The 151st Open Championship produced no shortage of drama. From Royal Liverpool member Matt Jordan’s heroics to the controversial 17th hole, it had just about everything but a close finish.
Here are the seven biggest stories of The 2023 Open at Hoylake, where a very worthy winner in Brian Harman was named 'Champion Golfer of The Year.'
The Local Heroes
Matthew Jordan and Tommy Fleetwood certainly gave the Liverpool crowds at Hoylake a lot to shout about. Although the former never quite got into the mix for the title – how crazy would that have been? – Fleetwood was right there.
Royal Liverpool member, Jordan, qualified for The Open two weeks prior at nearby West Lancs, and was handed the honor of hitting the very first tee shot of the Championship.
With hundreds of friends and family watching on, the world number 329 somehow kept it all together to finish in a tie for tenth.
And that’s just where Southport-born Fleetwood ended up, although the six-time DP World Tour winner, who entered the weekend with a genuine chance of claiming a first Major title, left Hoylake with very different emotions.
“Hurting, gutted, dejected,” said the popular Englishman.
‘Little Eye’ a big talking point
Matt Fitzpatrick’s caddie, Billy Foster, said before a ball was hit that the new par-3 17th hole, ‘Little Eye’, would cause problems.
Seve’s former looper didn’t mince his words when we asked him for his comments on the uphill short hole, one that features a small green and very little margin for error.
“They’ve created a monstrosity,” said Foster. “I hate it,” said coach, Pete Cowen, who added: “It could ruin somebody’s career if the wind goes in the wrong direction.”
In the end, it didn’t affect who won the Claret Jug. Some, like Travis Smyth, who made an ace there, even quite liked it.
However, according to a report in The Telegraph, the controversial 136-yarder will be reconstructed, with many members of Hoylake apparently not at all keen on the design.
Beware the injured golfer
For years we’ve been talking about Tiger Woods’ heroics in winning the 2008 US Open on one leg at Torrey Pines. There would have been a lot of comparisons had Tom Kim done the same at Royal Liverpool.
The 21-year-old Korean, already a two-time PGA Tour winner, arrived at Hoylake on crutches and left it with a share of second place after a brilliant 67 on Sunday.
Kim suffered a Grade 1 ankle sprain at his accommodation on Thursday night and spent the rest of his week in a cast.
“Once the adrenaline popped in I got away with it. Now I'm surviving,” he said. He did more than just survive.
Young Fitzpatrick Shines
Alex that is. What a Major debut that was from Matthew’s younger brother – and what a week for the Fitzpatrick family.
The 24-year-old only turned professional a year ago and has so far made 13 starts on the DP World Tour, with a best return of a little over €40k, and he’s currently sitting in 23rd spot on the Challenge Tour.
A “super special round” of six-under 65 on Saturday left Alex just six shots off the leader heading into Sunday and he holed the longest putt of the week on the first green to get off to an incredible start.
After signing for a 73, he finished the week in a tie for 17th, four shots better off than his older brother.
Rory’s Wait Continues
“Nothing spectacular” said the Ulsterman of his week’s work at Hoylake, where he won the third of his four Major titles nine years ago.
It’s a sign of just how good his game is that he can finish tied sixth in a Major Championship without his best stuff.
With eight Major top tens in his last ten starts, McIlroy continues to knock very hard on the door and claim that elusive fifth Major title, but it’ll soon be a decade since he last lifted one of the big ones.
“Over the last two years would I have loved to have picked one of those off that I finished up there? Absolutely,” he reflected afterwards.
“But every time I tee it up or most times I tee it up, I'm right there. I can't sit here and be too frustrated. My game is in a… you think about my performances in the Majors between like 2016 and 2019, it's a lot better than that.
“Again, I'm optimistic about the future, and just got to keep plugging away.”
Rahm Goes Low
When the out of sorts Masters champion started to vent his frustrations with photographers and camera crews earlier on in the week, it looked as though the Spaniard wouldn’t be featuring in the mix up for the Claret Jug.
However, on Saturday, Rahm went on a birdie rampage to post the lowest round in an Open at Hoylake – an eight-under par 63.
“That's the best round I've played on a links golf course ever,” Rahm said.
“It has to be up there (with my best rounds). I would look at obviously the opening round at this year’s Masters.”
Had it not been for runaway winner, Brian Harman, Rahm could well have bookended his Major season with titles.
Brian’s Masterclass
Some winning performances are more impressive than others. Brain Harman, 'The Champion Golfer of The Year', was in a league of his own at the 151st Open Championship, somehow reaching a score of -13 in the most brutal conditions.
His performance was so impressive that he didn’t even have to worry about the treacherous 17th and the out of bounds down 18 as he coasted home to seal a first Major title, six clear of his nearest rivals.
“It’s pretty surreal. It really hasn't sunk in yet,” said the 36-year-old. “I’m not going to let (the Claret Jug) out of my sight for the time being.
“To win what I consider the greatest prize in golf is as good as it gets.”
Roll on the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
