The challenging Muirfield links course is hard enough on a full night’s sleep.
So Australian veteran Peter Senior understandably wasn’t overly discouraged with his first-round three-over 74 at the British Open on the back of just 57 minutes of shut-eye.
The jet-lagged 53-year-old only arrived in Scotland from the US on Tuesday and still hadn’t quite adjusted when he teed off in the opening group of the tournament at 6.33am local time.
“I woke up at 4.30 but I went to bed at 3.33,” said Senior, competing in his 19th Open.
“I haven’t had much sleep but I’ll probably crash this afternoon. There’ll be a lot more tonight, I guarantee it.”
After finishing tied 14th at last week’s US Senior Open in Omaha, Nebraska, timing issues meant the Australian had to travel to Scotland via Chicago and London.
In the circumstances, Senior didn’t feel too bad and said his score would have been much better if not for too many misses with his broomstick putter.
“I was pretty happy with how I hit the ball today but I putted awful,” said Senior, who has been in good form on the Champions Tour.
“It’s probably the worst I’ve putted all year today.
“In these championships you can’t afford to give them away so it’s disappointing with the score the way I played.”
Senior’s poor short game cost him a double bogey on the first hole, though he hit straight back with a birdie and steadied, before dropping two shots late on.
“I need to putt a little better tomorrow,” he said.