by ST ANDREWS (AFP) – American young guns Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler (Navajo) were arriving at St Andrews on Monday with wins under their belt and British Open glory in their sights.
Spieth had a trans-Atlantic flight to undertake following his playoff victory at the John Deere Classic in Illinois. Fowler had a mere car drive up the Scottish east coast from Gullane where he captured the Scottish Open.
In the absence through injury of world number one and defending champion Rory McIlroy, Spieth at 21 and Fowler at 26, represent the new generation of golfers taking over from the likes of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els.
Both players are brimming with confidence.
Spieth, who has already won the Masters and the US Open this year, was criticised for not coming to Scotland earlier given his lack of experience of playing links golf. He has played just the one round at St Andrews four years ago ahead of a Walker Cup tie in Aberdeen.
But he insisted he had gone his own way and and had no regrets.
“I came here for a reason, and we accomplished that reason, and certainly have some momentum going into next week,” he said after his playoff win over fellow American Tom Gillis on Sunday.
“Only thing I ve heard so far is that it s (St Andrews) playing softer than usual.
“I loved it. I absolutely loved it. I love the town, I loved the R&A Clubhouse. I love the, what do you call it, the Himalayas Putting Green, the entire experience being there (in 2011) for two days was really cool.”
Fowler won the fourth title of his pro career at Gullane and said afterwards that he was aiming to follow in the footsteps of mentor Phil Mickelson who won the Scottish Open and the British Open the following week two years ago.
“Phil s been a huge help to me. He s someone I love spending time around on and off the golf course and learning as much as I can from him,” he said Sunday.
“He s a great professional, on and off the golf course. So he made sure I was well aware of what he accomplished this morning when I saw him this morning, and told him I would see if I could take care of the first leg of it. Got that done.”
Conditions at the Old Course on Monday once again were damp and cold with the greens and fairways relatively soft and receptive.
Nick Faldo, who won the second of his three Open crowns at St Andrews in 1990, said that although he found it hard going, spending as he does these days more time in the commentary box than on the golf course, that might be just as well for the Old Course s vanity
“It s playing a little tougher than I thought, but if it had been a little firmer you know you ll get on the 5th hole (par-5) in two,” he said.
“They re going to either drive 9 or 10 (par-4s) depending on the wind, they re going to drive 12 (par-4). 14 (par-5), they ll get there in two, and 18 (par-4).
“So if you re driving the ball really well, you are there or very close to six holes under regulation.”
Monday s draw, meanwhile spilled out some tantalising groupings.
Spieth will open his bid to become just the second player to win the first three majors of the year in the company of fellow American Dustin Johnson and Japan s top player Hideki Matsuyama.
The 21-year-old Texan has already captured the Masters and US Open crowns, and a win Sunday in the British Open would equal the feat only ever achieved before by Ben Hogan in 1953.
The threesome will head out onto the Old Course at 9:33 a.m. (0833GMT) to be followed 22 minutes later by Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen and Jason Day.
Woods won the Open at St Andrews in 2000 by eight strokes and in 2005 by five strokes, while South African Oosthuizen triumphed by seven strokes the last time it was held at the Old Course in 2010.
In the afternoon groupings, 2013 Open champion Mickelson heads out alongside fellow American Matt Kuchar, who tied for second Sunday at the Scottish Open and Sweden s Henrik Stenson, still seeking his first major title.
Immediately following them will be Faldo, who has said he will be playing the tournament for a final time, and Justin Rose, aiming to become the first English winner since Faldo in 1992 with Fowler making up the threesome.
