By Martyn Herman
HOYLAKE (Reuters) – Royal Liverpool’s fearsome-looking new 17th hole was relatively docile during Thursday’s first round of The Open but the par-three is likely to bare its teeth before Sunday’s conclusion.
At 136 yards it is the shortest and most picturesque hole on the course, a gentle swing of a pitching wedge for professionals, but it has some formidable armour.
The raised ‘infinity green’ with the Dee Estuary and Wales as its backdrop is surrounded by deep and vertical-faced bunkers, with huge fall off areas all around it.
Miss the putting surface or roll off the back into dunes and it could spell serious trouble, as a handful of the field discovered on Thursday when the course was receptive in light breezes and pleasant sunshine.
With the late rounds still to complete, 22 bogeys, four double bogeys and three triple bogeys, including one for former Open winner Zach Johnson, had Little Eye, as the hole is nicknamed, ranked as the eighth-hardest.
Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate, however, and American former Open champion Jordan Spieth warns things could get a little interesting.
“Today I felt like I could just flight something in, which was nice,” Spieth, who made a safe par during his two-under 69, like the majority of others, told reporters.
“If the wind picks up tomorrow or changes direction, and it’s blowing harder and into us, it could become carnage.
“But it’s fair. You have a big enough area to hit. You have to hit a really nice shot. If you do, you have a good look at birdie, and if you don’t you have a difficult par.”
Short par-three holes are a magnet for fans at major championships, which is one reason the Royal Liverpool club re-configured the course from the 2014 and 2006 editions won by Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods respectively.
Spieth does not rate the 17th as highly as Augusta National’s iconic 12th hole or Sawgrass’s island green 17th, but golf architect Martin Ebert’s design has added interest to the finish with the 15th and 18th also able to be lengthened.
Ebert accepts the hole will be compared to the even shorter Postage Stamp at Royal Troon, but says it’s very different.
“The nature of Royal Liverpool’s hole is quite different,” he said. “The tee is well above the green at Troon, compared with the horizon green at Hoylake leading to the flag being silhouetted against the sky.”
Grant Moir, the R&A’s Executive Director, Governance, said the new configuration with the risk-and-reward 17th followed by a 609-yard 18th which offers birdie opportunities for the brave, will come into its own at the weekend.
“This creates a real opportunity for a player to finish with an under-par flourish over the closing holes, but there is also significant risk of going in the other direction.”
England’s Danny Willett is a fan, saying it is a welcome change from the 200-yard plus par threes that are the norm.
“The best par-3s in the world in my opinion are the short ones, especially when you get wind,” he said.
“You’ll see birdies, you’ll see pars, you’ll see bogeys, you’ll see some pretty big numbers if anyone gets themselves into trouble down the right-hand side.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
