The US Open winning duo of Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose have been familiarising themselves with next week’s British Open host venue at Muirfield.
Both spent Monday and Tuesday playing separate practice rounds while Rose was again out on the east of Edinburgh course yesterday (WED).
While it will be a first Muirfield Open for McIlroy, Rose participated in the 2002 Open finishing in 22nd place.
Rory McIlroy & Justin Rose head Muirfield advance party. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Shane Lowry sent his caddy, Dermot Byrne over to Muirfield on Monday ahead of today’s commencing Scottish Open at Castle Stuart on the outskirts of Inverness.
Byrne walked nine holes with McIlroy and closely studying how the double Major winning Ulsterman played the course while Byrne then walked the back nine in the company of exciting Dane Thorbjorn Olesen.
And Byrne’s analysis was the same as Darren Clarke who had two practice rounds on Muirfield late last month.
“I’ve been there twice to Muirfield twice this past three weeks and the course is just fantastic,” said Clarke.
“The rough if up and the greens are pure and overall it’s just fantastic shape.
“Of course, Royal St. Georges is always going to be special but Muirfield is my next favourite as it’s probably the fairest test of all the Open venues.
“That’s simply because the fairways aren’t so undulating. The R & A have overseen some new bunkers and there’s some new tees but what they’ve done is make the course so much better.”
However the focus for both Lowry and Clarke this week will be in capturing the Scottish Open.
Four time Phil Mickelson has again travelled to northern Scotland with his young family and has already been sightseeing including nearby Culloden and final battle in 1746 of the Jacobite uprising.
