Carnoustie was such a brutal test in the 1999 British Open that tabloids referred to it as ”Car-Nasty” and there were far more complaints than birdies.
Sergio Garcia cried in his mother’s arms after an 89 in the first round, while Fred Funk withdrew after an 83 in the first round because he was fed up with narrow fairways and knee-high rough.
Those who return next week might be in for a treat.
Royal & Ancient (R&A) chief executive Peter Dawson said the weather has conspired to give the Scottish links an odd combination of soft conditions and moderate rough.
”This has been the driest April we’ve had for a long time, followed by the wettest period in late May and June,” Dawson said. ”Whilst the ground is wetter than we like to see, it hasn’t resulted in quite as much grass. Very unusual conditions.”
The British Open usually allows weather and wind to dictate how difficult it plays. Dawson said the ideal condition is brown, meaning the fairways are hard and fast and the rough is wispy. If it rains, the soft fairways are neutralised by thick rough.
”We have softer conditions and the rough has not yet sprung up,” he said. ”It’s going to be a fair bit more generous than last time.”
The winning score was 290 at Carnoustie eight years ago, the highest winning score at a Major since Jack Nicklaus shot 290 at Pebble Beach in the 1972 US Open, and the highest winning score at the British Open since Fred Daly shot 293 in 1947.
The R&A doesn’t concern itself with par as much as other golf organisations, and Dawson hardly sounded bothered.
”Carnoustie is in super condition,” he said.
It certainly surprised one player. Phil Mickelson played a practice round on Monday, and while he declined comment until after his pro-am round on Wednesday at the Scottish Open, he told the British PA: ”It’s a nice course. I never really knew that.” — Sapa-AP