Wednesday At The 153rd Open
Everything is set for a brilliant week. Plus, the R&A's new chief appears to dash hopes of imminent returns to Turnberry and Muirfield, wagers, Clark is banned from Oakmont, and Thursday's forecast.
Numbers have been dialed, teams are holding their final bonding-ego-massage-fests over chef-crafted lean protein dinners, and Royal Portrush could not be in a better place as a championship venue. That’s assuming you like your golf captivating, crafty and probably a randomly zany when you least expect.
Thursday’s opening round will kick off at the uncivilized hour of 6:35 a.m. when two-time Open Champion Padraig Harrington whaps one down the 420-yard opener.
For those worried we will not get a carnage-free event, I bring good news: tune in around midday and early afternoon Thursday according to the Met Office. That’s when the gusts are expected to kick up.*
A word about the rough which plays a big part of these events: we know that Royal Portrush has not been irrigated in any substantial way prior to the championship. There are no signs of “overspray.” That’s the particularly annoying and lost ball-centric attribute usually seen at too many American “linkslike” courses where a rim of dark green, ball-hiding stuff lurks immediately off the maintained areas.
The roughs here are managed artfully, organically and brilliantly by Graeme Beatt’s team. Most of those nasty wild roses that once dominated the property are largely gone (with a few left behind in spots for texture or random cruelty). The natives here are inconsistent in the best possible way for championship golf. And they should lure a few players into attacking the course with driver when maybe they should play safe. After walking around a bit the last four days, no one has come sprayed chemicals or tried to make this a turf nursery, as evidenced by the sweet wildflowers and occasional (rough) intruders.
All of this is a long wind-up to predict that double digits under par will likely win given the relative ease of three par-5’s and flawless turf.
The greens today hit 10 ft 10 inches after mowing for a 2 inch increase. They also saw a slight dip in firmness but nothing discerable to the naked eye.
Today’s final preview includes items on the annual R&A press conference, a look at final odds, my bets, a new hole name, the latest weather forecast, some tough words from Oakmont for Wyndham Clark, and more.
* The forecast “remains changeable.”
Darbon’s First Open Press Session
New R&A Chief Mark Darbon faced the media for the first time and as one might expect given his lack of time on the job and inexperience even attending The Open (this is his fifth), Wednesday’s press conference was light on concrete details. Nontheless, the new leader answered all questions and confirmed the timing on some pressing decisions.
The biggest news: conversations are ongoing with Turnberry and Muirfield about future Opens. Still, prospects for near-future championships seem dim based on Darbon’s remarks.
The lesser and most disappointing reveal of the day: no more volunteer greenkeepers doing the bunker raking with each group. Darbon confirmed this but did not give a specific reason for the change after being asked by AP’s Doug Ferguson.
Otherwise, here are highlights from the session:
On freezing the prize fund this year. “We have held flat this year. I think prize fund is still 60 percent up on when we were here last time in 2019. That's strong growth by anyone's standards. We think the choice we've made is really appropriate.”
On Portmarnock for the first-ever Open in Ireland. “We think it's a wonderful links golf course and we've been really encouraged by the support that we've had in principle from the Irish government to work with us to understand whether we could stage an Open Championship there in the future. We're knee deep in feasibility work to help us answer that question fully. We expect to have a clearer picture by the back end of this year.”
On ticket numbers and changing golf courses to accommodate modern tournament needs. “We have huge demand for our Open Championship, and we're keen to service that demand where we can. But it's not about just being bigger, it's about being better. So it's not about just simply the volume of people. We work really respectfully with the clubs so I think this is a great example this week, the changes that have facilitated the staging of a modern Open Championship have also been changes that the membership base have been supportive of. It's improving and evolving their course for the better, while staying true to Harry Colt's original design here in the late 1880s.” **
On the next available Open date. “I would imagine we'll be making an announcement on 2028 sometime before the middle of next year.”
On Muirfield which last hosted in 2013. “We're in a discussion with the venue right now. There's some things that we need to evolve at Muirfield, the practice ground in particular is a challenge for us with a modern Open and there's some work we need to do with the venue to facilitate some of the infrastructure that we require, some cabling to enable the scale of the production that we have these days. But it's a good dialogue and we'd love to be back there in the future.”
On returning bunker-raking to caddies instead of BIGGA certified greenkeepers assigned to each group. “It's a change for us but we think a good one…we just think it's a good model for us here at Portrush.”
On Turnberry’s prospects for another Open. “We love the golf course but we've got some big logistical challenges there. You see the scale of their setup here and we've got some work to do on the road, rail and accommodation infrastructure around Turnberry. We've explicitly not taken it out of our pool of venues but we'd need to address those logistical challenges should we return.”
On the Monday “last qualifying” for an Open spot announced ahead of the 2026 Open. “We were always looking to evolve the proposition here at The Open Championship and we take player feedback. We invest a lot in ensuring that we get spectator and broadcaster feedback and we think it's a great addition to the week. What I would say about that last-chance qualifier is it will absolutely be true to our broad principles around exemptions and qualifications for The Open.”
