Golf's Gladiators Converge in Portrush for The Open

The 153rd Open Championship washes up the Antrim coast this week. A massive crowd of 278,000 golf fans are expected to drown the quaint Dunluce links course in a giant wave of enthusiasm. The rainbows off the rocky coast around the Royal Portrush Golf Club will be painted in blue and gold, the traditional liveries of the historic tournament. The Causeway Coast & Glens district is popular for its basalt cliffs, sea caves and sandy beaches. But for the next few days, the biggest attractions are the brightest golfers on the planet and their tryst with the iconic Claret Jug. The town may have kept its peace for six long years, but the silence will be broken. The lusty cheers that carried Shane Lowry to the Championship in 2019 will return to the Portrush theatre.

Smell the roses all you want but remember that the slightest distraction can prove rather expensive. And Portrush, all 7,337 yards of it, is full of distractions. The green at the Calamity Corner sits over a frightening ravine, often rolling the ball 100ft below the hole into the chasm on the right. Just the sight of the 16th hole is a fright. In 2019, Rory McIlroy found the green off the tee, but four putted for a double bogey. "I lost concentration after the missed par putt on 16 and missed a short one there," admitted McIlroy. The course has teeth, and it is never satisfied just revealing them. Expect it to bite, cause deep wounds and expose the worst fears in your soul.

Soaking up the bright Sun and ocean winds, fans will be treated to an exquisite exhibition of golf in the final major of the season. The robotic consistency of Scottie Scheffler, the nervous artistry of McIlroy, and the mercurial brilliance of Jordan Spieth will decorate the dunes to produce another epic edition of the oldest and most significant of all honours in golf. The Masters has dominated contemporary narrative through a rich combination of tradition and enduring magic, but the heritage of The Open is unmatched. The Claret Jug is integral to the sport, a symbol of excellence and lifelong honour since 1873.

Jon Rahm has been uber consistent. He is a permanent resident inside the top ten on the LIV Golf tour. At the majors, since finishing seventh at the Open last year, Rahm has clocked in 14th at the Masters, 8th in the PGA Championship, and 7th in the US Open. As a man of tradition, he would be overcome with emotion if he could join Seve Ballesteros as the only other Spanish winner of the great tournament. “In my opinion, The Open Championship is the most prestigious event you can win in golf,” said Rahm. “(from) my understanding of the game and the history of the game, I think the Claret Jug is the most special one.”

Spieth and Jason Day seem to find their voice on the links. They gain more than a stroke on average relative to their regular gigs on parkland courses. Spieth has played 58 rounds on links courses, and his experience bears out in the results. His victory at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and four other top ten finishes underline Spieth’s ability to navigate low and tidy under windy conditions. Day is in the midst of a resurgence – borne out in the top ten at the Masters in April, and a couple of good finishes (T2, T13) in the previous two editions of the Open. They might be down but count them out only to your peril.

Scheffler is riding solo. He is gaining a Tigeresque 2.97 strokes on the field, marching acres ahead of his competitors. He has racked up nine top ten(s) and three titles this year, including the PGA Championship. Despite the attention surrounding his enormous success, Scheffler remains firmly grounded. Speaking to the press at the Open, he offered some profound perspective. “To win the Byron Nelson Championship at home, I literally worked my entire life to become good at golf to have an opportunity to win that tournament,” explained Scheffler. “You win it, you celebrate, get to hug my family, my sister's there, it's such an amazing moment. Then it's like, okay, what are we going to eat for dinner? Life goes on.” It is that nonchalance perhaps that allows Scheffler to show up week after week before returning into the comfort of his home in Dallas.

McIlroy was raised just a few miles away in Holywood. The emotions of playing such a big event close to home got the better of him as he missed the cut in 2019. The Northern Irishman completed his career grand slam at the Masters and suffered a sudden dip. He endured a sloppy PGA Championship and missed cut in the Canadian Open. He has bounced back though, and T2 in the Scottish Open set the tone for Portrush. Rory can bring the rafters if he remains in the conversation on Sunday. Bryson DeChambeau and defending champion Xander Schauffele will also want a part as late in the week as possible.

Putting is the big concern for Collin Morikawa, the Champion at Royal St. George’s in 2021. His irons though are a weapon of substance. Alongside Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, the sleepers could sneak through and make a big impression down the stretch. Robert MacIntyre and Matt Fitzpatrick will also find the course conditions familiar, having grown up along the coast. The draw could play a role too. Wet weather is anticipated later on Friday, leaving several golfers in a mad scramble to rescue their smudged cards into the weekend. The timing of the winds (24 – 31kmph) on Thursday and a 25 – 40% chance of rain on Friday will leave a mark on the leaderboard.

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