Revealed: The 5 toughest holes at a challenging Royal Portrush

It tells you one thing concerning the problem of the Dunluce Hyperlinks at Portrush that the 4 hardest holes all come on the again 9.

The signature gap is definitely the sixteenth, Calamity Nook, for its distance, look and that it comes so late within the spherical – and in addition for the truth that you’ll simply should cope with what’s simply come earlier than it.

However Portrush is definitely scoreable. There are simply 62 bunkers, fewer than any Open take a look at, and Shane Lowry managed to get spherical it, in some horrific circumstances, in 15-under, helped by a 63 on the Saturday.

Right here we check out the 5 hardest holes from the 2019 Open and the way they may have an effect on this 12 months’s Championship.

eleventh gap – 475 yards – par 4

• Identify: PG Stevenson’s

• Issue in 2019: 0.35

• Stroke Index: 8

• Inexperienced size: 33 yds

• Bunkers: 1

To face on the tee right here, you in a short time get an concept of why this gap performed because the hardest six years in the past. The Open tee is almost 100 yards again from the medal one and it’s one thing like 260 yards to chop the nook of this large par 4 – it performs as a 5 for the members – however it could typically play into the tooth of a southwesterly wind.

There’s additionally a false entrance to contemplate and a solitary bunker that may catch any method tugged left. A drive of round 280 yards will get you down a slope within the fairway from the place you’ll have round 180 yards to the entrance of a smallish inexperienced. The excellent news is that you’ve a par 5 to comply with.

14th gap – 466 yards – par 4

• Identify: Causeway

• Issue in 2019: 0.35

• Stroke Index: 2

• Inexperienced size: 39 yards

• Bunkers: 4

Head professional Gary McNeill describes this as ‘one of many nice holes right here and doubtless one of many nice second photographs in golf’ and one the place birdies are an absolute rarity.

Two fairway bunkers sit on the 300-320 yard mark, with the green cambering to the left, so they are going to be laying again of right here. Then the enjoyable actually begins; the inexperienced seems easy on the planner however includes a hog’s again the place the ball will likely be repelled if struck left, brief or lengthy.

If ever the cliche of simply discovering the center of the inexperienced works, then it’s right here on the 14th.

sixteenth gap – 236 yards – par 3

• Identify: Calamity Nook

• Issue in 2019: 0.25

• Stroke Index: 6

• Inexperienced size: 39 yards

• Bunkers: 0

Right here we go, the outlet that everybody will likely be speaking about firstly of the week and the one the place we’ll see essentially the most images of – together with the seaside/bench combo behind the 4th inexperienced.

For all of the speak of par 3s having to be lower than 160 yards to be nice, that is only a brute of over 230 yards and it’s incredible due to it.

Shane Lowry is aware of craft an extended iron in and he by some means managed to play it in 11 photographs over the 4 days. Rory McIlroy doubled it on Thursday after which made a two on the next day.

Supposedly, Bobby Locke performed it brief and left on all 4 days in 1951 and bought up and down each time. The large, completely monumental, miss is down right into a chasm to the precise, so that you then play left, which leaves you a smelly chip with knobs in the best way and the huge abyss lurking behind.

18th gap – 474 yards – par 4

• Identify: Babington’s

• Issue in 2019: 0.23

• Stroke Index: 10

• Inexperienced size: 42 yards

• Bunkers: 5

We’ve but to benefit from the drama of a participant needing a par to win The Open however we did get to witness one of many nice celebratory walks from Lowry.

If something, the Saturday was possibly even higher. There are two adjoining bunkers down the precise half, however, overcook it up the left, and there’s the potential for having to reload from the tee.

The wise shot is to play in need of these bunkers, knock a mid-iron onto the inexperienced and signal your card. There’s a drop-off to the left of the inexperienced; bear in mind McIlroy needing to chip in to make the weekend, however there are definitely harder finishes on the Open rota.

4th gap – 502 yards – par 4

• Identify: Fred Daly’s

• Issue in 2019: 0.20

• Stroke Index: 1

• Inexperienced size: 30 yards

• Bunkers: 4

It is a incredible driving gap and the toughest gap on the course for the members. The longest of the par 4s, which has been prolonged significantly from 2019, is the trickiest gap on the entrance 9 and a par right here will see you head to the fifth tee in good spirits.

First up, although, there are a pair of bunkers to be skirted up the left facet. Go proper and there’s a probability to hitting it off the property. Once more, the center of the inexperienced is the play.

A big sandhill will block your sight of a back-left pin so belief the bottom and let the bottom give you the results you want. The outlet is called after the 1947 Open champion, who comes from the city.