2024 Open Championship to host PGA Tour history's longest and shortest hole on the same venue
The 2024 Open Championship at South Ayrshire's Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland will feature the longest hole in the championship's history. PGA Tour players will compete for a purse of $16,500,000 USD.
The sixth hole will play 623 yards. The same hole played 601 yards at the 2016 Open Championship. The previous record for the longest hole played in the Open's history was set at Royal Liverpool's 620 yard 15th hole.
Ironically, the PGA Tour players will also play the shortest hole in the Open Championship's history. The eighth hole par-3 called the 'Postage Stamp' might play 99 yards.
The Open tournament committee might decide to cut the already record-holding shortest Open 123-yard hole to 99 yards. The decision will take place on the basis of weather, following the hole cut down to 95 yards at the 2020 AIG Women's Open.
The yardages will also be changed on holes 11, 12, 14, 17, and 18 in addition to new bunkers constructed on the 1st hole fairway, the sixth hole fairway, and by the sixth hole green. The course will play 7385 yards compared to 2016's 7190 yards.
These changes were made to accommodate more spectators and enhance the PGA Tour player's experience, visual aesthetics, and the flow of operations.
2024 Open Championship Course Changes
The 2024 Open Championship to be played at Royal Troon will have the total course yardage increase by 195 yards - 101 yards added on the front nine and 94 yards added on the back nine - since the 2016 Open Championship.
The yardage of only two holes on the course will remain unchanged - the par 5 13th hole will continue to play at 473 yards and the par 4 18th hole will play 458 yards. Pending the decision on the eighth hole yardage, the hole might be the third unchanged hole.
All par-fives on the course have been extended for the 2024 Open Championship. The most yardage added to a hole is on the par 5 fourth hole, with 44 yards added to bring the total yardage of the hole to 599 yards.
The sixth hole has 22 yards added to its 601 yards to create the longest hole in the tournament's history. The final par 5 of the course, the 16th hole, will have 18 yards added to its 554 yards.