OPEN legend Greg Norman has leapt to the defence of the R&A which has come under-fire from some of the players for the way the Royal Birkdale course is set up.
The R&A have faced criticism for the length of some of the par fours at the 137th Open Championship, which players who teed off in the wind and rain on Thursday morning found to be unreachable in two shots.
But Norman, who rolled back the years wi
th a level-par 70 in the milder afternoon conditions, said: "This is the best British Open I have played in.
"It favours every style of player and gives the opportunity to do well to someone like myself.
Click here to read Nick Westby's Birkdale blog."It really is a big testament to the way the golf course is playing."
"Maybe some young players are not used to experiencing these conditions and that makes the conditions an equaliser."
Despite Norman's relative comfort at playing blustery Birkdale, the 1986 and 1993 champion's level-par total leaves him just one shot off the lead.
Rocco Mediate, runner-up in the US Open last month, Scottish Open winner Graeme McDowell and Norman's compatriot Robert Allenby, all fired 69 to set the first round lead at one under par.
More from Nick Westby and Bill Bridge at Birkdale in Friday's Yorkshire Post.The full article contains 236 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
