Keegan Bradley walks in the Open Championship.
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ETROON, Scotland – The world of golf is moving fast, even in Scotland.
This week, maybe especially in Scotland.
A few hours after native son Bob MacIntyre had the ride of his life at the Scottish Open on Sunday, sending the country into a frenzy, the sport's attention shifted west, where the match descended on Troon, Scotland, for the fourth time. and the final officer of the year.
The 152nd Open Championship returns to the world of golf at the perfect time hours after MacIntyre's thrilling victory, but the course and conditions that greeted golfers on Monday at Royal Troon were very similar to the conditions at the Renaissance Club, which hosted last week's games. celebrations. That was evident to any observer on Monday afternoon, as golfers filled the course for Monday's practice rounds, trailing up and down the Scottish west coast like seagulls in the fog.
But even if the shots were still days away, there was still much to be learned from Monday's event at Royal Troon, which provided the first glimpse of the golf community since the Open Championship last came here in 2016. Later in the afternoon. ashore, GOLF senior writer Sean Zak and news and features editor James Colgan share their five major ideas from the site below.
1. A new golf celebrity has arrived
Briefly about Bob MacIntyre, no golfer in the world has seen his life change more in the past seven days than Keegan Bradley. As you may know, the PGA Tour lifer and former champion became the captain of the US Ryder Cup team last week, an unexpected choice that brought the New Englander's favorite golf club from now until the start of the game at Bethpage Black.
As a 38-year-old who has enjoyed a career renaissance in recent seasons, Bradley finds himself in a unique position as Ryder Cup captain because his academic performance is so relevant to the conversation. As the last man out of the team last September in Rome and in 16th place for the US team, Bradley can still compete in the Cup himself as one of the six automatic selections on the team.
At most elite levels, Keegs is the most laid-back person on the golf course early in the week, enjoying family time or a good conversation with a friend during a retreat between practice rounds — but not. this a week. Bradley was all business as he walked the 18th green on Monday afternoon in Troon, holding a cell phone to his ear and walking firmly in the pack of threes. The phone probably hasn't stopped ringing since he was handed the captaincy for the second time last week, and it probably won't stop ringing anytime soon. There's a reason so many Ryder Cup captains don't do it they are qualified to play in the Cup. – James Colgan
2. We found a the original flower of Scotland
By all local reports, it's been a very wet summer here in Scotland. And now the Tour pros have moved from the hottest Scottish coast to the wettest. What does that mean for Troon? It grips the edges. It's difficult raw. And leaking in many bad places there are…dandelions. That's right, the yellow bugs that we hate to see in our backyards at home are increasing in some places in Royal Troon. And you know what? That's good. It will add a nice touch of gold to those photos we love of boys surfing the lawn. – Sean Zak
3. The post feels crowded
The eighth hole at Royal Troon is not only one of the most famous holes on the golf course, it is one of the signature golf holes in all of Scotland. The 123-yard par-3 is arguably the easiest hole on the course – a flip wedge to a green guarded by a steep grade and a few deep bunkers – but in practice things aren't that easy. With the wind down on Sunday and Monday, the players had no problem getting close (rumor has it that Tiger Woods almost agreed to his approach on Sunday), but if things settle down later in the week, the original the fun will begin.
The name of the hole comes from William Park of Golf Illustrated, the person who placed the hole had “a drop area trimmed to the size of a postage stamp,” and after seeing it up close, I can confirm that he was right. The beauty and strategy of the hole comes from this central dichotomy: an easy shot that requires perfect execution. There are many images like this in the world of links, and until you see it for yourself, it's hard to understand how clever they are. The Postage Stamp lives up to that charge. — JC
4. Troon has a surprising star
At the risk of sounding like a delusional local, James just fell into an old trap there. He fell into the Hollywood hole in Troon: at 8. For my money, the best front nine holes predate the P-Stamp. Number 6 is all you can handle stage 5. A true multiplayer shooter. Anyone who doesn't hit you straight like train smoke. 7th is a small reward reward. If the onshore wind is strong enough, I hope the R&A pushes the boys and lets them chase the eagle look. — SZ
5. The hero brought back the jug — in style
It's understandable if other major golf tournament traditions want to check you out, dear reader. The sport is as old as it is self-respecting, and no one enjoys a little extravagance like golf tournament organizers. On Monday afternoon, I feared I would be in a similar situation when I encountered a throng of press and photographers standing outside the Royal Troon entrance.
Reigning champion Brian Harman, the gaggle informed me, was about to appear to complete one of his final tasks as winner of the Open Championship: returning the Claret Jug to the R&A before the match started. Little did I know that Harman arrived at the course the old-fashioned way, driving his electric blue G-Wagon along the beach near the course before stopping in front of the clubhouse with a jack.
I laughed as I took this photo, but as I thought about it more, this felt like a fitting mix of old and new. On the other hand, Harman was participating in one of the oldest traditions in tournament golf history. On the other hand, he was doing it in the comfort of a championship-sponsored electric car. In a week when long-time Open Championship starter Ivor Robson will be honored for his contributions next to the first course in front of a crowd of fans clutching R&A-logoed reusable water bottles (a gift this year), I found the Jug's return amusing, fitting. even, with an ancient contest that keeps its eyes trained straight ahead. — JC
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