Tips from Padraig will help at Birkdale
Every golfer, when he sets out as a professional, dreams of playing a Major. Once that happens, from the first shot you dream of good results and winning one day.
The Open, as we call the British Open, has for some reason been the favourite of all Majors, though I must add I am in love with the Masters, too.
The Open also happens to be the first I played and on Thursday I will be teeing off at my fifth appearance in The Open.
GOOD NICK
It will be great to have my friend, Shiv Kapur, also in the field. He is in good nick and once topped the board on the first day some years back. I expect a great result from him.
The first Open at Royal Lytham was special and the one at St Andrews for obvious reasons of history and legacy.
All my five Opens have been at different courses because I have not been around long for a full cycle. It was essential I made cut at the Scottish Open last week because it is the best preparation for The Open. The third day at Dundonald was probably the best experience I could get. It was just the kind of conditions one is expected to get at Birkdale.
WHIPPING A 3-IRON
Another example is that in the US we don’t often use anything more than a 7-iron for 170 yards, but here in links golf, you might even need to whip a 3-iron.
So, that’s what getting use to links means to players who spend a lot of time in the US. That’s what I was discussing with Adam Scott, a friend ever since we were teammates at the Presidents Cup in 2015, in the final round at the Scottish open.
I was fortunate to play with Padraig Harrington, the first two days at the Scottish Open. He was the champion when The Open took place at Birkdale last. He mentioned how the course behaved when it was wet, windy and slushy. So that was useful.
Birkdale is well regarded amongst the venues that are on The Open rota.
SPENDING TIME
I just can’t wait for the main event to get started. I left on Sunday itself because I wanted to spend as much time as possible at Birkdale, besides soaking in the atmosphere.
One more thing, it has been almost 10 days since I came over from the US, so the body clock is perfect. Of late, I have noticed it takes me 2-3 days for the clock and sleep pattern to fall in place. All is set and I am raring to go and my group in the first two rounds has Wesley Bryan from the US, who I know from the PGA Tour, so it should be good and comfortable.
To Watch The Open Live, tune in to DSPORT at 11am (IST)