Morikawa left frustrated by life in the Fife slow lane

DEFENDING champion Collin Morikawa bemoaned the pace of play after becoming a spectator on the first day of The Open at St Andrews. Some rounds took longer than six hours as the layout of the Old Course, with its double greens, joint fairways and numerous crossover points, slowed the 156-man field. Morikawa (pictured), who was in a star-studded three-ball alongside Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, admitted it had been frustrating. ‘I figured it would be slow, but I didn’t know it would be this slow,’ said the

American, winner at St George’s last year, after his opening level-par 72. ‘We were waiting on groups at tees, waiting on fairways. Xander and I talked about it, we’re watching more golf than we ever have. ‘You stay in the fairway and you’re watching two other groups play golf.’ McIlroy did not let the matter bother him too much on the way to his six-under-par 66. The 2014 champion said: ‘It’s quite stop-start but I think St Andrews is that way. ‘There’s a lot of criss-crossing and waiting on greens to clear because they’re driveable par fours. It’s to be expected. It is what it is.’ Meanwhile, 2019 champion Shane Lowry took pride in his battling qualities after recovering from a nightmare start. The Irishman drove into a bush on the second hole to run up a doublebogey six and dropped another shot on the fourth, but recovered to post a 72. ‘I got off to the worst possible start and fought back well,’ said Lowry. ‘I’m not down in the dumps by any means about my day. It’s not the end of the world. It’s not middle of the field. It’s better than middle of the field. ‘What’s going to win this tournament, I have no idea. The course is only getting firmer and it’s as firm as I’ve ever seen. ‘Look, I know I’m a long way behind Rory. Cameron Young shot eight under, pretty good scores. That doesn’t mean 20 under is going to win around here this weekend. ‘I think 12 to 14 under par would be a pretty good mark.’