Keegan Bradley walks on the Open Championship.
Getty Pictures
TROON, Scotland — The golf world strikes on rapidly, even in Scotland.
This week, possibly particularly in Scotland.
Simply hours after native son Bob MacIntyre rolled within the putt of his life on the Scottish Open on Sunday, sending the nation right into a jubilant tizzy, the eye of the game shifted west, the place the sport’s finest descended upon Troon, Scotland, for the fourth and last main of the yr.
The 152nd Open Championship returns to golf’s homeland at a becoming second within the hours after MacIntyre’s thrilling victory, however the course and situations that greeted golfers on Monday at Royal Troon bore solely a passing resemblance to the situations on the Renaissance Membership, host of final week’s festivities. That a lot was evident to any observer on Monday afternoon, as golfers crammed the course with Monday follow rounds, tracing up and down the Scottish west coast like seagulls within the mist.
However even when the pictures have been days away from mattering, there was quite a bit to be gleaned from the motion at Royal Troon on Monday, which gave its first glimpse to {the golfing} public for the reason that Open Championship final got here right here in 2016. After a day alongside the shoreline, GOLF senior author Sean Zak and information and options editor James Colgan share their 5 greatest observations from on-site beneath.
1. A brand new golf superstar arrived
Wanting Bob MacIntyre, no golfer on the earth has seen his life change extra within the final seven days than Keegan Bradley. As you most likely know, the PGA Tour lifer and former main champ turned the captain of the U.S. Ryder Cup crew final week, a shock alternative that introduced golf’s most beloved New Englander instantaneous superstar standing from now till the motion begins at Bethpage Black.
As a a 38-year-old who has loved a profession renaissance in current seasons, Bradley finds himself in distinctive territory as a Ryder Cup captain in that his on-course efficiency is a lot related to the dialogue. Because the final man out of the crew final September in Rome and in sixteenth of the U.S. crew standings, Bradley may very feasibly nonetheless compete within the Cup himself as considered one of six computerized alternatives on the crew.
At most majors, Keegs is a reasonably low-key determine on the golf course within the early-week, having fun with household time or a great chat along with his caddie throughout the downbeat in between follow rounds — however not this week. Bradley was all-business as he walked off the 18th inexperienced on Monday afternoon at Troon, lifting a cellular phone to his ear and strolling tightly in a pack of three. It’s doubtless that telephone hasn’t stopped ringing for the reason that second he was provided the captainship final week, and certain it gained’t cease ringing anytime quickly. There’s a purpose that the majority Ryder Cup captains don’t qualify to play within the Cup. — James Colgan
2. We discovered the actual flower of Scotland
By all native studies, it has been a really wet summer time right here in Scotland. And now the Tour professionals have traveled from Scotland’s sunnier coast to its rainier one. What does that imply for Troon? It’s grabby across the edges. The tough is lush. And leaking by way of in a variety of the tough areas are…dandelions. That’s proper, the yellow pests we hate to see in our entrance yards at house are proliferating some spots at Royal Troon. And you recognize what? That’s simply advantageous. It’ll add a pleasant contact of gold to these pictures we love of the lads swinging by way of the hay. — Sean Zak
3. The Postage feels cramped
The eighth gap at Royal Troon is not only one of the vital well-known holes on the golf course, it’s one of many signature golf holes in all of Scotland. The 123-yard par-3 is theoretically the simplest gap on the course — a flip wedge to a inexperienced guarded by a steep grade and some deep bunkers — however in follow issues aren’t practically as simple. With the wind down on Sunday and Monday, gamers had no downside sticking approaches shut (rumor has it that Tiger Woods practically aced his strategy on Sunday), however as soon as issues choose up later within the week, the actual enjoyable will start.
The outlet’s title comes from William Park of Golf Illustrated, who posited the opening had a “pitching space skimmed right down to the dimensions of a postage stamp,” and after seeing it up shut, I can verify he was proper. The sweetness and the technique of the opening comes from this central dichotomy: a easy shot that requires absolute execution. There are a whole lot of pictures like this within the hyperlinks nation, and till you’ve seen them for your self, it’s laborious to understand simply how good they’re. The Postage Stamp lives as much as that billing. — JC
4. Troon has a shock star
On the danger of sounding like a pretentious native, James simply fell right into a traditional first-timer entice there. He fell for the Hollywood gap at Troon: the eighth. For my cash, the very best holes on the entrance 9 precede the P-Stamp. No. 6 is an all-you-can-handle par 5. A real three-shotter for many mortals. Or anybody who doesn’t hit it straight as practice smoke. The seventh is a slight risk-reward dandy. If the prevailing wind off the coast will get agency sufficient, hopefully the R&A push the boys up a tee and lets them chase an eagle look. — SZ
5. The champ returned the jug — in fashion
It’s comprehensible if a few of golf’s main championship traditions elicit an eyeroll from you, expensive reader. The game is as previous as it’s self-reverential, and no one enjoys overdoing a bit fairly like golf match organizers. On Monday afternoon, I feared I used to be strolling into an identical scenario once I came across a gaggle of press and photographers stationed outdoors the doorway to Royal Troon.
Reigning champ Brian Harman, the gaggle knowledgeable me, was about to indicate as much as full considered one of his last duties as Open Championship winner: returning the Claret Jug to the R&A earlier than play begins. Little did I do know that Harman was coming to the course the old style method, driving an electric-blue G-Wagon alongside the shoreline adjoining to the course earlier than pulling up in entrance of the clubhouse with the Jug.
I laughed as I pictured this picture, however as I considered it extra, this felt like a becoming mix of previous and new. On one hand, Harman was taking part in one of many oldest traditions within the historical past of match golf. On the opposite, he was doing it from the consolation of a tournament-sponsored electrical car. On per week the place longtime Open Championship starter Ivor Robson shall be honored for his contributions subsequent to the primary tee in entrance of a gaggle of followers clutching R&A-logoed reusable water bottles (a giveaway this yr), I discovered the Jug return amusing, becoming even, for an historical match that retains its eyes skilled straight forward. — JC
