It is just 123 yards long – the shortest hole on the Open championship circuit – but it rivals the 12th hole at Augusta National and the 17th at Sawgrass for inflicting pain all out of proportion to its size.
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However, it can give up birdies and occasional aces – in 1973, career grand-slam victor Gene Sarazen hit a hole in one at the age of 71, on the 50th anniversary of his first appearance in the Open. That hole has been killing me all week, even in practice.
The postage stamp never disappoints. On Thursday, none suffered more than Watson.
And although that was only good enough for a one-shot lead over Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, Mickelson could count his blessings at being firmly on the right side of a draw which left Rory McIlroy eight adrift, Jason Day 11 behind and Danny Willett and Jordan Spieth battling to make the cut on the mark of four over. Watson finally found the green with his fourth, then two putted to card a triple bogey six.
McIlroy said earlier in the week that anybody who got a three on the Postage Stamp each day of the Open would probably gain on the field. He was coming off a 63 in the opening round, when he almost became the first player in major championship history to shoot 62. I feel better and now that my swing is back on plane, I’m starting to hit some shots like I did 10 years ago and starting to play some of my best golf again.
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“I’m hoping I’ll hit the green on 8 tomorrow. And I hit it on the wrong spot”, he said. “I had never played it before but it’s certainly one of my favourites now”, added the four-times European Tour victor.
