Amidst poisons and accusations, the loyalists of the PGA Tour and DP Tour, and the rebels of LIV Golf, meet in Scotland at The Open for the 150th edition of the oldest major in the discipline. From Phil Mickelson to Bryson DeChambeau, from Dustin Johnson to Brooks Koepka, from Sergio Garcia to Ian Poulter.
The new faces of the Super League will challenge, among others, those big names who have said no to the pharaonic offers arrived from Saudi Arabia. Among these Tiger Woods, who strongly criticized those who chose the new path (“they turned their backs on those who allowed them to become what they are today”), Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa (reigning champion) and Justin Thomas.
The Open, schedule
There has been no lack of controversy, even in these hours. With Greg Norman, CEO of the Super League and winner of The Open in 1986 and 1993, who was not invited – by the R&A – to the celebration of champions and the dinner of champions.
A choice that Norman has branded as “mean” The Old Course at St Andrews is one of the oldest golf courses in the world and the oldest to survive in Scotland. The Old Course is a public course set on public land in St Andrews, County of Fife, Scotland and is managed in trust by the St Andrews Trust under an Act of Parliament.
The clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) is established next to the first tee. Although the R&A might be thought to own the course, they are actually just one of many clubs with playing privileges on the course which they share with everyone.
Uncertainty remains as to the first use of the Old Course land for the practice of golf, however the first written record is a document issued in 1552 which allowed the community to raise rabbits on the links and to “play golf, playing football, hunting…
and any other hobby”. The first record of golf being played on the Old Course dates back to 1574, which would make the Old Course the fifth oldest links course in Scotland. However, records from the reign of King James IV show that he purchased golf clubs in St Andrews in 1506, just five years after his first purchase in Perth, which may indicate that the Old Course is much older than written records show.
The course evolved in fact without the help of a real architect for many years. Initially, it was played on the same fairways which were traveled once in one direction and then in the other towards the holes which marked the ends.
As the number of players increased, the gorse was cut to make way for two fairways. The surfaces of all the greens (greens) were also significantly increased and two holes were installed on each green.
