Phew! What a week. Where do I start?
The 151st Open Championship is now in the rear-view mirror and, as is the way with these things, it was a disappointment for many but a triumph for a few – particularly Brian Harman, the diminutive left-hander from Georgia, who was announced as the Champion Golfer of the Year last Sunday.

The final putt drops and Brian Harman has given the rest of the field a six-of-the-best beating to lift the claret jug. [PGATOUR.]

A birdie at the 72nd hole was the “perfect finish to what has been the most unbelievable week” for home member Matthew Jordan. [DP World Tour/Getty Images]
The course was magnificently prepared by James Bledge, the Links Manager, and his crew. One of the bones of contention, which got plenty of air time, was the preparation of the bunkers, which were raked so that the bases were flat and the walls perpendicular. When Mo Richmond and I walked the course together, we had plenty of opportunity to get a close-up view of these monsters. There were even a couple on the left of the 9th where the back lip was overhanging the sand.
I thought they were tricked up, overstepped the mark and were, quite frankly, not golf. Not even the world’s best can make a ball move vertically upwards and then forwards, so belated kudos to the R&A for amending the raking to ensure a small slope to the height of the first rivet – not that they should have got the set-up wrong in the first place.

Classic 1920s bunkering at Moor Park golf club. Picture from Fred Hawtree’s famous “The Golf Course: Planning, Design, Construction & Maintenance”. Not a vertical face in sight.
If you think the pros are too pampered and want everything manicured to the nth degree (which they probably do), why not keep the penalising quality and difficulty of sand play by reintroducing rakes with wide gaps between the teeth? Jack Nicklaus did this at his Memorial tournament but the outcry from the players was such that even the great man bowed to the pressure. What a pity. Two wrongs don’t make a right, however, and vertical faces are most definitely not the answer.
My billet for the week was in a house just over the fence from the 7th green and on the days I had a later start I could waken in the morning and hear the applause from the nearby galleries. Being able to walk to the course was the perfect way to beat the traffic. Second best was arriving by bike, which legions of spectators did, and there was an enormous secure bike park provided over near the practice range. Some did prefer to try and park a little closer, however.

These bikes were secured here all four days, a mere couple of hundred yards from one of the admission gates.
And for those who didn’t have tickets the mesh fence separating the 4th green from the pavement outside the course proved irresistible.

…Little Eye. The first new hole at Royal Liverpool for half a century sparked much debate. I wouldn’t be surprised if the members vote for a few softening alterations – for the good of their health.
My brief this week was to be a contributing member of the Open Radio broadcast team under the able stewardship of Steve Tebbs. On air for virtually every shot of the Championship it was a huge effort from a very talented team and my debut with them was fun and enjoyable from start to finish. Hopefully, the great mix of voices and characters provided a good listen and it was a pleasant change to walk the fairways with someone even taller than me. Thanks to Rob Dinwiddie (picture at top) for being such a good companion.
I was only sorry that socialising was on short ration for me yet again this week but it’s another major in the books and huge thanks to all the team, as well as my Sirius XM colleagues, for looking after me so well.
By my reckoning that’s the 29th Open I’ve attended and the 23rd one at which I’ve worked. Each and every one has been different and has had its own high points and memorable moments. I don’t think you’d be surprised at which is my all-time favourite: think Royal Portrush, 2019 and Shane.
But my favourite thing of all is the moment a new champion lifts that claret jug and realises all the hard work and sacrifice have paid off.
It’s a joy to witness.