Sir Nick Faldo Previews The Closing Stretch at Royal Portrush | The 153rd Open | 2025

Sir Nick Faldo Previews The Closing Stretch at Royal Portrush | The 153rd Open | 2025

Hi there, S Nick here and welcome to magnificent Port Russia in incredible weather. You actually see the stunning views. What I’m going to do for you later is I’m going to tour the last four holes 15 16 17 18 and give you a kind of inside guide to how the players are going to tackle those. You know, this is about as natural as it gets. Finding a golf course meandering through the dunes is really quite something special. So 15th T. So you imagine coming here and you are leading the open and you’ve got a what I would almost call a blind t-shirt when you can’t quite see exactly where you know that left edge is. Just imagine that when you’re feeling the pinch of trying to win an open. That’s your t-shirt. There we go. Let’s go and have a look at the second. So hopefully I scared you with that t-shirt on 15 because there’s actually a bit more room up here. But that’s quite an unusual green because it’s it’s got a what I call a soft front edge. There’s no real definition is the and of course you’ve got a horizon line back edge as well. So very difficult to get your depth perception on this one. So with a swirly breeze that’s an awkward little shot I would say. So, imagine if the wind’s going left to right and you just get close to the edge. Haven’t even missed the green. How about that for a result? But I’m thinking if it comes in with a bit of a hook and I could imagine that getting a hard kick and going, you know, that bunker you think is not really in play, but I bet something one big kick and you’d end up there. So, uh, that is the scary edge of that right edge knowing that could happen. You’re obviously going to steer more into the middle of green on the wind, get a bounce, and that bunker comes into play very easily. Always a good one. We’ll take that one. I’m really good when I get two goes. 30 years ago, only needed one go. All right, let’s go see 16. So, how about this for a natural golf? I mean, talk look at that for a feature. I was here a year ago and it was rainy, drizzly, gray day, windy and I was trying one of those two woods, you know, those mini drivers and trying to cut it against the wind and with the heavy air this the golf ball was losing like 30 yards. So, I think to be honest, you know, on depending on the wind, there’s almost like one choice. If you can land it here, this is priority. Into just that spot. Here we go. Come on. Come on. Where is he? Yes. So, if I need three here at 16, I’m definitely going down this left edge. And hopefully that happens. And boy, you’ve avoided all of that. So, what a what a great hole. One of the great really great long par threes of the world. It’s a classic one. Up the middle of the green putt into the corners. I think if you were under pressure, you’d take that. Oh boy. Look at this. Come look. So, I think we just made another decision. We’re going down the left. May. Then the last thing you want to do is fire one here and get a hot bounce and then and into that. Wow. What a what a green. [Music] So this is 17T back T. And even though it’s short, it’s just 408. It’s 300 to the top of the hill. But then it really just changed. If you get it over the hill, you’ll end up way down. You could end up within 40 to 60 yards from the front edge quite easily. But again, a little scary. Pull it left. I know it kicks hard left again. Once again, if this is 17 on Sunday, that is actually quite a narrow drive, isn’t it? So the crazy thing about 17, if the weather was great, look at this mountain. That’s 350 to that bunker, you know, 400 odd to the front. I mean, they could do that. You get a leaping kick off that, you can easily get down close, but if it’s problematic and nasty weather and you’re stuck on top of the hill, guess what? You could putt it for a laugh and knock it on the green. Can’t think how many years ago, but I was playing with Lee Travino and he says, “Let me show you how to putt one. is 88 yards to the front. He said you got to move your hips. So, we got about 88 and a Move it forward and give it a H. That’s one T wonder. How about that? Thank you, Levino. It still works. So, here we are on 18 in early stages of construction, everything being built and uh really great par 4, bunkers down the right, out of bounds down the left, but I spied yesterday a couple of lovely downs slopes about I guess 240 off the tea. Probably not as bad as it looks, you know, just how you’d be feeling on the day. So, one of the tips for core strategy is knowing your down slopes because you get you put yourself under pressure thinking I’ve got to hit it all the way up there. But watch this. If it just lands here on that down slope, that is I’m sure it comes in a bit hotter than I throw it. That is just about the perfect spot to to leave a great second shot. So, if this was your minimum, which you could squeeze a little more out of it, get another 20, 30 yards if you wanted to risk it, but you don’t have to because this is one 157 to the front from here. How about that for your approach to 18 if you’re walking down here with four to win the open? How about that for a feeling? I’d take that if I could do that again. So, I hope you enjoyed that little quick glimpse of the last four holes here on this incredible golf course. How about this for a set? And I can imagine on the 20th of July coming up very soon, this will be rocking Irish style. It’s going to be unbelievable.

Join Sir Nick Faldo as he previews the iconic final four holes at Royal Portrush — the battleground for the 153rd Open Championship, taking place from July 17–20, 2025 in Northern Ireland.

📍 The Closing Stretch:

Hole 15 – Skerries: Par 4, 429 yards
Hole 16 – Calamity Corner: Par 3, 236 yards
Hole 17 – Purgatory: Par 4, 409 yards
Hole 18 – Babington’s: Par 4, 474 yards

With deep insight and championship experience, Sir Nick breaks down the strategic challenges that await players in one of golf’s most dramatic finishes.

👉 Subscribe for more from Sir Nick: www.youtube.com/@sirnickfaldo
👉 Learn more about The 153rd Open: https://www.theopen.com/royal-portrush-153rd-open/course-guide

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