GOLF:BRITISH OPEN champion Louis Oosthuizen does not believe opting to miss tuning up his links game ahead of the defence of his title next week will be detrimental to his chances at Royal St George's.
The South African has flown to Silvis in Illinois for the John Deere Classic, stating he thinks having four days of guaranteed good weather will be better for him than negotiating the vagaries of the Inverness climate in the Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.
Only time will tell if that proves to be the correct decision but his week has not got off to the best of starts after enduring a 36-hour journey from South Africa.
His onward trip to Sandwich on Sunday should be more straightforward though as the American tournament organisers have chartered a plane to ensure all Open competitors arrive in England without any problems.
Oosthuizen admits part of the reason he has chosen to play in the States this week is his attempt to fulfil his quota tournaments to retain his tour membership.
“I withdrew from the Memorial earlier in the year and so it’s a tournament that’s off my schedule that I need to get back,” he said.
“It’s a difficult year playing two tours. I need to get 15 (events) in America. It was (a) 50/50 (decision) but, at the end of the day, you’re going to play in perfect weather over here.
“In Scotland you can get not great weather and I just felt I’d rather have a proper week where I can play and work a bit on my game.The guys that play in Scotland definitely have a little bit more of an advantage playing a course like that before Royal St George’s but to me it’s a lot to do with the numbers, getting the numbers up for the year.
“It just made sense to come and play here and it made it a lot easier knowing that there’s a plane straight from here.”
If Oosthuizen is to have any success in Illinois it is fair to suggest he will probably have to out-perform Steve Stricker. Defending champion Stricker is playing down his chances, however, of making it three in a row. “I think the expectation level is high when you win a tournament and you come back and you expect more of the things that you had there the previous year,” said the American, who is a combined 46 under par for this course in the last two years.
The winner of the tournament, or the first player in the top-five not already exempt, will receive a starting place at the Open.
TPC DEERE RUN
Course: TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Illinois
Length: 7,258 Par: 71 Field: 156
Prizemoney: €3 million (€552,710 for the winner).
Layout: Considered one of the easiest on the US Tour and includes only three par fives in a course set up for a birdie fest.
Last year:Steve Stricker won by two shots from Paul Goydos, with Jeff Maggert four shots back in third.
On TV: Sky Sports 2 from 8pm
Weather forecast:Sunny and hot with a threat of thunderstorms.
Time difference: -6hrs
