Royal Birkdale Is Firm, Fast and Wide Open Go to https://kachava.com and use code WINGO for 15% off your first order. The Open Championship is here, and Royal Birkdale already looks like it is going to have a huge say in who wins. Trey Wingo and Justin Ray start this Golf Live breakout by talking about why the Open has become their favorite major. The history, the links golf, the global feel, the old venues — all of it makes this week feel different. And this year, the golf course itself may be the biggest story. Royal Birkdale Is Already Running Justin is on site in Liverpool and says he has never been at an Open Championship on a Tuesday where the fairways looked this brown. The course is firm, fast and already running. Trey compares it to Muirfield in 2013, when the conditions were so dry that Tiger Woods hit a five-iron from 290 yards and watched it run over the green. That is the kind of setup this could become. Why That Changes Everything When the course plays this firm, power does not mean the same thing. Trey and Justin explain why these conditions could bring more players into the mix. Bombers may have to throttle back. Accurate players who can control their ball flight may suddenly have a bigger edge. The shorter guys are not automatically behind if the ball is running like this. That is why this Open feels so open. The Bounces Will Matter Royal Birkdale is also going to ask players to live with some uncertainty. Balls are going to run out. Good shots may end up in bad spots. Bad shots may catch a break. Trey says players hate that kind of vagary, but Justin points out that for fans, it adds to the drama. At a course like this, one bounce can change a hole. One big number can change a championship. Why Birkdale Is So Interesting Royal Birkdale may not have the instant signature identity of St. Andrews or Carnoustie, but it has plenty going on. Justin points to the dunes that frame the holes, the changes to the fifth, the new green on seven and the straightened 18th hole bringing more bunkers into play. It is a course that is going to ask a lot of questions. And if the forecast stays calm, scoring might be there. But that does not mean this place will be easy. At Royal Birkdale, the winner may not be the guy who overpowers the course. It may be the guy who handles it best when Birkdale bites back. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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