It?s official. I have got a severe case of Open fever. It?s been brewing all week courtesy of all the excitement in the office (l thought GM staff writer Luke Norman was going to self-combust at one point) but reached an altogether new high for me as I?ve traveled up to Scotland (or Scopland as my two and half year old daughter would say) to play in the Writer Cup at St Andrews.
The event is a regular head-to-head between eight British golf writers and eight of our counterparts from the US. It the first time I have been asked to play and I?m officially excited.
The format is a Ryder Cup one with two days of fourballs and foursomes followed by a final day singles on Monday after which I?ll head over the Tay Bridge to join up with the early arrivals from the GM editorial team at Carnoustie.
I don?t get to play a lot of competitive matchplay golf so I?m really looking forward to five rounds of what is, to me anyway, the purest form of the game.
But before the match gets officially underway tomorrow there?s a welcome meal for all the competitors this evening and this afternoon we?re off to have a first look at the new Castle Course at St Andrews which sits on the cliffs overlooking the North Sea to the south of the town. In fact I?m due down in the hotel lobby now for the coach. I'll report back later on what the new track is like.
Click here for a first look at the Castle Course
