Turnberry lengthens for this year’s British Open

TURNBERRY, Scotland (AP) — Organizers of the British Open at Turnberry have lengthened the course by 247 yards since it was last played there 15 years ago.

The new layout features six new tees, including a spectacular 200-yard drive over the bay near the famous Lighthouse at the 10th hole.

The changes, which have been made gradually over the years, were announced at a news conference at the course on Tuesday.

The yardage changes for the July 16-19 championship include 135 yards added to the final three holes, with the par-5 17th stretched from 498 to 559 yards and the 16th changing from a 410-yard straight hole to a 455-yard dogleg right.

The course on the west coast of Scotland, which held the tournament in 1977, ’86 and ’94, now has an overall length of 7,204 yards, up from 6,957.

Tiger Woods, who has won the British Open three times, will play the course for the first time. Padraig Harrington, winner at Carnoustie in 2007 and Royal Birkdale last year, is trying to become the first player to win the Open three years in a row since Peter Thomson in 1956.