Tommy Fleetwood’s early introduction to golf owed much to his father’s artisan membership at Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club, a couple of miles down the road from Royal Birkdale. The Open venue this week has its own Artisans’ Club, with members who ply their trades around the famous links, replacing divots, clearing fairways and raking bunkers in exchange for tee times. They have their own clubhouse, nestled between the fourth green and the fifth tee, maintaining a tradition that Fleetwood knows well. “I’ve done my fair share of sweeping paths,” the world No 14 said.
Palmer part of the furniture
What makes for the most memorable golf shots? Tour professionals routinely talk about childhood dreams of standing over the winning putt on the 18th green in a major, but so often it is the approach shots that remain imprinted in the memory. Justin Rose’s chip into the 18th hole in 1998 is the most spectacular at Birkdale in recent memory. However, the most famous among members here is the six-iron played by Arnold Palmer from heavy rough, amid blackberry brambles, onto the 15th green on his way to his first Open victory here in 1961. “I just swung as hard as I could,” Palmer said. His shot is commemorated by a plaque on the course, which is part of the 16th hole.
The Open goes American
Prize money will be paid to the winner on Sunday in United States dollars for the first time. This is to avoid the situation in which Henrik Stenson found himself after securing victory at Royal Troon last year. The £1.18 million paid to Stenson last year was a record prize fund. However, when exchanged into dollars — Stenson is a US resident — it amounted to less than the £1.15 million Zach Johnson had scooped in St Andrews the previous year. It came as the value of the pound had fallen to its lowest value in 30 years after the UK voted in favour of leaving the European Union. This year’s record prize for the winner will be $1.845 million (about £1.41 million).
No smoking zone
We can expect to see fewer television pictures of golfers such as Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Darren Clarke and John Daly puffing on cigars in future. The R&A has asked television producers to ensure that the game is showcased in the best way to attract greater numbers of players. “I want to get more young people playing, we need to send this image of the players being true athletes,” Martin Slumbers, the R&A chief executive, said. Daly, a two-times major winner, has previously suggested that the habit is not a serious threat to his health, because he smoked in moderation. The 1995 Open champion said: “I only smoke two packs of cigarettes a day, not three, so I’ll be alright.”
Day’s travel plans Trumped
Donald Trump’s press team may feel they have bigger fires to fight, but the latest charge being levelled at the US president is the disruption of Jason Day’s preparation for the Open. Day, the world No 6, had intended to fly across the Atlantic on Sunday, but his travel plans had to be postponed for a day, due to travel delays in New York caused by the President’s visit to the US Women’s Open in New Jersey. As a result, Day has only played a single practice round and restricted himself to the range yesterday. “It would have been nice to play in the prevailing wind, but that’s just how it goes,” Day said.