Graeme McDowell questions Road Hole changes
US Open winner and GM columnist, Graeme McDowell, gives his views on the changes made to the famous 17th hole at St Andrews, the Role Hole, and questions whether it needed lengthening ahead of the 150th Open Championship
Graeme McDowell has raised questions over whether the changes to the Road Hole for this year's Open Championship were really required.
An extra 30 yards have been added on the 17th - now measuring 495 yards - but the US Open winner is not convinced the alteration will have have the desired effect.
"I don't think it's bad. Was it necessary? Don't know," said the Ulsterman.
"I'm going to play it conservatively. It's a TV sport, it's all about people enjoying the game and seeing some drama, but I'm going to lay up.
"It's going to be absolute carnage," added McDowell, who became the first British player in 40 years to win the US Open after his triumph at Pebble Beach last month.
The 30-year-old has a best finish of 11th in The Open but will go in search of back-to-back Majors in confident mood having already won the Wales Open prior to his fantastic win in the US just over a fortnight ago.
"Certainly, I didn't see any hidden tricks on the golf course and it was definitely firm and fast and it's going to be really, really linksy," said McDowell.
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"I think they want to get it brown and really running, so it's going to be very interesting - not much rough."
Play gets underway at St Andrews on July 15.
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