MONTY AND HARRINGTON PICK OPEN VENUES' BEST 18 HOLES
NEWS RELEASE FROM HSBC
Which is the greatest opening hole in golf’s Open Championship, or the best around the turn, or indeed the finest finishing hole? These are questions golfers ask and debate up and down the land.
HSBC, celebrating its first year as Patron of the Open Championship, decided to take that debate a step further by engaging two of the world’s finest golfers of recent times, Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie, to create a course of the finest holes in Open Championship golf, “The HSBC Ultimate Open 18”.
HSBC asked each of the players, who with 35 Open appearances between them know a thing or two about Open Championship golf, to produce an 18 hole Open Championship course, using holes from the nine courses on the current Open rota.
Their brief was simple: to create a genuine Championship course in terms of length and par and with the sequence of holes corresponding to the actual hole number on the respective course, as played at The Open. They were then pitted against one another in debate, with the BBC’s Andrew Cotter keeping order, to produce the HSBC Ultimate Open 18, potentially the greatest of Open courses, were it to be played for real!
Padraig Harrington commented: “I really enjoyed the whole process as it's a discussion we often have. But taking it to the next level, actually to create a whole course, was a real challenge, as well as a lot of fun! There are so many great golf holes on all the Open courses that it’s sometimes hard to pick out one above another.
"I chose to look at both the design of the hole and the strategy required to play it while, of course, my emotions came into play. My own personal experiences, including the great weeks I enjoyed at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale, and the history and theatre that I feel when at the home of golf, St. Andrews, for example, were definitely part of my decision making. I’m sure not everyone will agree to every selection– Monty certainly didn't!”
Both players brought a rich experience to the table. Irishman Padraig Harrington has won two Opens (’07 and ’08) and played in 14. Colin Montgomerie holds course records at St Andrews and Carnoustie, finished second in the Open at St Andrews in 2005 and has played an incredible 21 consecutive Open Championships. But they also brought a different approach.
“I focused purely on the quality of the hole, though undoubtedly those that suit me better, the 12th at Royal Birkdale for example, came ahead of others.” said eight-times European Order of Merit Winner, Colin Montgomerie. “I found it a fascinating exercise and I’m sure plenty of players, professional and amateur alike, will come up to us at Sandwich to tell us we got it wrong. But that's one of the reasons why we love The Open, because we have nine wonderful courses which all bring their own challenge, their own unique qualities to bear. I look forward to the debate to come!”
THE ULTIMATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE
Best 1st hole - St Andrews Burn 376yd par 4
Best 2nd hole - Royal Birkdale 2nd 421yd par 4
Best 3rd hole - Carnoustie Jockies Burn 361 4
Best 4th hole - St Andrews Ginger Beer 480 4
Best 5th hole - Carnoustie Brae 392 4
Best 6th hole - Carnoustie Hogan's Alley 512 5
Best 7th hole - Royal Birkdale The 7th 177 3
Best 8th hole - Royal Troon Postage Stamp 123 3
Best 9th hole - Turnberry Bruce's Castle 449 4
Best 10th hole - Muirfield The 10th 475 4
Best 11th hole - Royal Troon Railway 490 4
Best 12th hole - Royal Birkdale The 12th 183 3
Best 13th hole - Royal Birkdale The 13th 498 4
Best 14th hole - St Andrews Long 618 5
Best 15th hole - Royal St George's The 15th 496 4
Best 16th hole - Carnoustie Barry Burn 245 3
Best 17th hole - St Andrews Road 495 4
Best 18th hole - Muirfield The 18th 473 4
TOTAL 7264 yards. Par 70 (35-35).
Which is the greatest opening hole in golf’s Open Championship, or the best around the turn, or indeed the finest finishing hole? These are questions golfers ask and debate up and down the land.
HSBC, celebrating its first year as Patron of the Open Championship, decided to take that debate a step further by engaging two of the world’s finest golfers of recent times, Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie, to create a course of the finest holes in Open Championship golf, “The HSBC Ultimate Open 18”.
HSBC asked each of the players, who with 35 Open appearances between them know a thing or two about Open Championship golf, to produce an 18 hole Open Championship course, using holes from the nine courses on the current Open rota.
Their brief was simple: to create a genuine Championship course in terms of length and par and with the sequence of holes corresponding to the actual hole number on the respective course, as played at The Open. They were then pitted against one another in debate, with the BBC’s Andrew Cotter keeping order, to produce the HSBC Ultimate Open 18, potentially the greatest of Open courses, were it to be played for real!
Padraig Harrington commented: “I really enjoyed the whole process as it's a discussion we often have. But taking it to the next level, actually to create a whole course, was a real challenge, as well as a lot of fun! There are so many great golf holes on all the Open courses that it’s sometimes hard to pick out one above another.
"I chose to look at both the design of the hole and the strategy required to play it while, of course, my emotions came into play. My own personal experiences, including the great weeks I enjoyed at Carnoustie and Royal Birkdale, and the history and theatre that I feel when at the home of golf, St. Andrews, for example, were definitely part of my decision making. I’m sure not everyone will agree to every selection– Monty certainly didn't!”
Both players brought a rich experience to the table. Irishman Padraig Harrington has won two Opens (’07 and ’08) and played in 14. Colin Montgomerie holds course records at St Andrews and Carnoustie, finished second in the Open at St Andrews in 2005 and has played an incredible 21 consecutive Open Championships. But they also brought a different approach.
“I focused purely on the quality of the hole, though undoubtedly those that suit me better, the 12th at Royal Birkdale for example, came ahead of others.” said eight-times European Order of Merit Winner, Colin Montgomerie. “I found it a fascinating exercise and I’m sure plenty of players, professional and amateur alike, will come up to us at Sandwich to tell us we got it wrong. But that's one of the reasons why we love The Open, because we have nine wonderful courses which all bring their own challenge, their own unique qualities to bear. I look forward to the debate to come!”
THE ULTIMATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE
Best 1st hole - St Andrews Burn 376yd par 4
Best 2nd hole - Royal Birkdale 2nd 421yd par 4
Best 3rd hole - Carnoustie Jockies Burn 361 4
Best 4th hole - St Andrews Ginger Beer 480 4
Best 5th hole - Carnoustie Brae 392 4
Best 6th hole - Carnoustie Hogan's Alley 512 5
Best 7th hole - Royal Birkdale The 7th 177 3
Best 8th hole - Royal Troon Postage Stamp 123 3
Best 9th hole - Turnberry Bruce's Castle 449 4
Best 10th hole - Muirfield The 10th 475 4
Best 11th hole - Royal Troon Railway 490 4
Best 12th hole - Royal Birkdale The 12th 183 3
Best 13th hole - Royal Birkdale The 13th 498 4
Best 14th hole - St Andrews Long 618 5
Best 15th hole - Royal St George's The 15th 496 4
Best 16th hole - Carnoustie Barry Burn 245 3
Best 17th hole - St Andrews Road 495 4
Best 18th hole - Muirfield The 18th 473 4
TOTAL 7264 yards. Par 70 (35-35).
Labels: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Monday, July 04, 2011
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