't jumping off the page to you.

With that in mind, a few things about the 27-year-old South African you might not know:

-- He's a beneficiary of the Ernie Els Foundation, which covered most of his expenses as a rising amateur.

-- His full name is Lodewicus Theodorus Oosthuizen. Just in case you thought it was just his last name that was difficult to spell.

-- He claimed the biggest win of his professional career at the European Tour's Open de Andalucia de Golf earlier this year.

-- He goes by the nickname of "Shrek," not an entirely flattering designation, but one he's resigned himself to nonetheless.

"It's the gap in the teeth," Oosthuizen said. "My friends say I look like Shrek -- some of my friends -- and you can't choose your friends, so what can I say?"

--* Sam Weinman *