Royal St George’s Hole Eighteen
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The Open Championship returns to Royal St George’s in Kent this year for the first time since 2003.
This will be the 14th time the venue has hosted this great event, yet after an eight-year absence, the layout will be new to many of today’s young guns. Even those with previous experience will be taking on a slightly different course to the one Ben Curtis successfully negotiated to win the Claret Jug in 2003. The 124-year-old Links has been lengthened by more than 100 yards and reduced from par 71 to 70.
PAR 4, 459 YARDS
ROSE: In 2003 the ball would run off the hogs-back fairway here. But this time around they are a little bit flatter, welcome news. The 18th, though, remains an epic driving hole. Bunkers to the left of the fairway usher you down the right, but that only leaves a second towards that tricky grassy dell that brought Sandy Lyle to his knees back in 1985.
FADE AWAY
Deep fairway traps to the left mean a hook line will be a sinker.
DROP SHOT
Left of the green is a grassy dell that makes for a tough par save.
