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Venue: Royal Troon Dates: Thu 18-Sun 21 July Coverage: Live radio and text commentary on BBC Sport website, with video clips each day. Daily highlights programme on BBC Two from 20:00 BST. Click for full details.

The legend of the Postage Stamp reached a new level on Tuesday when Bryson DeChambeau, the US Open champion, spoke about the devilish little par-three eighth at Royal Troon. It is a hole that has in past Open championships seen a one and a 15 and plenty of other numbers in between. “Well, it can be diabolical, for sure,” said the American, which was nothing unusual in itself.



At 123 yards and surrounded by bunkers - one of them going by the cheery name of The Coffin - it can be utterly diabolical. What was different was the fact that at the time he was talking, DeChambeau hadn’t even set foot on it. Ever.

Its reputation preceded it. He hadn’t hit one shot and yet he knew everything he needed to do there and, more importantly, everything he simply could not do. It is, of course, in the pantheon of great Open holes.

A tee box atop a dune, a long and narrow green set into the side of a sandhill, five intimidating bunkers lying in wait for an errant blow, which is precisely what the wind might do at some point this week. If it does, watch out. The wind at the Postage Stamp is your enemy.

Small target, tiny margin for error. Seven or eight yards of width to hit into and accuracy and nerve required. It’s terrific golf architecture, demanding course management rat.

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