Four key holes at Royal Birkdale

Published on 16/07/2008 22:48

THE Open could be won and lost over four of the most testing holes at Royal Birkdale over the next four days. Here we run the rule over the challenges they pose.

1st 450 yds, par 4

THE prevailing wind is from the left and the dogleg hole, with out of bounds wide out to the right, played the second hardest in the 1998 Open. Every player is looking for a confidence-boosting start, but not everybody will get it here.

6th 499yds, par 4

THIS is one of the toughest par fours in championship golf. It is into the wind, a dogleg and the second shot is uphill to a green 40 yards deep. It played to an average of 4.62 last time – and was not as long then.

16th 439yds, par 4

INTO the wind again with the tee pushed back from 10 years ago and the green elevated and exposed. In the bushes on the right is a plaque marking the spot from where Arnold Palmer made the green en route to his 1961 victory.

17th 572yds, par 5

PLAYERS will be thinking birdie or even eagle as they approach this hole as the wind is normally from behind. But for this year's championship the green was controversially changed and has complex borrows likened to a skateboard park.