Royal Troon: Three holes to watch at The Open

Troon is a three-parter: an unremarkable and easy opening half-dozen holes, a superb collection of six to follow that throw up an array of challenges and aesthetics around the sand dunes, and then the last third which is pure grind but lacks character.

TOUGH ROUGH: Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy chips out of a bunker on the 17th during a practice day ahead of The Open at Royal Troon. Photo credit: Jane Barlow/PA Wire.

You won’t hear anyone describing Royal Troon as the best venue on The Open roster. That’s not to say it doesn’t have its attractions and there are some obvious starting points when dissecting a course hosting this tournament for the tenth time.

At it’s most basic, this is an in-and-out with the first nine usually playing with the wind at its back and the journey home made into the teeth of a wind that invariably makes its presence felt on a stretch of land that hugs the Firth of Clyde.