The PM/AM starters got the rough side of the first and second round draw, as happens so often in Scotland at the co-sanctioned Genesis Scottish Open on the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour.
But that is golf, and players should not feel sorry for themselves, the good breaks and bad breaks in golf, as in life, should average out - or so it says!
I am not at the venue, but that does not stop me keeping any eye on all the action.
Our Matt Fitzpatrick certainly got the worst half of the draw and looking at all the scores, to shoot 71 – 66 is pretty impressive and he even finished bogey – bogey in round two, so it could have been even better.
Matt is very well placed not just for this week’s event, but also set for The 150th Open next week at St Andrews. Matt is in the spotlight like never before, whether, with all his media commitments, or his marquee draw as a major champion, requests for fans’ selfies and autographs and so much more. But knowing Matt for as long as I do, I know he will take everything in his stride.
The prize fund has just been announced that it has been upped to $14 million for The 150th Open, a 22% increase on 2021 and a 60% increase on 2016. That is great news, but I just hope that all the money at the top of the game seemingly these days, somehow cascades down the pyramid of the game, where it is really needed.
I have been asked by many this week: why have so many of the top players struggled this week in Scotland?
Maybe it is just links golf, fast running fairways and a 25 mph wind and stronger in gusts is not the normal weekly diet for these golfers. It requires a different mindset from the get go.
As I write this diary article, it looks like the cut will fall at three-over par with a lot of golf still to be played on these long summer nights of daylight, almost the land of the midnight sun.
But to see all the following struggle this week has even surprised me: World No.1 Scottie Scheffler, Francesco Molinari, Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Colin Morikawa, Will Zalatoris, Billy Horschel, Victor Hovland, Robert MacIntyre and defending champion over this same course Min Woo Lee (Aus) who all look like missing the 36-hole mark.
And my players - Danny Willett, Ian Poulter, Padraig Harrington, Henrik Stenson, Jazz Janewattananond and Victor Perez will all probably have the weekend off.
Great to see a hole-in-one by England’s Jordan Smith on the 203 yard par, 17th.
29 year-old Jordan and his caddy, Sam Matton, win a Genesis car each, a nice touch by the sponsors Genesis and the first time I have heard of this.
There is a lot to play for this week: not just to make the cut, play for the $8 million prize fund, but also DP World Tour Ranking points as well as OWGR points, but also the Top 3 players in the top 10 and ties, not already in The Open will qualify for next week at St Andrews.
Speak soon!
- Peter Cowen is a 71-year-old is one of the leading golf coaches in the world, He has Peter Cowen Academies at Dubai Golf: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates, as well as in England, where he is headquartered in Rotherham.
