The Old Course at St Andrews successfully resisted the 59 watch again, but the course record of 61 was equalled in the calm before the anticipated storm in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
On Friday there is a shotgun start at all three courses in play to get everyone round before the remnants of Hurricane Ian comes through.
With the numbers of pros and amateurs competing, and the light edging towards October levels, there is very little wiggle room to get this event played on time even without delays.
On a perfect late September day at St Andrews, France’s Romain Langasque matched Ross Fisher’s Old Course record of 2017 with an 11-under 61. He had two putts of 60 feet for eagle, and five birdies and an eagle in his last six holes, as he finished out at the ninth.
In a French takeover of the top of the leaderboard, Frederic LaCroix – at 122nd in the Race to Dubai, needing a big week – had a 62 at Kingsbarns for second. Anton Rozner had a 63 on the Old Course to be in third.
A more likely scenario for a 59 in September, but still well short
Eight birdies and two eagles in @Lancaisse's opening round ✍️
He leads the way in Scotland. #DunhillLinks
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 29, 2022
A 59 on the Old Course was feared by some during The Open. Despite similarly calm conditions, no-one was ever getting close in major championship set-up in July.
This time and this tournament is the much more likely scenario, with a softer course and pins in cuddly spots for the amateurs. But even Langasque’s late charge never amounted to a proper social media #59watch.
“I didn’t feel that I shot a number today,” he said. “I was having a good round but just five, six-under, was the way I thought of it. But the end was amazing.”
He drained a 60 footer on the fifth and a fifty footer on the 12th for his two eagles.
“My name is going to be on this board,” he said proudly. “I didn’t ever realise that I have the course record here now. It’s something I will remember for the rest of my life.”
Carnoustie’s next for Romain and he has fond memories there, having won the Amateur Championship on the great links in 2015.
But there’s some debate whether it’s better to have played Carnoustie in a flat calm yesterday rather than face it in a potential maelstrom on Friday.
‘Everywhere will be tough to score’
@dunhilllinks week 💨☔️🏴🌦 @DPWorldTour pic.twitter.com/LW5UdxvtbS
— Ewen Ferguson (@EwboF) September 27, 2022
Scotland’s Ewen Ferguson, after shooting a 67 on the Old Course, takes a positive view.
“Carnoustie tomorrow and it’ll be tough,” said the two-time Tour winner this season. “But I was thinking because the weather’s tough and really bad, everywhere will be tough to score.
“It’s maybe not a bad day to get Carnoustie. Everyone who is playing at Kingsbarns (usually the easiest of the three venues) is going to get it tough as well.
“Saturday (at Kingsbarns) might be easier, and maybe I can shoot a good score again. You need to think of something positive, so I’m trying my best to do that!”
But there are already positives aplenty for Ewen, as he holed out on the last roughly from where he three-putted last year, when he played on an invitation.
“I was thinking about last year, so give it a bit of a go,” he said. “Just saw the line and poured it down there. It’s a nice feeling to make a putt on the last on the Old Course.
“(Langasque) must have played both nines downwind! Just kidding. The score is out there, and you can do it. But the way the circuit is with this tournament, you need to keep doing it.”
‘You need to be friends with everyone’
Former @RandA chief executive Peter Dawson with a birdie from the valley of sin 👏#DunhillLinks pic.twitter.com/wwE63FqIre
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) September 29, 2022
Ferguson was playing with partner, former Google vice-president Nikesh Arora, and with Carnoustie member and tour player Matt Southgate. Southgate’s partner is former R&A chief executive and now world ranking board chair Peter Dawson.
Mr Dawson holed out from the Valley of Sin for birdie but despite that joy, politely declined to answer questions about LIV Golf’s pursuit of world ranking points.
Last year Ewen was a little overawed at times. Now he feels he belongs.
“I definitely come here feeling a part of things,” he said. “I’m more comfortable in my own skin.
“I’m friends with a lot of the guys I used to say about. ‘oh my god, there’s that guy’.
“Now I’m chatting to them, asking them about life, and they help me out. When you’re travelling with this golf circus week in week out, you need to be friends with everyone.
“I definitely feel part of that now and beginning to feel comfortable when I’m playing well or not playing well. Just keep practicing and try to get better.”
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