Welcome to your debut at The Open Championship, J.J. Spaun. Before you, a daunting challenge awaits: Royal Portrush`s inaugural hole, flanked by out-of-bounds areas on both left and right. Precision on your opening drive is paramount.
And for you, Padraig Harrington, how about embracing the dawn with a 4 AM alarm, followed by the honor of striking the tournament`s very first ball at 6:35 AM, down a corridor as narrow as a bowling alley?
Harrington confessed to significant apprehension, musing, “Why did I agree to this?” The tee shot was the culprit, he explained, suggesting “there must be easier ones.” To counter this, he meticulously prepared on the range, hitting around 40 3-irons to gauge the wind. This preparation paid off, as he remarkably birdied the hole. He added, “I built up the tee shot in my mind so much that when I actually got there today, it didn`t feel as intimidating.”
Shane Lowry, a past champion here, finds little comfort in familiarity. The 425-yard opening hole presents no less a challenge, especially with hundreds of spectators lining the ropes, seemingly constricting an already tight fairway.
“The initial tee shot was far from straightforward,” Lowry admitted, expressing his discomfort.
Then there`s Rory McIlroy, whose infamous 2019 Open moment – a wayward drive on this very tee that veered left into the out-of-bounds, resulting in a quadruple-bogey eight – has been the dominant topic in the lead-up to this year`s championship. Now, he faces the same daunting prospect once more.
Thursday`s scene as McIlroy approached the first tee was cinematic. Twenty-deep galleries watched in tense, almost eerie silence. His appearance drew a nervous cheer. Selecting his driving iron, he took two practice swings, consulting his yardage book and the flags for wind direction. His swing sent the ball low and left, but crucially, it remained in play this time.
Tom McKibbin, a fellow Northern Irishman, admitted, “Rory, I believe, has made that tee shot considerably more intimidating. It`s been on my mind for the past three days.” He confessed to feeling “a little nervous and quite apprehensive about hitting that shot. I certainly didn`t want to make such a poor stroke.”
Despite McIlroy missing a short par putt and recording a bogey, a spectator succinctly summarized the moment.
“Better than last time,” the fan remarked.
Reflecting on the opening hole, McIlroy stated, “I believe I managed it very effectively today, certainly an improvement from six years ago. I was simply pleased to get off to a solid start and find my rhythm in the tournament.”
As the 153rd Open Championship`s first day concluded, while other holes might present greater physical difficulty, Royal Portrush`s first hole has emerged as the undeniable psychological hurdle. Its opening tee shot represents a mental ascent each golfer must conquer before truly engaging with their round. The towering grandstands surrounding the tee box deceptively obscure the wind, while strategically placed bunkers at 275 and 290 yards challenge even the most assured players to reconsider their approach.
Thomas Detry commented, “It`s playing incredibly tough. The wind is deceptive; you don`t quite feel its true direction, yet it`s coming from the right.” He added, “You`re compelled to attack the tee shot. On some holes, you just aim to get the ball in play, but here, you need to be more assertive to give yourself a better chance at par, as it`s genuinely a long hole.”
In essence, the first hole encapsulates the course`s fundamental rule: maintain your ball on the fairway, or face severe consequences. Though deceptively simple, the official Portrush website`s description of “Hughie`s” – named for the former owner of the land now out-of-bounds on the right (the left previously being a horse farm) – subtly hints at its inherent difficulty.
The professional`s tip advises, “Unless playing into the wind, opt for a 3-wood or long iron for your opening tee shot.”
While this advice may sound straightforward, the world`s elite golfers can attest to its profound difficulty.
Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open champion, reflected on the commitment required: “You warm up on the range, and the wind feels like it`s coming down from the right, giving you a false sense of security. But then you arrive at the tee, and it`s suddenly clear: `Okay, I really need to perform here.` I felt like I tried to drive that one into the ground and nearly mishit it. Not exactly the stellar start I`d hoped for in a major championship.”
Perhaps, like McIlroy on Thursday, you`re fortunate enough to be rescued by the surrounding rough or fescue. Yet, even then, you face an uphill approach from a potentially poor lie towards an elevated green that remained surprisingly firm despite a day of rainfall.
Jason Day emphasized the need for precision: “You absolutely have to thread it through. Once you`re in the rough, controlling the ball`s approach becomes incredibly difficult. The greens are so firm, making it challenging to judge the correct landing distance. Therefore, hitting the fairway is crucial to gain a favorable position to reach the green and at least contend for a birdie.”
A birdie? On Thursday, a mere 12 were recorded on the first hole. Perhaps simply aiming for par is a more realistic objective.
Smith managed a scramble for bogey. Ben Griffin registered a double-bogey. Matt Wallace faced the hole at the day`s most challenging juncture, battling relentless rain and wind, yet remarkably carded a par. By day`s end, the first hole averaged 4.295 strokes, ranking as the fifth toughest on the course. Only 55% of competitors found the fairway, a strip officially 70 yards wide but perceived as half that.
Despite its unforgiving nature, the hole also showcased a spectrum of outcomes that could define a player`s round. Young-han Song of South Korea, with 200 yards to the green, secured a birdie. Conversely, Aldrich Potgieter, facing a 168-yard approach, recorded a bogey – mirroring the score of K.J. Choi, whose tee shot failed to reach the fairway, leaving him with a challenging 249-yard second shot.
Club selection varied widely among players. Some prioritized controlling ball flight, while others focused on maximizing distance. Certain golfers, such as Lowry, had a preconceived club choice only to switch to an alternative offering a greater sense of security.
“There was absolutely no way I was going to hit my 4-wood,” Lowry explained. “I aimed to keep the ball low and out of the wind. So I thought, `grab the biggest clubhead in the bag and just swing it.` Thankfully, it flew straight.”
Wallace noted the unpredictability of his tee shot given the conditions: “With it being wet, the ball could go anywhere.” He chose a mini driver over a 2-iron (which would have left him another 2-iron shot) and hit a good one. “But then you`re left with a strong, drawing 6-iron or 5-iron into an extremely challenging hole. We were playing at the toughest point of the day.”
Even the world`s top-ranked player, Scottie Scheffler, who chose a fairway wood, pulled his drive left of the fairway on Thursday. While he managed to salvage a par, many others were less fortunate; the hole yielded more than four times as many bogeys or worse scores than birdies.
Nico Echavarria observed, “At first, it felt challenging, but as you progress through more holes, that tee shot almost seemed straightforward compared to others, given the weather conditions.”
Echavarria`s assessment holds true. Many players discussed the particular difficulty of the 11th hole`s tee shot amidst Thursday`s wind. While various tee shots at Portrush present distinct challenges, the first hole`s true intimidation lies in its deceptive simplicity – a facade that shatters the moment one steps onto the tee box.
While mastering the opening hole doesn`t guarantee overall success for the round or the tournament, performing well on it undeniably indicates a golfer`s confidence across various aspects: from club choice and ball flight control to their psychological fortitude.
With Thursday`s emotionally charged opening tee shots and ceremonies now complete, the first hole may lose some of its initial drama, yet its strategic importance will persist throughout the championship.
“I`m relieved that round of golf is behind me,” Lowry remarked, expressing his anticipation for the remainder of the week.
However, complacency would be ill-advised.
Matteo Manassero warned, “Today`s pin position wasn`t even particularly difficult. This hole can play even tougher.”