The Open: Matt Fitzpatrick says Royal Liverpool's 17 hole is a 'little bit too severe'
- Planet Sport writer
- 22 July 2023
Former US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick has birdied Royal Liverpool's new 17th hole twice in three attempts but would still rip up the new design and start again.
Matt Fitzpatrick says he would rip up the design of the 17th hole at Royal Liverpool even though he has hit a birdie twice in three attempts.
A triple bogey on Friday may have influenced the Sheffield golfer's thinking but he has not really changed his mind about the short par three since the start of the 151st Open Championship when he described it as "interesting".
His caddie Billy Foster was even stronger in his condemnation, labelling it a "monstrosity" and a calamity waiting to happen.
Fitzpatrick's six there - having flown the green into a sandy waste area - could have been considered in that category but his third-round 67 included four birdies in his final five holes to move to two under for the tournament.
Asked what he would do to improve the hole, he said: "Start again. I don't see what was wrong with the last hole personally.
"I don't particularly like any uphill par threes. I think it's a little bit too severe in a way.
"I remember playing the last hole a long time ago, the par three which went the other way round (towards the clubhouse rather than out to the Dee Estuary), I thought was a great par three.
"I think if you ask the majority of people out here, I would say their opinion is on the slightly more negative side.
"I hit a bad shot (on Friday) so that's on me. Was it too penal? I think it is too penal down there.
"I got punished but at the same time, I think the punishment was a bit too severe."
