We can only wonder what Sam Locke was doing when Paul Lawrie unleashed that now iconic 4-iron to within a few feet of Carnoustie’s 18th hole en route to his play-off victory in the 1999 Open, writes Nick Rodger.
Given that Locke was about 11-months-old at the time we can probably assume that he had more important matters on his mind like sleeping, eating and crying.
Nearly two decades on from the shimmering success of Lawrie, Locke is warming up for the biggest event of his young career so far.
Read more: Russell Knox savouring the "craziness" of a pairing with Tiger Woods at the Open
Qualifying for the Open not long after his mentor announced that he would not be playing due to injury at least tempered some of the disappointment felt by those in the Lawrie camp. The 19-year-old Locke, who will defend his Scottish Amateur Championship title in a fortnight, is eager to make the most of the occasion.
Lawrie made a name for himself with the ultimate conquest 19 years ago. Locke’s ambitions may be slightly more modest this week but the young Aberdonian is keen to show what he can do.
“I know people say I have nothing to lose this week but I have my own goals that I have set for myself,” he said. “I will be trying to do the best I can and make a name for myself on the biggest stage.”
Watched every step of the way by Lawrie, Locke has the benefit of being able to draw on that encyclopaedic knowledge of Carnoustie’s abundant nooks and crannies.
“But I have to develop a plan that suits me,” he noted. “The way that Paul sees a hole may not be a shot that I like and vice versa but having him there is a massive help.”
With fairways generating the kind of roll you’d get if you thundered a drive down an airport runway, Locke is enjoying the challenges that are being posed by this true links test. It can take a bit of getting used to.
Read more: Russell Knox savouring the "craziness" of a pairing with Tiger Woods at the Open
“With some of the shots downwind, the numbers you are writing down for maximum distance sound a bit silly at the time,” he said. “I had only played Carnoustie once before this week at a sponsor’s day.
“I was playing off the forward tees so I was able to bang a driver over the bunkers at a lot of the holes but you can’t do that off the back tees. It will be a few more irons off the tee to stay short of them and then longer irons into the green. You have to just embrace the challenge.”
Twenty years ago, Justin Rose was a teenage amateur in the Birkdale Open and finished in a share of fourth. Any words of advice for the four members of the unpaid ranks competing this week?
“Believe in yourself,” said Rose. “And if there’s a moment when you can get on the leaderboard, then enjoy those experiences.
“Go in to it with a Cinderella story in mind knowing it’s possible. We always see an amateur do well at some point in Open week. Hopefully it can be Sam.”
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