The Open Championship at Royal Lythem & St. Annes figures to be much more about precision this week than power off the tee. The course occupies the smallest piece of property of any of the course in the British Open rotation but offers a variety of obstacles including over 200 bunkers. Bubba Watson earlier this week described the rough as hay earlier this week.
However, former champ Ernie Els describes the course as a fair test and one that is sure to be a challenge for the field when the tournament gets underway early Thursday morning.
"It's a course where there's a certain way you've got to play it," Els said, referring to tee shots having to be in the right spots in the fairway. "It's a lot like Hoylake. You'll have a lot of guys doing the same thing. So it's the guy with the best nerves, the best shotmaking, the guy with the best putter. It's going to come down to the final bit here. If you're not sure what you're doing, you're going to get yourself in trouble. You've got to be sure of yourself.
So the most important thing for golfers this week will be keeping the ball in the fairways and out of the bunkers or in the rough. The course will no doubt test the patience of many and should be fun to watch.
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