Nolan refuses to set a limit on his Open ambitions

Liam Nolan

Galway amateur Liam Nolan is not in Troon to make up the numbers and it’s a testament to his ambition that his only goal is to see where he ends up “on Sunday evening”.

The Bearna native (24), who will make his major championship debut in the third last group of the day at 4.05 pm, is not setting the bar at merely making the cut.

As he prepares to turn professional later this summer, the former Walker Cup star is here to compete and he’s hoping to round off a special week and overcome the inevitable nerves by putting in a memorable performance.

“It’s been pretty special,” Nolan said as he prepared to head out for his last practice round with Scotland’s Ewan Ferguson, Germany’s Stephan Jaeger and England’s Sam Hutsby.  

“There are a lot more people here today, so it’s getting that little bit more nervy. But I am trying to enjoy every bit of it. Hopefully that looks after the nerves.”

Nolan has made good use of his time so far, playing with three Open champions.

Having pegged it with up with Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry on Monday, he joined 2004 Troon winner Todd Hamilton and former Irish Open champion John Catlin on the back nine on Tuesday.

“Todd was very generous sharing all of his knowledge when he won here in ’04,” he said. 

“It was really cool to walk and play with him, and ask him a lot of questions, and I also played with John Catlin, who was also fun to play with.”

Hamilton (58) famously used a fairway wood to chip close at the final playoff hole and beat Ernie Els here 20 years ago and he hasn’t forgot how to play that shot as he returns to The Open for the first time since 2018.

“Every hole, he dropped like three balls 30 feet short, and got out his three wood and hit it up to four feet; every one of them,” Nolan said.  

“He was trying to teach John the shot, but John wasn't really getting the hang of it. Todd is one of the best at it.”
Christy O’Connor Jnr famously described a late afternoon tee time at The Open as akin to being “out with the bin men” as dusk falls and field (bloated from the preferred 156 to 159 this year) battles to finish before dark.  

“I don’t mind,” he said of his late tee time with Spanish amateur Jaime Montojo Fernandez and Kiwi Kazuma Kobori.

“I know Jaime from Spain really well. Played with him a few times before. Nice to have a familiar face. I’m looking forward to getting going.”

As for his goal, it’s certainly not just to make the cut.

“My goal is to enjoy myself, keep striking it the way I am and see where I end up Sunday evening,” he said.  

As for making the cut, he said: “I don’t believe in that! I just want to play well and see where that leaves me.”