ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – With apologies to the USGA’s sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open, the longest day of golf this year was the opening round of the 150th British Open at The Old Course.
“It’s just a joke, isn’t it?” said reigning U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick of his round alongside Tiger Woods and Max Homa, which clocked in at 6 hours, 10 minutes. “This just shouldn’t be happening ever in golf.”
Fitzpatrick nailed it, but he also conceded there was little to be done about it, given that with modern equipment seven of the par-4 holes are drivable, and the conditions had most everyone waiting on the tee to swing for the fences, often not even needing a club under a head cover.
