SOUTHPORT, England – Jason Day can hit his driver into places that few can. That’s normally a good thing. This time, though, it led to a rules change days before The Open Championship. Royal Birkdale’s 10th fairway was declared out-of-bounds for golfers playing the ninth hole. The internal out-of-bounds was instituted after Day’s caddie, Col Swatton, inquired about cutting the corner on No. 9 by hitting the tee shot down the next fairway. “The great thing about links golf is you can play a hole in multiple ways, and that’s one of the beauties of it,� R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers said Wednesday. “But in this particular case … the only way you can get the ball onto the 10th fairway is to drive it straight over the top of the grandstand and then bring the ball back across the ninth green, across two opposing groups of people. “We felt that was just dangerous.� The ninth hole is a 416-yard, par-4 with a fairway that doglegs to the right about 280 yards from the tee, requiring players to hit something shorter than driver to keep their ball from running through the fairway. The 10th hole, a 402-yard, par-4, runs back toward the ninth tee. A player could get within 90 yards of the ninth green by hitting driver toward the 10th tee, Day said. While it was his caddie who enquired about the option, Day was unlikely to use the option. “I don’t think anyone was going to go down there. We just asked,� he said. “It is kind of a strange line.� Slumbers said he had not seen anyone attempt the shot during practice rounds, but the inquiry alone was enough for the R&A to take the step. There will not be white stakes on the 10th fairway. Instead, the out-of-bounds will be defined by the closely mown area. In addition to protecting the fans in and around the grandstands, the rule will protect players walking up the 10th fairway and directly into the alternate landing zone for No. 9. Slumbers noted that it’s “blind to the 10th fairway from the ninth tee.� Day was sympathetic to the safety concerns but didn’t think the out-of-bounds was warranted, since the option may not be used at all and the internal OB introduces a severe penalty for a wayward shot. “You can get an unlucky bounce. If you lose one in the wind, and it bounces awkwardly, and you’re a foot on the (10th) fairway, you’re out of bounds. It’s a little unfair,� Day said. “The R&A has obviously made that rule for a purpose.� The new rule means Day will no longer consider using driver off the ninth tee. “Guess I’ll be hitting iron down there now,� he said.
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