Duffers Corner

With wind, rain and low temperatures in the forecast, this year’s British Open field won’t necessarily need their A-game to secure a spot in the final group on Sunday, all they need is some top notch outerwear!

The temperature reached 59 degrees by mid afternoon today, but it was the wind and rain that caused most of the havoc. Australia native Craig Perry was the first to tee off this morning, finishing up the day with a 77 (7 over par). “It’s brutal out there – it was miserable, really tough. There are 16 holes into the wind, and my three-wood was going about 180 yards. You could probably putt it further than that!”

The last time the Open was Played at Royal Brickdale (’98) the wind and rain on Friday & Saturday made most of the field to struggle, allowing only 7 players to shoot under par on Friday, compared to 27 players on Thursday.

If the wind and rain keep up throughout the weekend, here are a few things to watch for -

Short, quick swings – To stay both warm and dry most players should be wearing between 3-5 layers of clothing, so look for a lot of quick, half to three-quarter swings due to limited mobility.

Lost Balls – You will see more players lose their balls at an Open than in any tournament all year. British open courses are famous for that, and Brickdale is no exception. Phil Mickelson lost a ball on the 6^th hole today, even with a dozen spectators helping look for it, he still couldn’t find it!

High scores – The leaders might only be 1 or 2 under par come Sunday. With most holes playing into the wind, look for players to use irons or even low lofted hybrids off the tee.

I know the excitement of watching golf when players dominate a course under perfect playing conditions, but there is nothing like a British Open when the wind and rain pick up. It’s more like watching The Duffers Open!