No course delivers drama like rough, tough Carnoustie
It is not pretty but this links always rewards excellence – so Woods and Rose are contenders
St Andrews has the history, Turnberry has the character, Muirfield and Royal Birkdale have the classic links reputations. But then there is Carnoustie that outdoes each and every one of them.
No, it is not the prettiest course in the world, it is not the museum piece, but, my God, it is the toughest and the best. I honestly think it would be a good idea if they played the Open every third year at Carnoustie. Surely nobody would argue.
Certainly the media and fans love it, because the place has a penchant for high drama. That is proven by the last two Carnoustie Opens, which happen to be among the most memorable majors of the last three decades.
Jean van de Velde with his socks off and his trousers rolled up around his ankles standing in the Barry Burn with the whole world yelling, “What on earth is he doing?”…
Paul Lawrie playing that brilliant final round of 67 to catch the Frenchman and lift the Claret Jug for Scotland…
Padraig Harrington doublebogeying the last after going into the burn twice and seemingly blowing a one-shot lead…
Sergio Garcia feeling sure he had made that 12-footer for the win on the 18th before he was beaten by the Dubliner in that play-off…
These are just some of the gripping snapshots of the Opens in 1999 and 2007 and you just know that come Sunday evening there will be highlights and, yes probably lowlights, to rank alongside them. There is something about this Angus links.
I love everything about the layout. I love the way it is not straight out, straight back. The first three holes are all in different directions – which is very rare. But obviously, it is the last four holes that stand out. It is easily the most demanding finish on the Open roster, if not of all the majors, and if you can survive them for all four days at just a couple over par then that will be links gold.
When they get to the last two holes, the mantra will be “Stay out of that damn burn!” What a water feature this is, zigzagging across the last two fairways like a snake you cannot shake off.
I am telling you nobody will stand on that 18th tee and not think of Jean in 1999 and, indeed, Padraig eight years later. You would usually feel safe with a three-shot lead going down the last. Not here. Not with this place’s history.
Carnoustie is running very fast and is very firm and the rough is wispy and, unlike in 1999, when it was over-the-top in its height and its thickness, the players will be able to fashion shots to the green. This will tempt some to go for it and hope for the rewards that come with the risk. Good luck to them – all I would say is that they should be extremely careful if they go down that route.
If you go in those bunkers then it will cost you at least a stroke and, to my mind, the winner will not have very sandy shoes. Wind is forecast throughout the week and this will make accuracy and control vitally important and, of course, technique will be paramount. But this tournament will be as much played between the ears. And that brings in Tiger Woods.
In 2006 at Hoylake, when the conditions were similarly scorched, Woods resisted the temptation to pull out the big club and famously “ironed” his way around. It was the blueprint when it comes to sticking to a game plan.
He had the discipline and composure to do so, as well as the game, naturally, and despite not winning in five years, he will fancy his chances here again. We all know how wild he can be off the tee, but he can keep the head covers where they are this week. He has a few issues with his putting but the greens are flat. He can plot
The mantra for the players will be: ‘Stay out of that damn burn!’
his way around. Tiger still has the best mind out there.
Tiger was delighted to see the condition of Carnoustie and the course set-up, especially after the farce of last month’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills. Before he arrived, Woods said he had no worries about what he would find here in Scotland.
“One of the neat things about playing about the Open Championship, is they don’t care what par is,” he said. “They let whatever Mother Nature has… if it’s in store for a wet Open, it is, if it is dry, it’s dry. They don’t try to manufacture an Open.”
Tiger was making an obvious reference to the United States Golf Association and Shinnecock and he was dead right. The USGA is obsessed with level-par winning. Now that was fine 30 years ago, but nowadays, with the length these guys are hitting it and how good they are, to set up a course for level par is a very dangerous thing to do. The only way to do it is to trick it up and they do this by putting the pins on slopes on very fast greens.
I remember talking to Peter Dawson, when he was chief executive of the R&A, and he said: “Look, our view is if someone’s going to score a 62 or a 60, then let them. It’s allowing people to play the game. So Branden Grace became the first player in major history to go lower than 63 last year at Birkdale. Hell didn’t freeze over did it? It was a great story – a 62 at the Open. Wow! He had a day out with the putter and played the best golf, good luck to him.”
Fast forward to Shinnecock a month ago, players could not keep the ball on some of the greens and the Saturday was unwatchable. It was a big negative for the game.
Carnoustie can re-emphasise everything that is good about the sport and if Tiger can manage to get into contention then it would be incredible for golf. However, my winner is Justin Rose and that would not be a bad story in its own right, would it? Imagine, 20 years after finishing fourth as an amateur, the Englishman finally achieves his destiny.
Every facet of his game is on form, including his mental game, and that is what Carnoustie requires. It is the complete examination. I cannot wait.