GREAT SCOTT SWEEPS IN
Aussie can handle the greens but Rory lurks
BAD bounces at links courses go with the territory and are part of the test. They normally involve landing on the wrong side of a hump or hollow, though, not the wrong side of a poor teenager’s head.
What happened to Rory McIlroy yesterday emphasised the part luck plays in any major championship.
Out in the wrong half of the draw on the opening day of the 141st Open at Royal Lytham was bad enough. But how do you legislate for a drive destined for the rough that hits a 16-year-old on the bonce and ricochets grotesquely to finish six inches out of bounds and costs you two shots?
If Rory loses the Claret Jug by a stroke on Sunday he can look back on this moment of gross misfortune and lay the blame firmly on unkind fate.
Typical McIlroy. Before heading back to the tee, he comforted the stricken boy with a signed glove. He then put together a stirring finish that augured well for the days ahead.
At the short par-four 16th he struck a mighty drive on to the putting surface for a two-putt birdie. Then, at the 18th, a laser iron finished four feet away to recover the second of the two strokes he had lost at the 15th.
This was more like it, then, from McIlroy (below). Dare one say it, but the bounce is back.
Day one, and already this is shaping into another compelling Open. Adam Scott leads after a finely played 64 but just behind him are a host of proven major champions, including three former Open winners in Paul Lawrie on 65 and Ernie Els and a certain Tiger Woods alongside McIlroy on three under par. Also on the same mark of 67 is McIlroy’s great mate, Graeme McDowell.
Looking at these scores you could be forgiven for wondering what happened to the unplayable rough and brutal weather, the prospect of lost balls and lost tempers. Call it nature’s little joke. This was one of those rare days by the sea when the wind lies down and players can hardly believe their good fortune.
Instead of struggling to break 80, anyone out in the first half of the draw was disappointed not to slip below 70. On the purest greens in recent Open memory, wizards with the short stick like Zach Johnson and Lawrie, in the golfing vernacular, filled their boots. We had a glimpse of the greatness of Tiger and a fine opening round from Els, the man who suffered most when Woods was in his prime. We had a 67 from Masters champion Bubba Watson that was glorious in its variety and invention. Another long-hitter,
The good, the bad ... and a former champ who’s sitting pretty
Nicolas Colsaerts, showed why he is likely to become Belgium’s first Ryder Cup player with a 65.
What about the first-day leader? Controversy shadows Scott these days with the most contentious caddie by his side and the most provocative piece of equipment in his bag. What must they have been thinking in the corridors of power at the Royal and Ancient as the gifted Australian tucked his chin on top of that wretched long-handled putter and threatened to break the Open scoring record with the club they would like to ban?
Golf remains a game where rooting against a player is thankfully frowned upon but, needing a birdie at the 18th for the first 62 in any of the four majors, there might have been sighs of relief when Scott tugged his tee shot and ran up a bogey instead. If you have to turn away when Scott putts, no such reservations exist from tee to green. He has always been a pleasure to watch in that department, with a swing modelled on one of Woods’ earlier versions.
He also has Woods’ old caddie. Over the past 12 months, Steve Williams has dropped Scott in the mire on a number of occasions, from appearing to claim all the credit for his victory in the Bridgestone Invitational last year to making a racist remark at an awards dinner.
Scott has stuck loyally by him, largely because when Williams takes his foot out of his mouth he knows the right things to say.
Williams won 13 majors with Woods and that kind of experience and know-how will be invaluable to Scott, 32, who has had to answer plenty of questions of his own as to why he has yet to win one.
Lawrie’s fabulous season at the unlikely age of 43 continued with a round containing just 23 putts and a reminder as to why he was known for so long as ‘chippy,’ as he holed twice from off the green. As for on it, he possessed a touch of magic there as well.
‘Twenty-three putts — as many as that?’ said Lawrie, wryly. ‘It’s nice when the luck goes your way now and again.’
It was all done under the watchful eye of US Ryder Cup captain Davis Love, who observed drily: ‘He hit the ball great and when he didn’t, he chipped in. Not a bad combination.’
A world away from this contentedness was defending champion Darren Clarke, who shot a ‘disgusting’ 76. Did he find himself thinking back wistfully to last year?
Clarke smiled. ‘Yes, on the 18th. I thought: How the bleep did I manage to win this trophy last year?’
Truly, a maddening game.