Helensburgh's Gary Orr gears up for the Open

Jun 19 2009

HELENSBURGH’S Gary Orr might have had his work cut out for him to qualify for the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry – but the hard work has only just begun.

On July 15, it will be exactly 15 years since the Ayrshire course last held the Championship – and 15 years since Orr missed the cut there.

In fact, the 42-year-old's Open record isn't the best – having made just one cut out of the six Opens he’s played in. The only time he did make the cut he finished tied for 41st – not exactly tussling for the title.

But this time around it could well be Orr's Open.

He has shown some of his best form already this season, coming second in the European Open at the London Club, which propelled him for the first time to the position of top world- ranked Scot at number 130. Meanwhile, his performance in the Open Championship's European leg of the International Final Qualifying at Sunningdale was nothing short of excellent.

Again finishing tied for second, this time just a single shot behind winner, England's Graeme Storm, in a 36-hole shoot out in which just 10 players made it through to the big event. Proof, at least, that Orr is in fine form going into the event.

Equally, the course set-up couldn't be further from how it was when Nick Price won and Orr missed the cut in 1994.

The course has undergone a variety of changes that might just suit the two-time European Tour winner down to a tee.

The most extensive changes have taken place at the 10th, 16th and 17th holes, thanks to better use of the natural terrain at 10, the introduction of a dogleg at 16 and the extension of 17 by 61 yards.

And if it is the idea of local competition that drives Orr to win, he couldn't be better placed than in this year's event.

There are currently more Scots in the 2009 Open than there have been in recent years – with Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, Sandy Lyle, Martin Laird, Richie Ramsay and David Drysdale joining Orr at Turnberry.

The camaraderie could be enough to push at least one of them – hopefully Orr – to perform to their best at an Open Championship in their own country.

All in all, it is fair to say that 2009 could be Orr's Open. He is showing some of the best form he has since his wins in 2000, which, coincidentally, was the same year in which he made his only Open cut – perhaps this could be the year Helensburgh history is made.