Three-time British Open champion Henry Cotton (1934, 1937 and 1948) was on hand Thursday when Christy O`Connor broke his Royal St. George`s course record of 65 by one stroke.
Wandering into the interview room, the spry, 78-year-old Cotton shouted to O`Connor: ”Did you play the 18th?”
Cotton doesn`t know whether O`Connor has the killer instinct. ”The boy is very gentle,” said Cotton. ”Whether he has enough viciousness (to win the Open), I don`t know. I told him, `I hope this helps you.` ”
O`Connor`s 64 tied the best score ever shot in the first round of the British Open, matching Craig Stadler`s effort in 1983. The tourney record of 63 is shared by Mark Hayes (1977) and Isao Aoki (1980).
Although much was made of O`Connor`s uncle and namesake, the first-round leader said: ”I`m a different player than my uncle–different swing, different outlook. I have my living to make. I can`t make it on his name. I have to do it alone.”
Cotton`s 1934 Open victory is credited with turning the tide against the Americans and back to the British after 10 consecutive American victories by the likes of Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen. It wasn`t until Arnold Palmer`s back-to-back triumphs in 1961 and 1962 that Americans regained their hold of this premier international event, which they are now supposedly in danger of losing to an improving international field. Thursday, only two of the top 12 scorers were Americans.
— Leading up to the opening round, most of the players were concerned with, and criticizing, the 470-yard 4th hole, which has a 50-foot deep bunker 230 yards off the tee. Since the last British Open here in 1981, the tee was moved to the right and back, putting the huge bunker directly in line. The players complained it was impossible to clear against the wind, so the British Open committee said it would move the tee up if the wind were against the players.
The hole turned out to be no problem with a cross wind, but No. 14, the
”Suez Canal” hole, with a ditch running across the fairway about two-thirds of the way to the green on the 508-yard par 5, proved the ruin of many players. Peter Jacobsen got a 9 with a lost ball and one out of bounds (over the fence right), and Stadler also lost a ball in the high rough. Jack Nicklaus (who also hit over the fence), Tom Kite and Mark O`Meara had 7s and there were five 8s and another 9.
— One of the more interesting pairings Thursday was England`s Nick Faldo and Australia`s Graham Marsh. There had been some uneasy feelings between the two since the 1983 World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, England, when an overzealous British fan threw Faldo`s ball on the green and Faldo refused to concede Marsh a short putt, thereby winning the hole and the match 2-and-1. Without help Thursday, Faldo shot a 73. Marsh shot a 71. Faldo is considered the best British hope for an Open title since Tony Jacklin in 1969.
