At some point, you just had to have a laugh.
It probably helps that, particularly for a tournament with a $5 million prizefund, the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship doesn’t ever feel entirely like serious business. Even in decent weather conditions.
But certainly so yesterday. It appeared the early start actually put the field through the worst of the weather. It got breezy but manageable and sometimes even sunny by later in the afternoon. These shotgun starts are never good.
When they did play, it was a struggle. We’ve had awful weather in Dunhills before, although not quite to the levels of the various legends. When the media tent blew away in 100 mph winds in 2018, it was actually a couple of weeks before the tournament.
Some disasters, just three break 70
Ach, we've had it much worse at the Dunhill than this…https://t.co/qK0tFzA3su
— Steve Scott (@C_SScott) September 30, 2022
Friday morning was the worst we’ve had for some time. Heavy rain from around 10 am, high winds buffeting all three venues. Anyone moving half a step forward made a big leap up the leaderboard.
But most fell back. Romain Langasque, a day after equalling the Old Course record of 61, had an eight-over 80 at Carnoustie. Rory McIlroy toiled to a 75 at Kingsbarns. Shane Lowry, always thought of as a great bad weather player, had a 79.
Germany’s Alexander Knappe hit two over the wall and out of bounds from the middle of the fairway of the 16th at the Old Course. He then three-putted for a nine.
If that wasn’t bad enough, he then carved his second shot out of bounds at the Road Hole as well, and took an eight.
Knappe covered the front nine in level par, but took 52 strokes for the Old Course’s back nine with three pars, a bogey, two doubles, a quad and a quintuple. Ouch.
Mansell drives to a 68
Round of the day so far ✍️@richardmansel14 with an impressive 68 in very tough conditions. #DunhillLinks
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 30, 2022
On the more positive side, England’s Richard Mansell looked like a ninja completely covered up but for a slither of space across his eyeline.
But he shot a superb four-under 68 at St Andrews, the only score at St Andrews under par and the best score of the day anywhere. He now leads by two on 10-under.
Former Ryder Cup star Alex Noren, also a known decent player in wind, shot 69 at Kingsbarns to move into second. Robert MacIntyre admitted he nudged his way around the most southerly – and exposed – venue to a two-under 70 and is five back in fifth.
Mansell, Noren and Alex Fitzpatrick, US Open champion Matt’s wee brother, were the only three to break 70 of the 168 pros taking part across all three courses.
“I can’t feel anything in my body right now,” said the 27-year-old leader afterwards. “It was just gritty.
“It wasn’t golf, but it was just a real big personality thing,” he added.
“Just try and stay positive and stay focused. The caddie did a great job of trying to keep as much dry as we could, but on the last seven or eight holes, there was no chance.
“It was just holding on to the golf club and trying to warm up your hands when you could.”
Noren summed up the conditions pretty well; “You’ve just got to trust that you can actually play golf because you can’t feel your hands.
“Keep the ball low, even downwind. Don’t try to be a hero.”
‘The best attitude gets you through it’
Scottish weather….what's the problem? 🤷🏽♂️🏴💪🏽@dpworldtour@dunhilllinks pic.twitter.com/BSYQYL6jfU
— Robert MacIntyre (@robert1lefty) September 30, 2022
The grind was the only option, and laughing at the ridiculousness of the game in these conditions, said MacIntyre.
“It got to a point where it wasn’t even golf,” he said. “The best attitude gets you through.
“Today I was playing with somebody I get on really well with in Tyrrell (Hatton), and we just had a laugh all the way. It’s the way I play my best golf, with a smile on my face.”
Playing well within himself, especially when driving the ball, was the only way to stay on the course, reasoned Bob.
“I just tapped it in, where I could see it,” he said. “I got lucky with the tee shot on 11, but other than that, I just poked it around. Got it in play, didn’t miss many greens, just got it there or thereabouts.
‘Mike knows this place like the back of his hand’
“I was lucky with Mike (Thomson, his caddie from Fife) because he knows this place like the back of his hand. I didn’t look at my yardage book once.
“Today’s just about being mediocre and making sure you don’t make a big mistake.”
The bonus is that in being one of the few to move forward, he’s moving up and has the Old Course on Saturday.
“I just have to take what’s given to me. Since the last round in Italy, Mike and I have said I should just keep hitting that ball until someone tells me to stop.
“When I tapped in that last putt today he said it was time to stop!
“That’s the attitude I’m trying to have. Don’t worry about anything else – just keep hitting it and deal with what comes next.”
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