Rory McIlroy’s putting coach Brad Faxon has heard a rumour the R&A is going to make two notable changes to the par-4 1st hole ahead of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
Former PGA Tour pro Faxon, 63, first began working on the greens with McIlroy a year before The Open was last held at Portrush in 2019.
McIlroy‘s compatriot Shane Lowry etched his name on the famous Claret Jug for the first time in his career that week.
But it was sadly a home Open to forget for McIlroy as he missed the weekend.
McIlroy struck his opening tee shot out of bounds en route to a dismal 8-over 79.
The Ulsterman fought back valiantly with a brilliant 65 in the second round but it left him one shot shy of the cut mark.
McIlroy was left deflated, knowing he had let himself and his adoring home fans down.
But fast forward six years, and McIlroy will be rocking up on home turf as the latest member of the career grand slam club.
McIlroy, 36, famously won The Masters last month to end nearly 11 years of hurt in the majors.
He’s also won three times on the PGA Tour so far this season.
Rory McIlroy
The 153rd Open at Portrush will be a very special week for McIlroy from 17-20 July.
And he will be intent on putting on a better show than he did in 2019.
According to his putting coach and eight-time PGA Tour winner Faxon, a number of changes to the course layout are expected.
One of the biggest amendments is likely to take place on the par-4 1st, which played as one of the toughest holes during the 148th Open.
The O.B. down the left flank that McIlroy found six years ago is possibly going to be removed.
The tee box on the 1st is also expected to be moved back to make the hole play longer than the 421 yards it measured in 2019.
“I have heard a rumour that the first hole, where Rory hit a two iron or a one iron off the tee, and pull-hooked it out of bounds,” said Faxon when appearing on The Smylie Show.
“Now that was an in-course out-of-bounds they had set up for gallery control and some sponsor suites.
“I don’t think that is going to be out of bounds this year.
“I think there is a new tee, too. I think it’s back further, so that hole is not going to just be a lay-up necessarily, depending on the wind conditions.”
Here’s a look at what the par-4 1st was set up at The Open in 2019:
“The 1st came out as one of the more difficult holes in 2019,” said Gary McNeill, Royal Portrush’s head professional since 1999.
“With the boundary on both sides it can really play on the players’ minds when you’re stood on the tee.
“There are a couple of fairway bunkers and players tend to play quite conservatively from the tee, which leaves quite a long second shot uphill.
“The elevation change is quite steep and if you get caught on the wrong portion of that green it can be quite a difficult two-putt, so I think getting through the 1st hole unscathed is very important.”
Will you be attending The Open at Royal Portrush? What do you make of the course? Who do you think will win The 153rd Open?
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