On moving up tee times Saturday to accommodate the annual Sons of Ulster parade. “We're making a slight tweak to tee times to try and finish -- it's not dramatic. It'll be 15 minutes or so earlier. At the same time, this is an outdoor sport. The weather can play a big role. It's very difficult to be precise on finishing times. But we're looking at some marginal adjustments.”
On The Open’s 2028 date as it relates to the Los Angeles Olympics. “I think we're pretty close to a solution on that which I would like to think will be announced over the next few months so we'll bring it to life then.”
What he’s learned about the role of modern distances. “As a governing body, it's our job to stand in the future and think about the long-term health of our sport. I think the data is unequivocal and supports the decision that was reached.”
On what he’s learned since taking the job about the golf world. “I've learnt pretty quickly that the golf industry loves a good lunch and a good dinner, much more so than the sport that I come from.”
**Old Tom Morris was the late 1880s architect of the first links here. Colt updated things around 40 years later.
Wagering
The final top odds from Oddschecker:
As someone who prefers to mine fields for 400-1 each-way gems, I must say the prices for top names are especially unattractive this year for punters. Which is a nice way of saying your subscription funds have contributed to my annual eternal quest in finding the Open Championship version of Mine That Bird or Rich Strike.
A few of my wagers of the “each way” variety thanks to the generous offerings at Portrush’s only bookmaker where they’re paying 10 ways on outright winners and six ways on things like first round leader. And before you email me to tell me some of these people have no chance of winning, I am well aware. I’m hunting for those top 10s without spending in the actual Top 10 and Top 20 options where the prices this year were particularly—what’s the word—sucky.
Last word: most of my selections were based on recent form, propensity to pile up the GIR’s, or local insight based on body language or word of mouth. As with the ponies, I overvalue my ability to study the (golf) horses in the paddock.
Nicolai Hojgaard outright win each way (1-10) at 70/1
Sepp Straka outright win each way (1-10) at 35/1
Ryan Fox outright win each way (1-10) at 45/1
Elvis Smylie outright win each way (1-10) at 450/1
Adam Scott outright win each way (1-10) at 50/1
Collin Morikawa to miss the cut at 9/4
In another nice twist from the local shop, they’re offering each-way on low first round paying six spots. I won’t get much but it’s always nice to get some money back should one of these fine golfers open with the lead. My team for low first round bet are based largely on the hope of calm conditions early or very late (McIlroy).
Chris Gotterup (1-6th) 70/1
Nicolai Hojgaard (1-6th) 80/1
Rory McIlroy (1-6th) 18/1
Jason Day (1-6th) 70/1
Ryan Fox (1-6th) 66/1
As always when in the UK, please, please, wager irresponsibility.
PS - I could not get a winning score bet but I see some have set an over/under at -13. Based on the incredible conditioning and lack of wind currently forecast beyond Thursday that 15 or 16-under is the likely winning score.
Wyndham Clark Banned From Oakmont
The 2023 U.S. Open champion at Los Angeles Country Club asked for privacy to help the membership at Oakmont move on from his locker-bashing tantrum.
Clark’s antics at last month’s U.S. Open were not viewed well by the golf world at large given the historic nature of Oakmont’s history and the likelihood of average folks receiving a permanent ban for such antics.
Now it seems Oakmont has moved on by banning Clark and taking an audacious stance asking for Clark to seek counseling.
A letter to members reported and confirmed by multiple outlets suggests the decision to ban Clark from the property was made in consultation with the USGA. Any reinstatement would require Clark pay for the damage, make a charitable contribution and and seek anger-management counseling. The total package of demands suggests Clark’s apology did not include an offer to cover the damage or any other meaningful show of concern for behavior that came just a month after damaging a tee sign at the PGA Championship.
Clark tees off at 10:20 BST in round one of The Open.
Ninth Hole Renamed
Tavern, you had a nice run.
The 432-yard ninth is now named Darren Clarke’s to honor the 2011 Open Champion at Royal St George’s. Clarke joins Fred Daly in having a hole on Royal Portrush’s Dunluce course named after a former Open Champion. The 1947 Champion Golfer of the year, Daly had more direct ties to the club and finished in the top 10 in six of his seven first Open appearances.
The club announced the renaming Monday night in a gathering just off the first fairway while also putting Graeme McDowell’s name on the Valley’s seventh hole. Here’s guessing going to LIV relegated GMac to the secondary course (though Martin Ebert’s renovation has gotten rave reviews from the members I’ve spoken to.)
Weather
Things are improving for Thursday with less rain predicted. But rumor has it—sources with knowledge of the situation but not authorized to speak—that conditions “remain changeable” for the rest of the Championship.
How does this impact round one?
The forecast suggests the afternoon golfers could see some healthy gusts from the south. The later tee time wave might also enjoy a quieter Friday morning to even things out. Then again, things remain changeable.
The Quad’s coverage:
Finally, a soothing final moodsetter from Cookie Jar:
Enjoy day one of what should be a sensational championship,
Geoff
It’s good to see that the membership at Oakmont has decided to “move on.” Chef’s kiss. Bring on The Open.
Is there any precedent for a major champion being indefinitely banned from a host site? This is going to shadow Wyndham for a long time. He better play his way into the top 50 cause he ain’t getting any sponsor invites to the signature events. And whoever advised him on his non-apology apology should get out of the public relations business.