RICKIE’S GAME FOR OPEN
SCOTTISH OPEN GOLF
RICKIE FOWLER has been playing Carnoustie for weeks on a computer simulation.
Now he’s ready for the real thing after making a flying visit to The Open venue on Tuesday.
The world No.7 is desperate to break his Major duck after repeated close calls so he’s done virtually everything to prepare BY EUAN McLEAN himself as best he can for the challenge ahead.
Fowler said: “I have a simulator at home but it was nice to get over to Carnoustie and finally get to see it for real versus looking at it on a screen.
“It’s almost like playing it on a video game except you actually get to hit the shot. Obviously there’s going to be some differences when you see it for real rather than on a screen .
“But it was cool to be able to step up and look out and actually recognise what you’re looking at.
“So it’s a little bit of help being able to see it there and not show up completely surprised by what you’re looking at.” BY EUAN McLEAN TALK of a £7.5million match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson would get Patrick Reed’s attention – but only if they were playing for their own cash instead of a sponsor’s prize pot.
This week, though, Masters champion Reed is intent on putting on an exhibition of his own as he returns to the Scottish Open stage that has become one of his favourite stops on the playing schedule since 2016.
With an impressive hot run at the last three Majors – he tied second at the USPGA, won at Augusta and came fourth at last month’s US Open – the American will be ranked among the favourites to add Open glory to his CV next week.
But first he has business to attend to in Gullane where this week’s event will surely form a crucial part of his preparations on the fiery fairways of a baked links layout.
It will provide an ideal testing ground to hone his touch and spark his imagination before taking on a Carnoustie set-up he rated as the firmest and fastest course he has played after a brief visit on Monday.
Watching these elite stars strive to adapt to the funky bounces and improvised shot-making will be compulsive viewing – even more so than the multi-million dollar shootout spectacle that’s rumoured to be in the pipeline between Tiger and Phil.
Reed grinned and said: “I would pay a little bit more to watch it if it was for their own money.
“It’s going to be entertaining but it would be more entertaining if it was for their own money because the guys would grind even harder.
“We’ll just have to wait and see. I’m curious to see how it works out. It would be pretty cool if it was at night and (they) do something like a threeround contest and make it old school.
“Give them Persimmon woods and Balata balls from back in the day for one round, then put them in their normal stuff and then play a round at night. Have fun with it.
“I’ll be curious to see because I feel like one match, one day, 18 holes and not playing for your own money – that’s just kind of an exhibition.
“I’d like to have them mic’d up and trash-talking going on. That would be the best part.”
This week’s £877,000 winner’s cheque might pale in comparison to that ridiculous purse but the competitive instinct will be firing when Reed steps on the first tee this afternoon in the company of Ian Poulter and home favourite Russell Knox.
That burning desire to win is a constant and crucial part of Reed’s make-up, which has served him well in his two previous Ryder Cup appearances where he has established himself as a talismanic figure for the USA team.
At Gleneagles in 2014 he revelled in the pantomime villain role, cheekily shushing the home crowd to a chorus of mock boos.
Two years later at Hazeltine he was dubbed Captain America for the bullish, combative manner in which he took the fight to Rory McIlroy in an epic Sunday singles battle.
Now with the next clash of the continents just two months away, Reed is already excited and admits he’ll happily take on the burden of that leadership role again.
He added: “I love that role. I love that target on my back and trying to lead the team.
“Go out and set an example for any rookies we have on the team but at the same time, get the veterans behind us and just run as a unit and go out and play some good golf.
“Our team spirit is high. Once you’ve been on a team with a guy, you feel like you’re part of this tight little family. It’s always good seeing them at events, whether it’s overseas or at home.
“We seem just to have a good time, enjoy golf and it just makes the week of the Ryder Cup even more special to be able to go into battle with guys that are good friends.
“It’s hard to tell if our camaraderie and spirit is more or less than the Europeans. But every time I come over here, their guys are always laughing, joking, having a good time.
“Now it makes it a more level playing field because I feel like we have finally adopted that family-oriented kind of spirit that you need when you play in events like that.”