Ahead of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush, Shane Lowry reflected on his 2019 win, saying, “If I win another one, I’ll celebrate twice as good. It’s so hard out here, so hard to win big tournaments that when you do, you need to enjoy them.” The same course that tested him in wet and windy conditions six years ago might do so again, with low-pressure systems forecasted to bring similar weather. However, if you ask Tiger Woods if this brutal weather is anything to fear, he’d easily dismiss it.
Before we get into that, let’s take a look at the forecast. According to the weather report for The Open Championship, the event at Royal Portrush will experience varied weather conditions, with rain showers and thunderstorms on Thursday, fewer rain chances on Friday, and uncertain rain on Saturday and Sunday. Temperatures are expected to stay in the 60s, with breezy conditions throughout the week. The updates are worrying, but in a recent Instagram update ahead of The Open, Tiger Woods bluntly suggested the pros to “just deal with it.”
In a recent Sun Day Red Instagram post, although Tiger Woods agreed that, “It’s gonna be hard. It’s gonna be cold. It’s gonna be windy, alright,” he also suggested, “just deal with it.” Interestingly, Xander Schauffele also shared a message about the weather at Royal Portrush ahead of his title defense. Talking about the same, Schauffele stated, “It’s just the mentality. I think, when you say links golf, it comes with weather, and when you play in bad weather, you have to have a good attitude. You have to visualize a lot more than just hitting your number on a machine.”
Now, in the same breath, Tiger Woods continued, “Nothing you could do about it. Just part of being in outdoor sport is… all these elements come into effect.” Tiger Woods reiterated, “Yes, it’s cold right now. But I can block out all those stuff out. And just get the shot over my head.”
However, the weather is still likely to affect many pros teeing off at Royal Portrush on July 17. The varying weather conditions throughout The Open Championship will likely affect players’ focus and concentration on the course. Players teeing off on Thursday morning and Friday afternoon may find it easier to maintain their focus, as they will face less severe weather compared to those starting later. However, one PGA Tour pro has already found ways to deal with it.
Robert MacIntyre is looking to take advantage of the European weather at The Open
Robert MacIntyre has a distinct advantage at The Open Championship this week, thanks to his experience playing links golf courses. The Scotsman has grown up navigating the challenges of these courses and has even called Royal Portrush his favorite course in the world. This isn’t his first time at Royal Portrush; MacIntyre made his major championship debut here in 2019, where he finished in the top 10. “Yeah, it was tough, standing on that first tee, the nerves,” MacIntyre recalled about his debut. “You’ve always dreamed of playing in these. You’ve watched it on TV since you were a young kid. I got to live another dream.”
MacIntyre attributes his putting prowess on links courses to his understanding of the subtle slopes and different grass types. “Compared to America? I mean, so different,” MacIntyre said ahead of The Open Championship at Royal Portrush. “For one, the grass is different. The slopes are more subtle.” He uses AimPoint as a guide rather than a science, allowing him to better read the greens.
MacIntyre also credits his experience with handling windy conditions, saying, “The wind, if it blows 20 miles an hour, it’s hard to stand the way you normally stand because you’ve got to try and brace yourself for the wind that’s gusting. It’s not just a constant buffer, so you start moving a bit. Thankfully, I’m used to that.” Despite being an average putter on the PGA Tour, ranking 88th in strokes gained, MacIntyre is confident that his skills on links courses will serve him well at Royal Portrush.
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