The first tee shot at Royal Portrush is as daunting as they come at Open Championships #golf

Jason Day explains why Royal Portrush’s first tee is so challenging, with out of bounds on both sides.
—–
At GOLF.com, we’re here to help you live well, play well. From the Top 100 Courses in the World to the Top 100 Teachers in America, we connect you with the places and people that make golf the greatest game in the world. Our personalities provide exclusive access to Tour pros, celebrities, and golf’s colorful characters. Subscribe to our YouTube channel, visit GOLF.com, and follow us for the latest Tour news, interviews, gear reviews, and features you won’t find anywhere else.

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/golf_com
—–
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/golf_com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GOLF_com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/golf
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@golf_com

What makes that first T- shot so difficult and tricky for guys? Out of out of bounds on both sides. On Thursday morning, the first hole at Royal Port Rush was a torture chamber. It’s two 270 to the first pot on the right and then 290ish to the second pot on the left. You got to thread it. Wind was in out the right. And it’s also controversial because you’ve got OB left and OB right. These are old boundaries. Port Rush didn’t used to own this land. If you would hit one OB and right, you were on a guy’s land. His name was Hug. That’s why the first hole is called Hugis. So, you have to thread it away from Hugis’s land. Tom McKibben, the local boy from Northern Ireland, he was talking about the thing that everybody’s thinking about on that hole. It’s Rory Moy 6 years ago. I think Rory’s made that t-shot a lot scarier. Um, I mean, that’s all I could probably think about for the last three days. Um, so yeah, I wasn’t I wouldn’t say I was too nervous. So, I just didn’t really want to hit that bad of a shot. He pulled it left, too, but he was able to escape with bogey. A lot of guys were going left. Of the first 18 dudes to play, 12 of them made bogey or worse. Taylor Pendreth, he sent one long and left with driver. First man to make double. KJ Choy, he sent Driver, he didn’t hit it anywhere. 176 yards off the tee. Max Graaserman, he only got it 184 yards off the tee. Didn’t even make it to the fairway. And best of all, Cam Smith, he bunted it 153 yards. You can kind of tell by his face. That was a bit of a nervy T- shot. I think I tried to hit that one underground. Um, and yeah, almost missed it. So, um, not the greatest start to a major championship I’ve ever had. But eventually the wind changed, made it slightly easier, but we would be remiss if we didn’t tell you about Ben Griffin. He grabs driver and he sends it so far left, he almost hits the grand stand on 18. Griffin reloaded as quickly as possible, made his double bogey, but he really shouldn’t feel that bad because I know someone who did the exact same thing. Wow. I mean, that was a hell of an homage to Rory Mroy. I’m probably going to make eight just like he