Woods reminded of past Open wins on Carnoustie return
Conditions are similar to St Andrews and Hoylake Heatwave leaves fairways ‘faster than the greens’
After three years, Tiger Woods finally returned to these ancient grounds of the Open, and it is fair to say he was delighted by what he encountered. In fact, he went as far to declare that fast and oh-so-firm Carnoustie reminded him of 2000 at St Andrews and 2006 at Hoylake – and, of course, he won both of those championships.
It was 3.30pm when Woods strode on to the range here. The whisper was he was waiting until the World Cup final was starting, so it would be quiet. But where the 14time major winner goes, so crowds follow and an impressive gallery watched him complete eight holes, the first to the fourth and then the 15th through to the 18th.
It was worth the wait both for the fans and for Woods, who, due to the crippling back injury which threatened to end his career, has not played in the Open since 2015.
“It has been a while and I’ve missed it,” Woods said. “This is the oldest tournament in our sport and I have my name on the trophy three times, so that’s pretty cool. And then coming back here to Carnoustie, it is special.
“This is my fourth time playing it in a tournament. From my first time coming here [in the 1995 Scottish Open] as an amateur to being back now, it’s just amazing how this course doesn’t change. It is right in front of you, it is hard. It’s probably the most difficult one we play in the whole rotation.
“I have played in so many Opens but also so many links courses in my career and we don’t get a chance to see it quite this firm very often. It was like this in 2000 and in 2006. It will be a lot of fun.”
Woods opined that “the fairways are faster than the greens” and he was not joking. The recent heatwave – the locals report it has barely rained here in eight weeks – has ensured that the Carnoustie alleyways are brown and balls are travelling ridiculous distances.
As an example, Padraig Harrington tweeted that he hit his
‘We don’t often get a chance to see it this firm. It was like this in 2000 and 2006. It will be a lot of fun’
drive into the Barry Burn again on the 18th hole, bringing memories of his tee-shot that found the stream at the 240-yard mark in 2007. “This time it was the one at the green, 457 yards away,” Harrington said. “The fairways are a tad fast.”
Little wonder, therefore, that Hoylake springs to Woods’s mind. The course was similarly burnt and as rapid in that Wirral week and Woods famously only hit one driver in four rounds.
Woods said of his game-plan for this week: “It is thoroughly in development. I have only played eight holes and different winds are forecast the next few days, so it will be nice to see those. It is one of these weeks where I don’t see a lot of guys hitting woods off the tees. It is going to be about trying to keep the ball out in front of you. It is quick and we just have to deal with it.”
Woods is relishing the challenge and so he should. Nine months ago he was not sure he would play in another Open, but such has been the success of the spinal-fusion operation he underwent that not only has he returned but, at 25-1, he is in the top 10 in the betting.
Granted, the last time he was here, Woods was judged to be the 6-4 favourite to win a third Claret Jug in succession, before finishing 12th behind Harrington.
That was then and this is now and at 69th in the world and without a major title in 10 years, and a win of any description in five years, it is stunning that he is fancied at all. But Carnoustie in this state is a tactician’s paradise and still nobody has a better golfing mind.
Woods finished fourth on his most recent start two weeks ago and has two other top fives in this comeback season. He knows what is required before Thursday’s first round.
“I have a few more days to work on a few things and get the feel for playing this kind of golf again. Probably the hardest thing when we come over here is the turf and how tight it is, how hard it is. I hit a seven-iron off the tee on a par-four out there today, and you don’t do that very often. It’s a ‘feel’ thing.”
John Daly has withdrawn with a knee injury. The 1995 champion is replaced by fellow American Keegan Bradley.