The 150th championship may also be remembered as the rip-off Open. With accommodation at a premium, hotels in nearby Dundee, where you can normally stay for as little as seventy quid a night, are charging as much as £7,000 for a week’s board and lodgings.
Punters appear willing to pay such eye-watering amounts judging by the fact that there is hardly a room to be had in Fife and Tayside. But some get-rich-quick locals in St Andrews have had their plans scuppered.
They were forced to slash rental prices of their homes of anything up to thirty grand for a two up and two down to half that amount. It’s also rumoured that the local toy shop is doing a roaring trade in Dick Turpin masks!
An early pee time
Paul Lawrie was delighted when he discovered that he’ll hit the opening tee-shot at the Old Course on Thursday. Not least because 6.35 am is his normal pee-time.
But It’s just as well that the former Open champion, 53, isn’t staying at the halls of residence. Older American visitors, accustomed to having to answer a call of nature first thing in the morning, have complained that the absence of ensuite facilities means they’re queuing up to use a limited number of loos.
LIV through this
Justin Thomas is passionately anti-LIV, but you wouldn’t have thought so when he was pictured clutching a LIV-PUR water bottle. The supplier has no links to the controversial breakaway tour that has split the golf world.
But it did nothing for the American’s street cred, all the same.
Off the menu
Passion is off the menu during Open week. Risk taking local students with a taste for adventure are known to head for the secluded beach area of Elephant Rock adjoining the Old Course.
But they're at risk of being spotted by thousands of prying eyes. And that has forced the future alumni to cool their ardour for the next few days.
A look at the odds
Fancy a punt on The Open? You could do worse than an each-way bet on defending champion Collin Morikawa.
The American is 25/1 to defend his crown. Interestingly three reigning champions have finished runner-up at St Andrews - Harry Vardon in 1900, Peter Thomson in 1957 and Tom Watson in 1984.
Rory McIlroy is favourite at 10/1 with newly crowned Scottish Open champion Xander Schauffele next best at 16s. Oban ace Bob MacInyre - just one of three Scots in the field - is a tempting 80/1 after achieving top 10s in his first two Opens.
Turner prize
Budding teenage artist Iona Turner will have her work displayed to the world at the Old Course in the form of her winning design for limited edition bags to be used by the 34 Callaway staff professionals at The Open. The 17-year-old was among students from two local schools, Madras College and St Leonards, to take part in the competition.
Her design was inspired by many of the town’s iconic landmarks, including the famous Swilcan Bridge and the historic cathedral where Old Tom Morris is buried.
Read Jim Black's Open Diary in the Record every day this week.
