(Editor's Note: Golf fitness trainer Sean Cochran (www.seancochran.com) is at the 2006 Open Championship with Phil Mickelson, for whom he serves as trainer. Sean will be filing daily journal entries through the conclusion of the tournament.)
The weather continues to be beautiful here in Hoylake, England. The locals say this is the best weather they have had in years. Or, as they would put it, "This is the bloody best weather we have had in ages mate, cheers!"
The weather's so good, I feel like I am back in California. It's been sunny and in the 70s since we arrived last Wednesday.
Supposedly, the weather is to change a bit at week's end. Forecasts are calling for rain and cooler temps by Friday, something I know many of the players would like. The reason is that Royal Liverpool is going to play too easy without a little wind to guard it. Mark Calcavecchia was quoted in the local paper as hoping for a change in the weather. It appears to me the players will go low unless Mother Nature gets a little fiercer before Sunday.
I was out at the course today and saw firsthand what Phil, Dave Pelz and "Bones" had been talking about all week. I entered the course and viewed the clubhouse at Royal Liverpool, a very traditional red brick structure of crawling ivy, very picturesque if you ask me.
Walking out onto the course, I saw a large, barren patch of a golf course next to Liverpool Bay. All I saw was brown grass, surrounding a milder shade of brown fairways, with a little more green color where the flags are set. Certainly much different than the courses in the States. Royal Liverpool is a fairly flat course with knee-high rough, scrub bushes and pot bunkers.
A large number of spectators were out today taking in the practice rounds. All in shorts and having a great time (I find it hard to be drinking beer at 10 a.m., but some spectators found it to be a perfect time for a pint - to each his own I guess).
Phil was off with Fred Couples early today, taking in another practice round at the course.
Walking around the course today, the fairways were fairly tight, the rough high, bunkers deep, and greens lighting quick. Watching tee shots land, you could see the fairways were hard as concrete. Balls were rolling a mile before they stopped, and talk about hard greens. There were a few holes where I saw no one get a ball to stop. They would roll on up and then roll back off (if it stays that way, I imagine a great short game will be needed to win this 2006 Open Championship).
The rough is high, but also wispy - not too green or thick, so the players should be able to hit out if they get a little offtrack. But there are also these little scrub bushes along the way. And if a player gets into one of those, I don’t see hit getting out of it.
The course appears to be playing pretty short today, understandably with the rock hard fairways, and less than a breeze of wind. But if the wind picks up, I imagine this course will get real long, real quick.
What is it going to take to win this 2006 Open Championship? Well, if the weather stays like it has been, it will take some straight hitting off the tee, a stellar short game around the greens, and a great week of putting.
If the weather changes, if it gets a little wet, and the wind picks up, it becomes a whole different ball of wax. Winning will take more length off the tee, more accuracy with all shots (don’t want to hit into knee high stuff when it's wet), and a variety of shots to deal with the wind.
Practice rounds continue today and tomorrow.
As for Phil's preparation, it continues as planned: Working with Pelz and Bones all day, and getting his workouts in with me at night. Tonight we will do a "light workout" (he did his "hard workout" yesterday) lasting just about an hour. We will do his flexibility exercises, a few balance drills, some core strength and power exercises, and finish it up with a little martial arts training.
My job with him this week is to physically "peak" him for play starting on Thursday. A fine line to follow, but something I have little experience with over the past few years.
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