The 144th staging of golf’s oldest prize returns to the home of golf itself this week at St.Andrew’s, 5 years on from Louis Oosthuizen’s dominance in lifting the Claret Jug aloft the famous 18th green.
The absence of a less than fleet footed Rory McIlroy only intensifies the spotlight onto Grand Slam chasing Jordan Spieth, currently the 7.8 favourite on the Exchange. If you’re looking for the Outright Winner of the 2015 Open Championship or focused on trading a profit right the way through the field, one thing is for sure – St.Andrew’s swing holes are going to be crucial:
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5th Hole – Hole O’Cross (Out)
The foundation of good scores at St.Andrew’s must be built early and this 570-yard par-5 must be targeted as huge birdie opportunity. Averaging 4.66 in 2010, this year’s winner should be playing the 5th at least -3 for the week. In order to reach in two, miss the pot bunkers on the right at all costs.
9th Hole – End
At 352-yards this is borderline reachable for the monster hitters and particularly so if downwind. Caddie’s will be urging their employers to attack the 9th and make a 3. A 3.74 scoring average in 2010 proves the point. The landing area is a little more tricky this time with bunkers added on the left, miss them and you should have a good look at a birdie.
13th Hole – Hole O’Cross (In)
The sister of the 5th, a par-4 on this 465 yard hole is a great score. 137 bogeys in 2010, beaten only by the infamous 17th, this is a brute and extreme drifts can happen in a golfer’s price when walking to the 14th tee. Finding a fairway bunker off the tee requires the escapism of Houdini to make a 4 while the largest putting surface on the course makes 3-putts here common.
16th Hole – Corner of the Dyke
Not overly long at 418 yards but go right and you are out of bounds and dead. For those in contention this tee shot requires nerves of steel as the left half of the fairway is protected by more pot bunkers. Even par for the 4 round and you’ve done pretty well.
17th Hole – Road
‘Just take it out over the hotel’. One of the most recognisable and demanding holes in golf. Once carefully avoiding the windows, the approach gets even tougher with a slender green guarded by the Road Bunker – a graveyard for some of the best to swing a club. 2010 saw 241 bogeys or worse with just 16 miraculous birdies. Matching a bet before and after a golfer has completed the 17th will often have significant price differences, be warned.
18th Hole – Tom Morris
The 18th shouldn’t strike fear into any competitor, the beauty of it’s simplicity being you can be two shots back and still have a chance on Sunday. In 2010 the 18th played as not only the easiest hole at St.Andrews with a 3.58 scoring average, but the 2nd easiest hole on the PGA Tour that year. This year’s winner should be crowned with a closing birdie and even a par-4 will leave a slightly bitter taste in the mouth
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