'The Hardest Nine Holes That I’ll Ever Play’ - How The Pros Reacted To A Brutal Saturday At The Open Championship

It's safe to say that Royal Troon won the battle on Saturday afternoon, as the wind and rain tested both the quality, and patience, of the world's elite at The 152nd Open Championship.

Unlike the first two days, the wind had completely changed round at the South Ayrshire course, as the front nine played downwind and, brutally, the back nine was straight into. Add in the torrential rain and, all of a sudden, the morning wave who had the best of the weather were right back in this!

Many loved watching the action and, with multiple players in contention going into Sunday, it's set up for an epic. However, before the leaders get underway, there's the small matter of the reactions from those who braved the conditions.

Speaking after to the media, we have collected some of the best quotes from the players out in the afternoon wave, as the likes of Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele gave their thoughts.

Dustin Johnson

"The back nine, that's the hardest nine holes I think you could ever play in golf right now, into the wind and rain. It's so long I could barely reach the par-4s, I had to smash two to get there, same with Brooks. That's how long it was playing."

Shane Lowry

"Yeah, it was hard. Yeah, playing a par-3 hitting drivers is not much crack. Roll the ball back, huh? Yeah... I don't really know what to say. It was a grind. It wasn't much fun. Driver, driver into 15. 16 playing ridiculously long. Driver into 17. Then you're standing on the 18th tee wondering if you can actually hit the fairway, if you can reach the fairway, and it's 230 yards to the fairway. Bear in mind my driver pitched about 220 yards on the 17th hole. So, yeah, it's not much fun out there".

Matthew Jordan

"The 3-wood into 17 (was the most eye-opening) when I probably knew I wasn't going to get there anyway. I said to Chris, I can't hit driver, though. I can't do that on a par-3".

Xander Schauffele

"On 17, it felt windy, but it didn't feel like -- you know, like the gusts you think you can get out here, 30, 40, but with a little bit of rain and a little bit of cooler air. I heeled it, and I think the front was like 220. I had five paces short. So I literally smoked a 3-wood, a little off the heel and thin into the wind and rain, and it went 218 yards or something like that. So that was pretty humbling".

Jon Rahm

"It's difficult. I didn't know that it was going to turn as difficult as it did. I thought, from what I saw in the app -- it's hard to do, right -- if the rain came, it wasn't going to be too windy. Man, did it turn quickly".

Scottie Scheffler

"It's up there. I can think of a couple days with some crazy high winds that may have been more challenging, but overall the back nine, I think that was probably the hardest nine holes that I'll ever play. I shouldn't say ever, but it's definitely the hardest that I've played to this point, I think. 

"I probably don’t hit a 3-wood on a par-3 very often. I probably don’t hit driver and a 3-wood really solid on a par-4 and don’t get there in two, either".

Dean Burmester

"When you're hitting a driver, I averaged 185, 186 ball speed, and I'm hitting a driver 240 yards out there, I'd say it's pretty tough, and it's 240 yards to get to the fairway. No, it's no joke. It's going like 80 yards shorter with a driver."

Justin Rose

"That was super tough. Wasn't really expecting it, if I'm honest. I think I talked the first couple days about how well I was prepared for that southerly wind. I saw it coming. I practised with that in mind. Today I did not expect that".

Sam Burns

"I think any time you shoot under par on this golf course, it's always good. Even more so in these conditions. I think I knew going out, the front nine was going to be somewhat gettable. Most of the hole is downwind. Then kind of once you make the turn, just strap in and buckle the chinstrap because you know it's going to be difficult. Overall, a really solid day".

Laurie Canter

"You need to be getting on well with your caddie because it's like a bun fight. You need about three or four arms to kind of get everything kind of dry and get your stuff ready".

Thomas Bjorn

"Isn’t this just the best golf event in the world? I would be swearing and moaning out there but sitting on my couch I would give everything to be out there. Some battle this.. Feel for you lads but it’s a great change from the normal stuff".