IT is more than just the remarkable streak of six successive American winners that makes a Scottish triumph at Royal Troon this week look as unlikely as an Olympic golfer contracting the Zika virus. Seventeen years have now passed since Paul Lawrie won at Carnoustie and 31 since Sandy Lyle lifted the Claret Jug at Royal St Georges, and only the most optimistic or loyal of their supporters will be banging the drum too loudly for either man to repeat the feat. The support cast – fellow veteran Colin Montgomerie, Marc Warren, Russell Knox and Richie Ramsay, the latter just out his sick bed – will attract few financial backers either. If Scottish football is in the midst of yet another period of wallowing introspection, then the state of the country’s golf at elite level offers little by way of consolation.
Still, few will receive as noisy a welcome as the six Scots as they meander their way around the links this week. Lawrie, who muscled his way into contention alongside Warren at the halfway stage last year at St Andrews before falling away, has been toiling with a foot injury but hopes the occasion can inspire him to discover some of his former glories.
“I was only one off the lead after two rounds last year and had played some nice golf and holed out really well,” recalled Lawrie. “But neither Marc nor I got going. We didn’t play badly but we didn’t hole any putts. When you’re in a game like that, expectations are so big, the crowd is willing you on and it doesn’t happen it’s a frustrating situation. It was horrible. The crowd did all they could but we just couldn’t hole any putts. It would be nice to be in that situation again and maybe hole a few early on to get going.”
Lyle’s exemption status runs out in two years unless he can secure a top ten finish before then and he is determined to make the most of his final opportunities.
“I still get a buzz coming to the Open,” he said. “Obviously when you’re competing at a higher level everything revolves around winning or performances but now my expectations are just to make the cut. If I can get some putts in the hole I can contend for top 20 because it’s the kind of place where experience and wiles can make all the difference. It’s a course I’m familiar with and while I’ve not had a great deal of success on it, I always thought it was fun to play.
“If the wind blows north-westerly it makes the opening nine of 10 holes very reachable for birdies so I can see myself getting one or two under after eight or nine holes and then you’ve got to hold on for dear life. I’m not as long as these boys. The likes of Dustin Johnson can make those finishing holes look a lot easier than they really are.”
Ramsay snuck into the Open courtesy of his finish at last week’s Scottish Open around Castle Stuart but a bug has hampered his preparation this week.
“I haven’t been sick today so that’s a bonus,” he revealed. “Yesterday I was throwing up almost the whole day. I got meds last night and I am feeling much better today. I walked the course, I haven’t played it as I need to rest up. I feel my game is in a really good place at the minute so I just need to conserve my energy to make sure I am ready for tomorrow.”
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