Oosthuizen feels a certain sense of relief

GOLF:WITH THE sun blazing down, and barely a breath of wind coming in off the channel, there was a sense yesterday of the calm before the storm. A large number of players indulged in practice rounds akin to mock examinations before the real thing; for others, most of the day was spent on the range and around the short game area here.

Others still, like US Open champion Rory McIlroy, didn’t surface at all.

McIlroy, who is yet to play a competitive round since winning at Congressional last month, played three rounds over the links here last week and will play his first official practice round today.

But the announcement of his tee-time on Thursday – playing alongside Ernie Els and Rickie Fowler in the 9.09am marquee slot traditionally handed to Tiger Woods – prompted a tweet: “Great draw for the first 2 rounds at The Open, Ernie and @RickieFowlerPGA . . . should be a nice buzz around the first tee on Thursday!”

Indeed, the four Irish players in the field – with McIlroy joined by Graeme McDowell, Pádraig Harrington and Darren Clarke in a quality quartet of links players – could have few complaints about their groupings.

McIlroy has early-late tee-times on Thursday and Friday, while the other three have afternoon-morning time slots.

And while McIlroy heads into this 140th British Open as a major champion for the first time, it will mark the end of the reign of his ISM stablemate Louis Oosthuizen as champion.

The South African has struggled to reclaim the form in the majors that took him to a breakthrough win at St Andrews a year ago.

He admits his form “went downwards again” after the early-season win in the African Open.

“I’m just trying to get into that same rhythm I had going into the Open last year and it took longer than I’ve expected.

“Every major you tee off, you just want to try and find the game. I didn’t go in with great form into the Open last year but found a few things on Monday and Tuesday while practising and just played really nicely the whole week, found my rhythm very well and the swing and just putted beautifully,” he recalled yesterday.

Oosthuizen – who travelled in on a charter flight which also included winner Steve Stricker from the John Deere Classic on the US Tour – professed to having mixed feelings about his reign coming to an end.

“It’s sad and it’s a relief in the same sentence. It’s always nice, the feeling of (being) an Open champion. It’s a great honour. But from here on out, you’re not the Open champion anymore. Well, unless . . .”

He added: “But it’s a bit of a relief just getting to the tournament and defending it and just going out and playing . . . . I think (the British Open) being your first major, that year afterwards is always tough.

“But, hopefully, if there’s a second, or when there’s a second, it will be better the next year.”

Graeme McDowell expressed similar sentiments of relief when his year’s reign as US Open champion finished last month.

But Harrington believes McIlroy, who heads into this week the bookies’ favourite (as low as 7 to 1) is already at what he calls “saturation point” when it comes to pressure.

“You can throw more pressure on him but he’s already at the point that more pressure doesn’t show up any more,” observed the Dubliner, the last player to win back-to-back British Opens when he defended in 2008.

“You can only be at so much pressure – and pouring more on top? – it just starts spilling out. It’s not going to add to his week.

“Rory is managing that now. I would say it should be his whole goal now and taking these (three) weeks off is going to help that, figuring a way to get to Thursday where he can be focused on Thursday. In his world, there’s unbelievable focus.”

Meanwhile, Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn has been given an 11th hour ticket into the championship. Eight years ago, Bjorn finished runner-up alongside Vijay Singh, a shot behind Ben Curtis, when he held a three-shot lead with four to play.

The world number 80 is remembered for taking three in a greenside bunker at the short 16th when victory was within sight.

Yesterday, Singh was forced out and Bjorn, as first reserve, was given the Fijian’s place in the field.

He will tee off alongside Simon Dyson, who got in off the reserve list after David Toms withdrew, and American Gary Woodland.