This is it then – this is golf at its biggest, The Open Championship, and I’m getting to play in it for the very first time.

We can pretend all we like that it’s just another week at the office, that one tournament is the same as any other but it isn’t, the Majors are in a different league.

Even turning up on Monday afternoon at Royal St George’s I could feel the atmosphere building as I visited my sponsors Callaway for a tune up before the competition starts.

St George’s holds special memories for me because it is where I won the English Amateur Championship four years ago so not surprisingly I quite like the course. I’ve always been comfortable with links golf and just going out for a few practice holes my game feels good and I think I’m going to enjoy myself.

Last week in Scotland was something of a trial with the stop-start nature of the event in terrible conditions which forced it to be reduced to 54 holes.  I played pretty well and though I was just outside the top 30 the field was very close together apart from winner Luke Donald who is in incredible form right now.

The delays meant I missed my flight out of Inverness on Sunday which wasn’t great given we had to get to the South East of England for The Open. My dad drove me the seven hours back home to Sheffield and then I was up early the next morning to drive myself the next five hours to Sandwich.

I’ve got the earliest of starts on Thursday going out first at 6.30am which isn’t the kindest of draws but I had good practice for it in Scotland. I was up at 4am on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday because of the rain delays so my body clock will have adjusted quite nicely.

I’m not putting pressure on myself this week, I’m just going to go out there and keep doing what I’ve been doing last week. The swing is in the zone and if I can get some putts rolling in you never know what might happen.

We play the game for weeks like this one, it gets the adrenalin flowing even at such an ungodly hour when I’m teeing off.

I’ll need a bit of luck as everyone does if they are to have a good tournament but I reckon I’m owed some. There couldn’t be a better time for it all to come together.

3 Responses to golf at its biggest

1. Dean Norton says:

   July 12, 2011 at 3:16 pm

   I saw you a number of years play a match up in York now this really is the big time !
   The Very best of luck for the week.

   Reply
2. Ali mccurrach says:

   July 13, 2011 at 6:33 pm

   Your dad said you were swinging great at castle Stuart mate. You got the game to win a major. I stuck a few quid on you for a top ten. Savour the open and above all else enjoy it!!! It’s what you’ve worked so hard for since you first picked up a club. I’m looking forward to seeing your name as clubhouse leader for at least a while tomorrow!!

   Reply
3. Rose says:

   August 2, 2011 at 10:56 pm

   Yup, that’ll do it. You have my appreciatoin.

   Reply