TEE ROOM: Hotel drama for Ernie Els, a missed opportunity for Alex Noren and bunker trouble for Viktor Hovland… top talking points from the first day of the 150th Open
- The Open is underway and Sportsmail has rounded up the top talking points
- Ernie Els’s round unravelled dramatically at the most famous hole on the course
- Alex Noren missed his opportunity to play in The Open by jetting off to California
- Tennis star Ashleigh Barty watched Justin Rose warm up before he pulled out
- Paul Lawrie thinks the ‘length that shots are going is starting to get out of hand’
Rory McIlroy was delighted with his performance on Thursday as he looks to win his fifth major title at The 150th Open.
Meanwhile, Tiger Woods had a day to forget after a double-bogey on the first, dropping points on the third and fourth and slumping to a disappointing six-over 78.
Below, Sportsmail looks at several other talking points after the first day of the oldest golf tournament in the world.
Sportsmail looks at several talking points after the first day of the oldest golf tournament
HOTEL DRAMA FOR ERNIE
For all the timeless elegance of Ernie Els’s swing, his round unravelled dramatically at the most famous hole on the course. He was four under stepping on to the 17th, which requires a tee shot over the Old Course Hotel, where Tiger Woods is staying. Els promptly sliced his drive, hit the hotel and took a double bogey.
For all the timeless elegance of Ernie Els’s swing, his round unravelled dramatically at the most famous hole on the course
NOREN’S MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Spare a thought for former Ryder Cup player Alex Noren. He flew to St Andrews as first reserve but fearing the call would never come he left on Wednesday to play the Barracuda Championship in California. With Justin Rose and Erik van Rooyen withdrawing, it was a chance missed.
Alex Noren flew to St Andrews as first reserve but fearing the call would never come he left on Wednesday to play the Barracuda Championship in California
IS IT GOLF NEXT FOR BARTY?
Ashleigh Barty is at St Andrews and watched Justin Rose warm up minutes before he pulled out. The 26-year-old, who retired from tennis after winning the Australian Open in January, plays off a handicap of four. She talks it down but having also played Big Bash cricket, could a third sporting career be on the horizon?
Ashleigh Barty is at St Andrews and watched Justin Rose warm up before he pulled out
LAWRIE: WE’VE GONE TOO FAR
The first-round pin positions were far tougher than usual — because of fears that the course would be defenceless on a calm day. Some will point to the Old Course but others, like Paul Lawrie, blame technology. He said: ‘Maybe the length that shots are going is just starting to get a wee bit out of hand.’
Paul Lawrie (above) thinks the ‘length that shots are going is starting to get out of hand’
VIKTOR’S BUNKER TROUBLE
Not much joy is found within the 112 bunkers of the Old Course — just ask Viktor Hovland. He had to play out sideways on the fourth, with one leg kneeling out of the bunker, for a bogey. Then at the 12th, his ball was so close to the face that he took a penalty drop in the sand but somehow parred the hole.
Not much joy is found within the 112 bunkers of the Old Course — just ask Viktor Hovland
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