2023 Open Championship

Royal Liverpool

Hello again, DFS Army! Josh Thomas, better known as DFSUpNorth, back with another detailed course preview. This time, we’re setting our sights on the oldest championship in golf, the 2023 Open Championship, hosted at the historic Royal Liverpool Golf Club!

Founded in 1869, Royal Liverpool, often referred to as Hoylake, is the second oldest seaside links golf course in England. This par-72 course plays around 7,312 yards, a testament to its ability to challenge the world’s best golfers despite its age.

Royal Liverpool has a rich history with The Open Championship, hosting the event 12 times. The course features a traditional links-style layout with deep pot bunkers, undulating fairways, and notoriously unpredictable weather conditions that are the hallmark of The Open Championship.

The Course:

Royal Liverpool Golf Club, founded in 1869, is steeped in rich history. The course is one of the oldest seaside links courses in England and has hosted The Open Championship 12 times as of 2021. Some of the most memorable moments in golf history have unfolded on this course, including Tiger Woods’ strategic mastery in 2006 and Rory McIlroy’s dominant performance in 2014.

Course Design and Architecture

Hoylake is a traditional links course, featuring hard, fast fairways, large undulating greens, and punishing pot bunkers. The course layout presents a blend of par-3s, par-4s, and par-5s that each offer their own unique challenges. A characteristic feature of Royal Liverpool is its set of par-5s, which can provide scoring opportunities but can also dramatically alter the leaderboard with the potential for high numbers.

One notable aspect of Royal Liverpool is its routing. Unlike most links courses, which have an “out and back” design, Royal Liverpool has a routing that somewhat resembles two loops. This design means that the wind, ever-present on this coastal course, continually changes direction, demanding a high level of adaptability from the golfers.

The course also stands out for its strategic bunkering. The pot bunkers are strategically placed to challenge tee shots and approaches, punishing any errant shots while rewarding well-thought-out play.

Renovations and Modern Touches

In preparation for The Open Championship in 2006, the course underwent significant changes under the guidance of renowned golf course architect, Donald Steel. Ahead of the 2014 Open, golf course architect Martin Ebert made further modifications to help the course keep up with the distance capabilities of modern golfers. And recently we’ve seen the course stretched almost 200 yards and in doing so ended up changing a bit of the routing and the pars of some of the holes, though it does still play as a par 72.

Despite these changes, Royal Liverpool has maintained its traditional links feel and continues to provide a strategic challenge that is as much a mental test as a physical one.

Royal Liverpool, with its deep historical roots and unique course architecture, provides a remarkable stage for The Open Championship. The course design, which combines traditional links characteristics with a unique routing and strategic elements, offers a comprehensive test of golf. Whether a golfer’s name is etched into the Claret Jug can depend on their ability to understand and adapt to the challenges that Royal Liverpool presents. From its punishing bunkers to its fast, undulating greens, Royal Liverpool is a testament to the timeless nature of golf and the strategic mastery it demands

Strokes Gained: Key Statistics

When assessing Royal Liverpool, there are a few critical areas to consider:

1. Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green (SG:T2G): Links courses like Royal Liverpool require strong all-around play, from accurate drives to precise approach shots.
2. Strokes Gained: Approach (SG:APP): Given the large greens and windy conditions, a player’s ability to control their ball flight and distance on approach shots is vital.
3. Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green (SG:ARG): The intricate green complexes demand a solid short game.

Memorable Wins at Royal Liverpool

Two victories that stand out in recent memory are Rory McIlroy’s in 2014 and Tiger Woods’ in 2006.

In 2014, McIlroy delivered a commanding performance to secure his third major title. He led the tournament from start to finish, demonstrating exceptional control in his ball-striking and masterfully navigating the tricky links layout.

Tiger Woods’ victory in 2006 was equally impressive, albeit achieved in a dramatically different manner. Woods famously used his driver just once all week, choosing instead to rely on his irons for accuracy off the tee and avoiding the treacherous pot bunkers. His strategic play and flawless execution earned him his third Claret Jug.

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Tournament Set-up: 

Royal Liverpool

Par: 72
Yardage: 7,300

Links to DFS Army Tools

• PGA Research Station – Every single stat you could want for this week’s event!
• PGA Cheatsheets – Notes on all the viable players in the field
• PGA Domination Station – One-click Optimized Lineups in Seconds

 

Golfers coming in 🔥🔥🔥

Rory McIlroy: 40.86 SGT 

Rickie Fowler: 38.26 SGT
Scottie Scheffler: 34.86 SGT
Brian Harman: 30.26 SGT
Wyndham Clark: 25.86 SGT

Golfers with 🔥🔥🔥 Open Championship History

Jordan Spieth: 56.8 SGT

Tommy Fleetwood: 41.8 SGT
Rory McIlroy: 39.5 SGT
Tony Finau: 37.8 SGT
Xander Schauffele: 32.8 SGT

Jordan Spieth’s dominance at the Open Championship is actually outrageous. So much better than everyone else it’s a bit crazy. Tony Finau likely goes underowned this week but has shown that he can contend every year regardless of the venue.

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Weather:

The weather at the Open Championship is known for its unpredictability, which can dramatically impact play. Keeping an eye on the forecast and understanding how changing conditions can affect the course and players’ performance is crucial when setting your DFS lineups. We have you covered in the DFS Army VIP Discord with all the info on the wind this week!

Final Thoughts:

As we wrap up our detailed preview of the 2023 Open Championship, I hope these insights into Royal Liverpool’s course layout, historical data points, and key strokes gained statistics have been helpful. Remember, golf is a game of skill, strategy, and sometimes a little bit of luck. While we can’t predict the future, we can use the wealth of data at our disposal to make informed decisions.

Thank you for joining me in this deep dive into the 2023 Open Championship, here’s to a successful week of DFS! I will break it all down for our VIPs with my weekly PGA Cheatsheets! This is DFSUpNorth, Josh Thomas, signing off. Best of luck to everyone in their DFS contests this week. Let’s get those green screens!

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