Montgomerie was the last player to arrive, and the crowd saved the loudest cheer for him.
Advertisement
CTV and TSN are Canada’s exclusive home for the culmination of golf’s oldest major championship, as the networks deliver live coverage of the weekend rounds of the OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP from the historic Old Course at Scotland’s Royal Troon Golf Club.
“I wish I could have made it as early as possible, not only for myself but also for Olympic golf, USA Golf”, said the world number three.
“I always expect to come out and perform and to contend”.
“I know I’ve done it, played well and competed and won against the best guys”, he said.
Nevertheless, the 22-year-old Texan will still hope to continue his country’s remarkable record in The Open at Troon.
Todd Hamilton was ranked 56th in the world when he surprisingly defeated Ernie Els in a play-off at Troon in 2004, but since Darren Clarke and Keegan Bradley won the last two majors of 2011 when 111th and 108th in the world respectively, the lowest ranked victor of any major is Els who was 40th before winning the 2012 Open at Lytham.
“This is a very, very special tournament, everybody knows that”, said Spieth.
He maximised his vast local knowledge at the Postage Stamp, using the contours of the famous par-three eighth green to get his tee shot to nine feet and move to two under, which became three under with his fifth birdie of the day at the next. Here is where German amateur Herman Tissies took 15 in 1950 but also where a 71-year-old Gene Sarazen had a hole-in-one in 1973.
His second shot plugged in one of Troon’s deep greenside bunkers.
Montgomerie, widely considered the best player to have never won a major, qualified at age 53 for what likely will be his last Open, and certainly his last at Royal Troon.
Then there is the 11th, a 482-yard par-four with the Glasgow to Ayr railway line just on the right, over a fourmetre high stone wall. Jack Nicklaus took 10 here in 1962.
“It’s definitely something I’d like to get to”, he added.
“If you make four threes there this week, you’re probably going to gain a bit of ground on the field”.
“Just stay out of the fairway bunkers”, was Irishman Shane Lowry’s advice.
For the start of the 145th Open, there was no wind at all. “I don’t think it impacts you, but I think it’s very cool to walk through the clubhouse halls to see that”, said Spieth of Troon’s history.
In-form Dustin Johnson believes that his Major breakthrough at Oakmont last month has multiplied his chances of scooping the Open Championship at Royal Troon, which begins on Thursday.
World number three Jordan Spieth admits he did not arrive at Troon in the same shape as he did at St Andrews a year ago, when he was seeking the third leg of an unprecedented calendar grand slam and on the back of victory in the John Deere Classic.
Advertisement
The hope is for calmer weather this year, although tomorrow (Friday) is expected to be particularly wet and the wind coming in from the Firth of Clyde is bound to make life hard.
