Scot Watch - Monday

Find out how Monty, Lawrie and the other Scottish warriors are dealing with predicatbly poor weather on Monday morning.

Fergus Bisset
By
published

As a Scottish patriot it has fallen upon me to monitor and report back on the progress of my countrymen in the 136th Open Championship. The last time the competition visited this great venue it was a Scot, Paul Lawrie, who lifted the Claret Jug. What price another home player being crowned champion golfer for the year come Sunday evening?

One thing that might hamper Scottish chances is the distinct lack of Scots in the field. In fact only eight players from Scotland will tee it up on Thursday. They are:

Ross Bain

Alastair Forsyth

Paul Lawrie

Sandy Lyle

Doug McGuigan

Colin Montgomerie

Richie Ramsay

Scott Drummond

It?s notoriously difficult to track down players on practice days. I?ve done my damndest to try and find some Scots but given: a) the poor weather earlier in the day, b) the fact there are no official start times and c) the dearth of Scots in the field, the search has been tough. Here?s what I?ve got:

US Amateur Champion Richie Ramsay was out in the worst of the weather this morning playing with fellow amateur Rory McIlroy. On the sixth (Hogan?s Alley) I saw him push his drive into a fairway bunker, pull it out then leak a three wood right into the thick rough. Not promising.

Ross Bain who made it through the Asian International Final Qualifying was out with Australia?s David Gleeson. He was practicing shots from just off the tenth green using his fairway wood so he?s clearly got chipping problems. He then went to use the facilities just behind the green. His caddy had a hot dog from the halfway hut. This last sentence confirms the issues I?m having with Scot Watch today. Oh, where is Monty?

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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