Smylie Kaufman has suggested one hole at Royal Troon is absolutely “ridiculous” ahead of next month’s Open Championship.
The American missed the cut by one shot back in 2016 during the event’s last visit to the famous course 33 miles southwest of Glasgow.
Swede Henrik Stenson was the eventual winner eight years ago after a back-and-forth 36-hole contest with Phil Mickelson after the duo had pulled away from the rest of the field.
Troon has a selection of interesting holes, particularly on the front nine. Three short par-fours kick off proceedings before a record-breaking par-five greets the players at the sixth.
Kaufman, however, has shared his experience on the famous eighth hole, which is the shortest par-three in Open Championship history.
Smylie Kaufman sheds light on ‘ridiculous’ eighth hole at Royal Troon
Speaking on the latest edition of the Smylie Show, the professional turned commentator relived his experience on the aptly named ‘Postage Stamp’.
“That hole was so hard,” said Kaufman. “The only Open Championship I played was Troon, and I was in the bad wave.
“I hit seven iron in the morning and turned on the TV in the afternoon. It was sunny out, and Phil Mickelson was hitting a gap wedge into the hole. I’m just like, ‘This is ridiculous!’. That hole vs a seven iron and wedge isn’t comparable.”
The magic of The Open
The Open Championship is unique because of holes like the Postage Stamp.
As Kaufman explained, one day, the hole could be a seven iron; the next, a soft wedge would be more than enough.
The famous eighth has also endured its fair share of history over the years. Paul McGinley became the first-ever player to make two holes in The Open. “The Postage Stamp is great architecture,” he said.
“It’s not about distance, it’s about course management, it’s about shaping a shot, it’s about touch and feel.”
Other famous aces include Gene Sarazen and Ernie Else.
Sarazen’s hole-in-one came when he was 71 and competing in his penultimate Open appearance. The Big Easy made an ace during the 2004 edition, two years after his maiden Open win at Muirfield.
The R&A will be hoping the short par-three provides another stern test this time around.
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