Royal Birkdale has been revamped for its staging of the 2008 Open Championship, organisers revealed yesterday (Tuesday, April 29th).
The Southport course will be stretched by 155 yards to 7,173 yards in total ahead of this year's event - still relatively short for a championship course.
Since American Mark O'Meara became Open champion at the venue ten years ago, 16 of the 18 holes have had changes made to them, including the addition and removal of some fairway bunkers.
Responding to suggestions that Tiger Woods would be able to negotiate the course without having to reach for his driver, Royal & Ancient secretary Peter Dawson commented: "He'll play the course on the day as he sees fit. If he sees hitting the fairways as the way around, that's what he'll no doubt do."
Mr Dawson added: "But I don't think that this golf course you could accuse of being a short course."
O'Meara's win in 1998 came in a purple patch for the man from North Carolina - he had triumphed at the US Masters only months earlier
Royal Birkdale has been revamped for its staging of the 2008 Open Championship, organisers revealed yesterday (Tuesday, April 29th).
