Paul McGinley predicts what American players are going to struggle with at Troon as The Open gets underway

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The Open Championship is now underway, with the iconic Royal Troon Golf Club hosting the major tournament.

Many players will have known all about the challenges that the links course presents, with others completely new to this style of golf.

This week’s event represents the tenth time Royal Troon hosts The Open Championship, with the competition last held there in 2016.

And it was Henrik Stenson who lifted the trophy back then, with the Swede bringing an end to American dominance at Troon.

He fought off competition from Phil Mickelson, with both players looking to produce similarly strong displays this time around.

Paul McGinley makes prediction about American players as The Open begins

Mickelson is one of several Americans taking on Troon over the coming days, a course which Rickie Fowler described as ‘a tale of two nines’.

But the duo are among a group of players who according to Paul McGinley could struggle with in Scotland.

“The difficult thing these guys have to adjust to is not just the rain, but the heavy sea air,” McGinley said on Sky Sports.

“The ball does not fly through like it would in America. It’s a big adjustment for these players.”

Phil Mickelson shares the key to performing well at Royal Troon

Mickelson incidentally appeared to have bad news for Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau this week, with the veteran believing precision is more important than length or power.

And the 54-year-old wasn’t exactly wrong, with both McIlroy and DeChambeau struggling in the early stages.

The wind and rain quickly began to play a part in round one at Troon, with the tough conditions affecting a long list of players.

The iconic course is certain to claim many victims this week, with the champion potentially the one who can best limit the impact of the wind and the rain.

Both McIlroy and DeChambeau have conquered many fairways over the years thanks to their impressive driving, but that skillset may not be their most useful asset at Troon.