British Open venue sees scrutiny

After a 15-year absence, following Zimbabwean Nick Price's spectacular triumph in 1994, the par-70 Ailsa course is again ready to offer a testing challenge to the game's top golfers.

But while organizers hope the spotlight will be on the likes of Tiger Woods and defending champion Padraig Harrington, the venue itself will come under intense scrutiny.

Situated on the southwest coast of Scotland, some 70 miles from Glasgow, Turnberry has hosted the event just three times and is the most underused of all the current courses on the Open rota.

After Price's win, Turnberry was discarded due to the poor road networks leading up to the course. Put simply, they couldn't cope with the volume of traffic one of sport's biggest competitions now generates.

Previous attempts to be reinstated were rejected but after a 800,000-pound traffic management scheme was put in place, Open organizers, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (RandA), relented and accepted Turnberry's bid to stage this year's event.

But while they expect traffic to run more smoothly this time, there are other fears over this year's flagship event.

Turnberry was bought by Leisurecorp in a 55-million-pound takeover in October 2008. But since then the Dubai-based firm has been taken over by its government-owned parent company in a move interpreted as a sign of financial problems.

While Leisurecorp insists corporate changes haven't affected preparation for The Open, planning for the event has been riddled with problems, particularly when it comes to the 30-million-pound renovation of the Turnberry Hotel that overlooks the course.

Speculation has been growing that the world-famous facility, where a large percentage of the golfers will be staying, will not be ready in time.

Even as late as Monday, there were reports in the local media that parts of the hotel resembled a building site with unplastered ceilings and exposed pipework and wiring in some of the bedrooms while some bathrooms had no fittings at all.

The claims have been played down and will all be forgotten if come Sunday evening Turnberry has produced another tournament to remember.

The course, which has been lengthened to 7,204 yards, offers stunning views of Ailsa Craig, the Isle of Arran and the Mull of Kintyre, with the imposing hotel, which is painted white, another impressive sight in the background.

But despite it's aesthetic qualities, the course is a brutal and severe test.

As well as the extra yardage, six new tees and 21 new bunkers have been added to make it even more difficult this time out.

While the fairways are relatively wide, the rough, especially near the greens, is unforgiving.

Throw in a strong wind and you have the ultimate challenge in links golf.

Three times the event has been staged at Turnberry and each time the winner has arguably been the game's best at that time.

When Price won 15 years ago, he finished the year ranked number one in the world.

He brilliantly eagled the 17th as leader Jesper Parnevik was bogeying the last, and snatched victory from the clutches of the luckless Swede.

Eight years earlier in 1986, Greg Norman produced a memorable second-round 63 in wild conditions, which set him on the way to his first major victory.

But perhaps the most famous was the epic 1977 contest which is still regarded as one of the best majors ever played.

Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus were level going into the final round and, after some breathtaking shot making by both players in a memorable final day, Watson emerged triumphant with a one-shot victory after a brilliant five-under 65.

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