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Royal Liverpool member Matthew Jordan admits there will be no excuses when he tees it up in his second major on the home course he has played for 20 years.
The 27-year-old, who grew up in nearby West Kirby and lives in Hoylake, followed in his father and grandfather’s footsteps by becoming a member at the club while he was still at primary school.
Jordan has played the Wirral links in every conceivable weather and course condition and, while the most significant change for the Open is the switch of routing which means players tee off at what is the members’ 17th hole, he knows he has to take advantage of that knowledge after coming through final qualifying for the second successive year.
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“I’ve qualified but I don’t want to let the experience go to waste. I want to do well,” he said.
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“I would be amazed if there is something I don’t know. I’ve experienced it in all kinds of conditions so I guess there is no kind of excuse now.
“I know pretty much every pin position, I’ve seen it soft, I’ve seen it hard, I’ve seen it with rough up and down.
“I’ll probably play it exactly how I know how to play it but in terms of practice it is going to be a bit strange.”
Royal Liverpool is hosting its third Open in 18 years – after a hiatus of 39 years – and after weeks of primarily dry weather it seems likely conditions will be similar to 2006 when baked hard, fast-running fairways saw Tiger Woods use his driver just once in winning his third Claret Jug.
A major change to the course for this edition has seen the creation of a new 17th hole overlooking the Dee Estuary, a 140-yard par-three with an exposed green surrounded by bunkers which usually plays into the prevailing wind, which has become something of a talking point.
As a member, Jordan remained admirably diplomatic on the subject.
“I think it depends on individual opinion. Me personally, it will depend on conditions and how windy it is, how firm it is as well, as that will make a massive difference into how easy or difficult it will play,” he said.
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“My reservations about it are if it will be a good hole for the Open, which will require it being into the wind and not soft and straightforward.
“I’ll have to ask the other pros what they think.”
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