‘A course of three acts’ is how many would describe the Royal Troon. Its opening holes are extremely apt for a few birdies here and there, but the next few portray some of the best holes of the greens. However, the most difficult part is certainly the last stage, which has already become a concern for the 2024 Open Championship participants. Why? Well, here are some issues that the golfers are facing at the moment.

The most prominent reason is the wind. The wind has not been a new trouble at the Troon; it has haunted the back nine for a considerable amount of time. According to the 2019 panelist, Simon Holt, “It’s a course that builds in difficulty. A gentle start, a rambunctious middle, then hold on for dear life on the back nine. At times, those finishing holes can feel like a bit of a slog to the club golfer, especially into a stiff Ayrshire breeze.” As much as Pinehurst No. 2 was infamous for its difficulty level, the Royal Troon did not fall further apart. With deep and well-placed bunkers throughout the troop, it has become extremely challenging. Moreover, the presence of the ‘Railway hole’ or the 11th hole is well established to be a big hurdle.

The US Open’s winner and runner-up, both having trouble on the greens, can be easily perceived in their scores in the first round. After his heartbreak at the last major, Rory McIlroy had a bad start. He acknowledged having a bad day and then said, “The course was playing tough. The conditions are very difficult in a wind that we haven’t seen so far this week.” He further added, “Yeah, just one of those days where I just didn’t adapt well enough to the conditions.” According to McIlroy, when golfers practice before, they do not have the same wind to cope with.

Hence, playing in the official tournament with an immensely challenging wind in the back nine was certainly difficult to get a hold of. He even recalled all the places he made a double bogey, the Postage Stamp, as well as on the 11th hole. McIlroy confessed, “Even though the wind on the back nine was helping, it was a lot off the left. I was actually surprised by how difficult it felt like the back nine played. I thought we were going to get it a little bit easier than we did.” His score after the first round was a shocking 7 over 43.

Although DeChambeau‘s Open Championship accomplishments have not been as impressive as his other achievements, his start in this season’s final major is not what fans were expecting. Not one, nor two, but 6-over 42, DeChambeau shot four bogeys, a double bogey. And, shocking as it is, there are no birdies in the tally.

He had called the greens to be having some teeth early on. He has a stellar performance record throughout the majors of the season, a T6 at the 2024 Masters tournament, a runner-up position in the PGA Championship, and the winner’s title in the US Open. However, with such a terrible start on the Royal Troon, the LIV golfer is revealing the adversity of the greens.

But it is not just these two hotshots of this season’s major participants. Many other notable golfers are having similar complaints.

Golfers complain about the Royal Troon’s adversary

A lot of the golfers have been complaining about how the wind can ultimately change the direction of the game. 21-year-old Irish golfer Tom McKibbin was reminded that when they teed off early in the morning, the weather was not as daunting. Yet, the golfer can still see the problem other golfers are bound to face later in the day. He said, “Yes, obviously it was decent this morning; quite windy. Coming in there, the rain started to come on. Yeah, I don’t think it’s looking great for this afternoon. Hopefully not too far away.” The drastic change in weather truly proved to have decreased the potential of many good shots, yet golfers have not accepted their defeat!

Minjee Lee’s brother, Min Woo Lee, who is also representing Australia in the upcoming Paris Olympics, declared the back nine as brutal. He stated, “That back nine into the wind, it’s so brutal. The front nine, at least you can hit the front nine; you’re not hitting long irons in.” Then he suggested, “You’re hitting kind of shorter irons still. Yeah, it’s tough. It’s a tough course.” Reiterating along the same lines as McIlroy did, Woo Lee deemed the course to be tough.

When Adam Scott was asked if it was surprising to see the leading score, the 2013 Masters Tournament winner accepted that it is not easy to shoot and make it count, especially considering the wind. He said, “I don’t know whether it’s the lack of experience playing this wind. It just seemed hard to force it in there close.” The golfer further stated, “The greens are so much slower than we’re used to, and it’s a major. You don’t want to start racing putts by, but it’s hard to even get it to the hole. I think today is about finding your feel for the week and maybe better scoring after this.”

However, there is one golfer who has a starkly different opinion on the matter: Justin Thomas. The two-time PGA Championship winner, who is leading in the Open Championship after the first round, reveals he likes the Links course. Thomas called the Troon a great track! He said in the press conference, “I love them all. I have yet to play a links course that I dislike or I think is bad. I think they’re all so unique and so fun. They can play so differently, obviously, with the conditions. But I think it’s a proper test.” The golfer further added that the wind might make the course more difficult, but one’s skills can certainly help one control their trajectory.

What new surprise do you think is awaiting in the coming rounds at the Royal Troon? Let us know in the comments below.