Understandably, young Australian golfer Bryden Macpherson plans to hit the pub after the end of his British Open nightmare.
But not before he heads to the driving range.
The 23-year-old completed one of the tournament’s worst performances after carding a second-round 80 on Friday to finish a distant last – 26-over-par for the tournament.
It came after the former British Amateur champion shot an 18-over-par 90 on Thursday, the highest-round score at the British Open in 15 years.
After a performance reminiscent of compatriot Ian Baker-Finch’s British Open meltdown in 1997 – which prompted the former Open champion’s retirement – Macpherson could be forgiven for wanting to get as far away from a golf course as possible.
But he insists he will reflect positively on his experience at Hoylake, vowing it will make him stronger in the future.
“I enjoyed every moment of it, as much as you could,” Macpherson said on Friday.
“You go out there and try and take everything for what it is rather than what you want it to be.
“I think it’s just character-building, that’s all it is and, if you see it as anything more or less, then you’re looking at it the wrong way.”
World No.1 Adam Scott offered his support after Macpherson’s woeful opening round on Thursday which featured a quadruple bogey, triple-bogey and three doubles, backing the youngster to bounce back and advising him to “go have a couple of beers”.
“I’m going to the range after this,” a defiant Macpherson said.
“But, yeah, there might be a couple (of beers tonight).
“Maybe Scotty will buy me a couple.”
Macpherson didn’t make the Open field by accident.
He qualified on the back of his top-10 finish at the Australian Open in January which arrived on the back of a string of consistent results in Asia.
Macpherson said he had the “yips” for the first time in his career midway through his opening round, inexplicably losing his swing before things snowballed out of control.
He was considerably better on Friday, with his round featuring a birdie at the 10th and only one double-bogey.
“I just stuck to my routine and tried to play another round to the best of my ability,” Macpherson said.
“That certainly wasn’t the best of my ability today but it was a lot closer.”
Macpherson, competing in his third major, has vowed to return to the Open Championship.
After some time for reflection, he’ll turn his attention to upcoming events in China and Fiji.
Macpherson’s opening round was the highest British Open single-round score since Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng opened with a 91 at Carnoustie in 1999, two years after Baker-Finch’s opening 92 at Royal Troon in 1997.
