Galway amateur Liam Nolan might be all smiles and buzzing with butterflies in his stomach ahead of his major championship debut at the Open this week but he was given a stern reminder that Royal Troon is strictly business.
Playing in a skins match with Pádraig Harrington and Shane Lowry from the seventh hole to the twelfth and American Mason Andersen who linked up with them on the tenth, Nolan gained first hand experience at what makes a major champion tick.
The 24-year-old aims to turn professional later this summer and there was no better school for what awaits in the pro ranks than the cut and thrust of preparing for a major championship alongside former winners Harrington and Lowry.
“We played a money match for the last six holes and what I took from it was that when you think you have a great chance to win the hole, they very quickly shut that down with an amazing chip or a really big, long holed putt,” explained Nolan who qualified for the Open at Final Qualifying.
“They’re the best in the world at what they do. So just noticing that you can get a little bit better at everything is my big takeaway from today.
“This is definitely the best test you can have in terms of turning pro now at the end of the year. So I’m going to soak it all in and give it everything I have.”
Nolan was left amazed by the ability of Harrington and Lowry to make pars from anywhere. Major championships are all about staying alive which means you must practice like you play and the par-4 11th hole was a steep learning curve for the former Walker Cup star who was left dumbfounded that he didn’t win the skin.
“I thought I had a chance to win the skin, and I ended up having to make an eight-footer for par to match the two boys,” Nolan said.
“Pádraig was off the green left to a tight left pin, and Shane had a 40-footer for par.
“So, of course, Shane holed his putt and Pádraig chipped to four feet. Thank god I holed my eight-footer! It was a great lesson. Just when you think you have one up on them, they show you very differently, very quickly.”
It’s an age old tradition that the Irish look after the Irish at major championships. Laytown & Bettystown man Alex Maguire played alongside Harrington and Lowry last year at Holyoke and Nolan was beaming from ear to ear after a dream twelve holes.
“I grew up watching The Open from a young age and we’re lucky to have had a lot of Irish success in it, so to play with two Open champions here today was really exciting,” Nolan said when he stopped to do an interview with The Open TV channel.
“They gave lots of advice — just small things that you need to hear like, just enjoy it. But they also said that while it is a great achievement for an amateur to play in this, you are here to do really well in the tournament, so treat it like that.”
Naturally, the NUIG graduate is having a ball in Troon, but Harrington gave him a swift reminder that the memories can be reflected upon on his way home on Monday morning with the Claret Jug and more realistically the low amateur silver salver to play for.
“Yeah, on the fourth hole. Padraig told me you can have your fun and everything this week, but at the end of the day, you’re here to play a major,” Nolan said.
“It’s very easy for an amateur playing for the first time in a major tournament to get caught up in all the cameras and the crowds and signing autographs.
“But he said you’re here to concentrate and play as well as you can. That’s the most important thing.”
The last couple of seasons have seen Nolan shift through the gears. 2023 proved to be a breakthrough year for him, winning twice in South America and the Brabazon Trophy before making a Walker Cup debut at the Old Course last September.
But a debut at the Open is different gravy.
“I was very fortunate to get to play the Walker Cup at St. Andrews last September and this, in terms of size, is just another step up,” he said.
“It’s absolutely incredible. Even the crowds out here on a Monday are very, very cool to see. So I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll be like on Thursday.
“The course is unbelievable. It’s a perfect day to see it on a day like today with no wind and in tee-shirt weather. You get a really nice feel of the layout.
“It’s an awesome golf course and while the back nine and front nine are so different, both really really cool.
“Around the turn, the visuals off the tee get a little bit more ambiguous. So today was a good day to learn to trust your lines and try and commit to the shot as best you can.
“But again, that’ll change with the changing weather during the week. So yeah, it was great to get that experience out there today. I can’t wait for Thursday.”