Mike's Blog - British Open Championship

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:24:39

This week I'm across the pond getting ready to play the next major, the Open Championship. This is one of my favourite weeks of the year as this event has so much history to it and it's so different than what we play on the PGA Tour on a regular basis.

I spent last week back home preparing for the tournament, working with my coach, Mike Wilson, on the type of game I'll need for Turnberry. Luckily for us, it was quite windy in Utah so I was able to hit shots that I expect I'll need.

In past years I've gone over early with some friends and played some of the great courses over there, but I stopped that about three years ago. Coincidentally, the first year I didn't go on that trip and I had my best finish, a tie for eighth at Carnoustie. The reason I stopped going was I felt that I was almost worn out by the time the tournament started; almost over-prepared. I had a feeling that I just wanted it to start, so now I fly over a few days early, get acclimatized to the time change and feel I'm ready to go.

Things are a lot different over at the Open. For starters, I pack a wide variety of clothing, from cold weather gear including toques to sunscreen - you never know what to expect. I've seen it all, from gale-force winds and storms to hot, steamy conditions. I also bring along things like extra nutrition bars, which aren't always easy to get over there. Believe it or not, I always pack extra tees and pencils. On the PGA Tour, there are always plenty of those on the first tee, but not at the Open for some reason.

The other big difference is the way the course plays. In a lot of cases, the yardage book can be thrown out. I've hit 220-yard eight irons and 120-yard five irons, depending on the wind and course conditions. Sometimes you have to play almost by feel rather than what the yardage says.

That's actually one of the parts of the Open that really appeals to me. On the PGA Tour, it can be a little cookie-cutter - yardage, club, shot. Here you have to get more creative and think about different ways to play the shot and choose which one is best. Sometimes you have to run it along the ground for 125 yards or bounce it off a knoll, rather than fly it to the green. I have to see the shot a lot more before I hit it. It's fun and challenging.

This week is also one where I count on Brennan even more than usual. I need to be sure of the clubs I'm going to hit because they can be so different and his experience and counsel mean a lot. When the weather gets bad he really earns his keep by keeping everything dry.

As for Turnberry, I've played it several times in the past and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I actually shot a 61 there once, but that was in perfect conditions and it wasn't set up for an Open. They've made some changes since then too. From what I've heard the rough is very nasty over there so staying in play will be the key. I made a call to my good friend Nick Price before I left and picked his brain. He won at Turnberry in 1994 so I knew he'd have some good insight. I also picked up a copy of the DVD from that year to watch. You never know what you might learn from watching that. You might see the break of a putt or how a hole plays in a certain wind.

I feel that my game is in good shape as I get ready. My work with Mike Wilson's left me confident and feeling good about things. I'm looking forward to tackling The Open and then heading back for our Open, the RBC Canadian Open.

As always, thanks for your support.
Mike