\u201cIt\u2019s going to be an interesting Open, that\u2019s for sure. The balls are going a long way on the ground and there\u2019s a lot of strategy involved and probably going to be a lot of funny bounces and stuff like that,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cBut that\u2019s the beauty of links golf. You can play it when it\u2019s like that, you can play it when it\u2019s windy, and I think it\u2019ll be a pretty fun one to watch on TV as well.\u201d <\/p>\n
Getting some time on the course for practice before the event, Fox suggested the conditions would give players a little bit extra to think about, particularly off the tee, as the ball will keep rolling. <\/p>\n
Ryan Fox said he expected “some funny things” would happen during this year’s Open Championship. Photo \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re going to see a lot of guys hit a lot of different clubs off tees this week on the same hole. <\/p>\n
\u201cYou know, some guys will be hitting driver, some guys will hit a four iron, some guys will hit maybe a two iron and be in very different places,\u201d Fox said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI think that adds to the experience. You\u2019re definitely going to see some funny things happen \u2013 you know, five iron going 300 yards down the fairway downwind because it keeps rolling. It makes holes that are 400 yards potentially driveable if you get the right wind direction. <\/p>\n
\u201cWith it being firm, it gives you a lot of options. There is some strategy involved off the tee and it\u2019s going to evolve through the week.\u201d <\/p>\n
In that sense, Fox, Hillier and Kobori all have potentially friendly tee times for their opening rounds, all in the morning groups and should get the course before it is at its most fiery. <\/p>\n
\u201cLinks golf is renowned for being some pretty variable conditions that the wind can get up out of nowhere and one side of the draw can get completely screwed over. <\/p>\n
\u201cSo, at this point, I don\u2019t think the draw will come as much into it as what it can do. But they can get the forecast wrong pretty easily too and hopefully that\u2019s not the case this week,\u201d Fox said. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn the mornings, they\u2019ve had a little bit of water on the golf course overnight. It\u2019s been a little bit softer and a little bit slower and then later on in the day it really firms up and gets fiery.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor me, it feels like having a really early morning tee time on Thursday might make the golf course play a little bit easier, and midday on Friday\u2019s a pretty reasonable time. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe guys are coming in late on Friday, I think the golf course might even get really, really fiery. But we\u2019ll see how that actually plays out in real time.\u201d <\/p>\n
Tee times for Kiwis at The Open Championship<\/p>\n
Ryan Fox: Round 1 – 5.57pm Thursday NZT, 6.57am Thursday local time. Round 2 – 11.03pm Friday NZT, 12.03pm Friday local time. <\/p>\n
Daniel Hillier: Round 1 – 5.46pm Thursday NZT, 6.46am Thursday local time. Round 2 – 10.52pm Friday NZT, 11.52am Friday local time.<\/p>\n
Kazuma Kobori: Round 1 – 9.42pm Thursday NZT, 10.42am Thursday local time. Round 2 – 2.48am Saturday NZT, 3.48pm Friday local time. <\/p>\n