Woods expects firm challenge in bid to satisfy major craving
Tiger Woods with his caddy during preview day one of The Open Championship at Carnoustie. Photo: Richard Sellers/PA
Tiger Woods believes the fairways will be quicker than the greens when he chases that elusive 15th major at Carnoustie.
Set to tee up in The Open for the first time since 2015, Woods played eight holes yesterday and found the venue every bit as fiery as when he claimed two of his three Claret Jugs in 2000 and 2006.
"I am sure they will probably speed the greens up a touch but I'm sure this will be one of those weeks where the fairways are a little quicker than the greens," Woods said.
"It is a risk-reward golf course and the way it is set up right now, it is going to play very narrow because it is so fast.
"We don't get a chance to see it quite this firm very often, it was like this in 2000 and like this at Hoylake but we don't really see the fairways this quick. It's different this week and will be a lot of fun."
Woods will be joined at Carnoustie by South African Brandon Stone (25), who missed an eight-footer on the 18th for the European Tour's first 59 but still equalled the record for lowest round in the tour's history as he signed for a 10-under 60 to win the ASI Scottish Open and claim one of three spots in The Open.
He triumphed by four strokes on 20-under par from England's Eddie Pepperell, who shot 64, with the other place going to overnight leader Jens Danthorp.
The Swede's 68 left him tied for third with the exempt Luke List and Trevor Immelman on 15-under, edging out the former Masters champion for the final spot at Carnoustie by virtue of his higher world ranking.
Trouble
Portrush's Graeme McDowell was 63rd on three-under after a 71 and will not reappear until the RBC Canadian Open after missing out on qualification for The Open for the second year running.
It was a far happier day for Derry's Ruaidhri McGee, who birdied five of his last six holes for an immaculate, eight-under round of 63 and a share of fourth in the Italian Challenge in Sardinia.
He finished three shots behind Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg, who shot a 65 to win by a shot from Norway's Erik Tage Hansen on 17-under with Michael Hoey and Gavin Moynihan tied for seventh, one stroke further back, after 67s.
In Germany, former Irish Open and Smurfit European Open winner Stephen Dodd celebrated his 52nd birthday with a wire-to-wire victory at the Staysure Tour's WINSTONgolf Senior Open.
He closed with a 71 to win by six strokes from France's Jean-François Remesy on 15-under with Paul McGinley eighth on six-under after three consecutive 70s.
