Tiger Woods skipped the U.S. Open to give himself the best chance to play in the 150th Open Championship. Location: St Andrews, Scotland Dates: 14-17 July Coverage: BBC TV, radio and online, on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website and l BBC Sport mobile application. Complete coverage details.
“Here he comes,” exclaimed an excited young man, advancing toward a barrier behind the R&A clubhouse, phone in hand ready to record a limping legend as he walked toward a conveniently parked courtesy car.
Tiger Woods had just caused the first roar of the open week, finishing his practice round driving the 18th green at St Andrews Old Course; his putt by the eagle left him a fraction less.
Not that you would have known that he had completed his round with such excellent style if you had witnessed the unstable and tired march of the 46-year-old towards the vehicle waiting to drive him away.
All reasonable logic suggests that Woods will not be a factor when the 150th Open is decided next Sunday evening. But there is no doubt that he is the player that most fans, young and old, still want to see.
And Woods is where you want to be, at your favorite golf course located in the golf house. It was only Sunday, with three full days of training to come, but he was still sending a buzz through the old gray village.
That electricity will throb during the week when an extraordinary, youthful harvest of the world’s top players will try to emulate Woods ’feats when he dominated the 2000 and 2005 championships amid 15 big wins.
Scottie Scheffler, the best player in the world today, was taking advantage of his lost cut at the Scottish Open with a first visit to the most revered golf course on the planet.
In the fourth, he lowered it, his driver flying behind the ball before accidentally throwing it off the peg. None of the tiny spectator knot resorted to the most crushed golf game saying “one”.
This is a place where respect prevails and those fans were treated to a gloriously faded ride, exiting left into the blue skies before landing and running to the perfect spot on the street.
And that is a key dimension of this historic championship. The Old Course is in shape to play to the fullest.
Fast and firm. It will be a racing game, exploring contours, avoiding bunkers for a few weeks. Just like it was when golf was first played in these parts centuries ago.
There are fears that these modern superstars will destroy this glorious golf course. The two par five holes are potentially accessible in two, while the par four holes as the sixth, ninth, 10th, 12th and 18th can be piloted. An overall pair of 72 is generous.
But with a little breeze, which is expected, it will still be a test. He will certainly be the smartest one to do the job.
That was the path with Woods in 2000, where he traced so accurately. It was definitely his best performance. He won by eight shots to claim the return match of the “Tiger Slam”.
Steve Williams, his caddy at the time, told our podcast “All About The Open” on BBC Sounds that his boss played better in St Andrews than when he won the US Open by 15 shots a month. previous.
The Old Course is lucky enough to identify the best players in the world.
Aside from Woods, Jack Nicklaus won twice here, Seve Ballesteros, Sir Nick Faldo, Peter Thomson, Bobby Locke and Bobby Jones are proof that the best thrive in Fife.
Because? Because this course offers options, asks tactical questions and the answers are as important as technique to make the most of goal opportunities.
Different styles of play can thrive. The relatively short Zach Johnson was the last St Andrews winner in 2015, but the long John Daly was the champion in a windy week in 1995.
This week’s winner will be someone who can cope with dry, brown fairways. The roughness is as high as a calf, sparse and irregular.
There will be decent, evil lies. As it should be.
Touring the field during the quiet previous Sunday is a delight, to see how the players face off next week.
Viewers were able to hear Bob MacIntyre from Scotland advising American Tom Hoge on where to get the best fish and chips, and don’t miss the haggis.
Others saw Pole Adrian Meronk practicing his putting from the road at the bottom of green 17. The recent Irish Open winner looked intently at his club’s bottom after hitting from the tarmac.
And what dramas could take place in this penultimate and so often fundamental par-four hole? There are many contenders and with the course in classic conditions we can reasonably expect a tight end.
Again we witnessed the processions of Woods and one of Louis Oosthuizen in 2010. The South African is playing the controversial LIV Tour today, which will inevitably be a big theme for the week.
R&A fanned the flames by announcing that they had disqualified two-time champion Greg Norman from the 150th celebrations, a move that places the Saudi-funded breakup on the Open agenda.
These are the most turbulent times for men’s professional gaming to be remembered. But on Thursday all the ingredients will be here at home golf to put these issues aside.
The openings are always special, the St Andrews openings tend to be very special and with an almost perfect route set-up and a favorable prognosis, this could be a much-needed classic.