Read more: The Open Championship Round 1 Recap: Daniel Brown leads over Shane Lowry at Royal Troon

At this year's Open Championship at Royal Troon, early rounds saw many players struggle to navigate the storied Scottish links course. Among them was LIV Golf recruit Dean Burmester, who had carried disappointing form from the previous LIV event in Spain over to Thursday morning. Through his opening seven holes, the South African stood at a discouraging four-over-par.

Playing in the same group as Darren Clarke, the 2011 Open champion, Burmester was clearly searching for answers. But on the short 8th hole, nicknamed the treacherous 'Postage Stamp', a breakthrough arrived when Burmester sunk a 7-foot putt for birdie. As he recounted afterwards, this is when Clarke took notice of his partner's plight and offered some sage advice. "Come on, go on and roll it in," Clarke encouraged Burmester walking off the green.

Darren Clarke’s last victory prior to Sunday – The 2011 Open Championship at Royal St. George’s (Photo – R & A)

Buoyed by Clarke's words, Burmester gathered himself and his game began to turn a corner. He birdied the 12th and then pulled off an impressive shot to within 9 feet on the long 16th, before holing out from a greenside bunker for an eagle. By day's end, four birdies had lifted Burmester to an even-par total, a more than respectable result given the conditions.

“An amazing moment I won’t forget,” Burmester said. “It was really cool to have a full grandstand there, and to hit a shot, have it one-bounce in the hole was cool.”

When asked about the round afterwards, Burmester gave full credit to Clarke and what his experience and guidance meant during a trying stretch. 

“I’ve played a practice round with him before,” he said. “I’ve never played in a tournament with him. What an amazing day that was. He’s one of my good guys I used to watch. What a great golf swing he has, so consistent, so solid. It was really fun to be out there, and he’s still got so much game. So that Champions Tour is keeping him sharp.

"It was cool to chat stories and hear a lot of his Open stories and a lot of other stories. He's a super man," said Burmester of the 2001 champion. For Burmester, who is still adjusting to links golf after making the jump to LIV, Clarke's mid-round encouragement clearly provided the spark needed to start converting opportunities into scores.

“I wouldn’t tell those ones,” he said. “But he likes a pint of Guinness, we’ll put it that way.”

While the ultimate result remains to be seen over the next three days, Burmester's turnaround shows the benefits of major winners sharing their hard-earned wisdom. It could just be the lift he needs to shake off recent struggles and contend on golf's oldest championship stage. 

“No, it took me a long time,” he said. “It took me a good five years before I really started to be comfortable on links courses. I remember coming over for my first Scottish Open, Irish Open, things like that, back in the day, and I just had no idea. Just did not know how to — I didn’t know what to do around the greens. I didn’t know what to do into the greens, how to be able to hit a 2-iron instead of trying to hit driver over here. Two-iron is going to go just as far as your driver into the wind kind of thing. 

“Those things take time to learn, and I learned all those and I’ve had some good weeks around links golf before, and I’m hoping to have three more good days here.”

All eyes will be on whether Darren Clarke's timely talk carries Burmester further up the leaderboard as this year's Open wears on.

How does playing on links courses differ from other types of golf courses

Terrain and Topography

• Undulated Surfaces: Links courses are typically situated on undulating terrain with sandy soil, leading to firm and fast fairways. This allows for significant roll on tee shots, especially when downwind, contrasting with the softer, lush conditions of parkland courses.

• Natural Hazards: Links courses often feature natural dunes and fewer trees, which means golfers must navigate through more open spaces and deal with varied lies, including uphill and downhill shots. This contrasts with parkland courses that are generally lined with trees and have more predictable terrain.

Weather and Wind

• Wind Influence: The coastal locations of links courses expose them to strong winds, which can drastically affect shot trajectories and distances. Golfers must constantly adapt their shots based on changing wind conditions, making strategic decision-making crucial.

• Variable Conditions: The weather can change rapidly, adding an element of unpredictability not commonly experienced on parkland courses. This requires players to be versatile and creative in their shot-making.

Playing Strategy

• Bump-and-Run Shots: Due to the firm and fast conditions, players often employ a bump-and-run technique, using lower trajectory shots that roll towards the hole rather than trying to land the ball softly on the greens, which are typically less receptive.

• Creativity and Shot Variety: Links golf encourages a wide range of shots, from flops to low runners, requiring players to think creatively about how to navigate the course. This contrasts with the more straightforward shot-making often seen on parkland courses, where players can rely more on traditional high shots.

Course Design

• Bunkers: Links courses feature deep, strategically placed bunkers, often with high lips, which can be challenging to escape. These bunkers are a hallmark of links golf, unlike the more varied bunker designs found on parkland courses.

• Greens: The greens on links courses tend to be larger and flatter, often with significant undulations that can make putting particularly challenging. In contrast, parkland greens are typically smaller and more manicured, making them easier to read and putt on.

References: https://golf.com/news/how-liv-golf-pro-took-off-open-major-winners-talk/