Faldo's rough guide

NICK FALDO today warned that Royal Lytham and St Annes will cut up rough for the 156 golfers competing in The Open.

Faldo, three-times a winner of the Claret Jug, played a practice round there last Monday and reported: "It was narrow and there is very thick rough.

It is two-feet deep and very, very green with all this rain. It is real lose-your-ball stuff, so it is pretty serious."

That news will ignite fears that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, who promote The Open, have replicated the conditions that caused so much controversy at Carnoustie two years ago.

On that occasion thick, grabbing rough, combined with extremely narrow fairways and a stiff wind blowing in off the North Sea decimated the field where rank outsider Paul Lawrie claimed the title.

Faldo, who won the 1975 English Amateur Championship at Lytham and then made the first of a record 11 Ryder Cup appearances there two years later, says this week's test won't be as tough.

He added: "The rough is as thick, but Lytham is a little wider than Carnoustie. And in theory it won't blow as hard at Lytham. It will just rain!"

_ Weather forecast for tomorrow and Thursday: Heavy rain.

Copyright 2001
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.