The Open Championship, Royal Lytham & St Annes G.C.

 

Adam Scott/ getty images

Birthday boy Adam Scott lead The Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes G.C. by just one shot after the first round on Thursday. Adam celebrated his birthday a couple of days ago, receiving a strange present from his family, he said;

“I was given an interesting present from my family, a golf bag. A very nice golf bag, I have to say. And I will use it at home, if I carry my clubs. But, a golf bag ! “

Adam spoke about the possibility of shooting a 62, he actually finished at -6 under par for round of 64.

“I know there has never been a 62, I was waiting to use the bathroom, going to the 17th tee, and had a look up at the leaderboard. I realised then that it was a par 70, and also probably that I wasn’t going to be the guy to shoot 62. It’s one of those things that you don’t want to go through your mind, thinking about your final score.”

“I would say I haven’t achieved what I wanted until I win a major, or more. It’s something that at any time could help me, a guy with experience like Steve. We have talked about my mindset because I was playing well at the time of all the majors this year, then shooting myself in the foot in the first round. I was leaving myself too much work to get back in. Steve wanted me to go to the 1st tee today like it was the 72nd hole and I needed three to win, to switch myself on from the 1st hole. That was a good trigger he helped me with it.”

Paul Lawrie is tied in second place with a -5 under par round of 65, and that despite a poor start where he  chipped in twice and holed a putt from off the green within his first six holes, then topped of the round using only 23 putts. The 1999 Open champion said of his start;

“It was probably the strangest start of my career, I didn’t really hit many good shots and I was three under. I heard my name quite a lot today. Down in England, you can be a wee bit surprised at that, I guess. It’s nice; it’s The Open and everyone is here to support the British players. I have won a couple of tournaments when the weather has been particularly nasty, but I can play when it’s flat calm and play when it’s nasty. Nowadays the bad weather doesn’t just suit the British or Scottish players, all of these American boys can play in the wind, it doesn’t make any difference.”

Joining Paul on that -5 under score is American Zach Johnson and Nicolas Colsaerts from Belgium, Nicolas happily reported;

“It’s really cool, but then we’ve only played one round. So being in contention, that word wants to be used only when you get to Saturday and Sunday. I hit a lot of very good shots in succession early on, so it really got the momentum of the round going, and I just didn’t really hit any bad shots today. When you play that way, you go through the elements without thinking how hard they get.”

Most of the big name players are at par or better and should all make it to the weekend, those who are struggling include;

Ian Poulter and Davis Love 111, who are at +1; Sergio Garcia, John Daly, Louis Oosthuizen and Jim Furyk at +2. Lee Westwood +3 and Justin Rose +4.

Sadly the defending champion Darren Clarke definitely looks to be missing the cut, he said he was ” Disgusted” with his opening round of 76.

I have a soft spot for Darren, he and I share a liking for Irish Whiskey, although I can not afford 25-year-old Bushmills.

Royal Lytham, the 141st Open Championship.

The gallery’s around Royal Lytham are in anticipation of the 141st Open Championship, which starts in earnest on Thursday this week. The players have a lot of respect for the Old Claret Jug, revering its history, not even having a celebratory drink from it, no Champagne, nothing.

The current holder of the Claret Jug is Darren Clarke, who is well-known as a man who partakes of a tipple or two. Darren has too much respect for the trophy to even think about sipping a drink from it. Darren said after handing the Claret Jug back to the R&A  on Monday morning;

“I didn’t at any stage put any fluid in it. It is just too special a trophy. I have so much respect for the Open Championship, and I couldn’t get myself to do it. I was tempted on the Sunday evening and the Monday evening and Tuesday evening and Wednesday evening, and for about two weeks afterwards. But I never put anything into it.”

Talking about this years tournament, Darren has said the 206 bunkers on the course will really get everyone’s  full attention;

“It’s just a nightmare, they are very penal. There’s going to be occasions here this week where I think you’re going to see guys taking penalty drops out of them because they won’t be able to move their ball anywhere. Accuracy is going to be the key this week. It’s not really length off the tee, it’s keeping it on the fairways and keeping out of those bunkers.”

Darren Clarke hands back the Claret Jug to Peter Dawson, CEO of the R&A. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

In 1969 The Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes was won by a nervous Tony Jacklin, he was the first Brit to win the old Claret Jug since the legendary Max Faulkner in 1951. At his presentation ceremony Tony turned to Jack Nicklaus and said;

” I didn’t think I could be so nervous and play. And he said: ‘I know, isn’t it great?’  I’d never been that nervous before.”

Talking of nervous people, Bubba Watson is having some trouble concentrating on this tournament, it is the first time he has been out of the U.S. away from his wife and new-born son. Bubba said on Monday;

 “No matter if I’ve won the Masters or not, I have a lot going on in my mind, I’ve got issues. It’s only Monday right now so I’m real calm. There are a lot of things running through my head. This is a week that my wife is not here, my new son is not here, so the first time out of the country away from them. My head is always racing about something. I’ve got to calm my mind down and focus on golf and try to get better. When I focus right, I play pretty good, and when I don’t focus right, I miss the cut pretty quick.”

Just to really focus the players minds, apart from the 206 bunkers, the rough is deep and lush because of the unusually wet spring England has experienced.  Royal Lytham club professional Eddie Birchenough attest’s;

“If you get in some parts of the rough then players won’t even be able to find their feet.”