Padraig Harrington has come out in support of the changes made to the famous 17th hole at St Andrews, saying “you want to test the guy who will win the Open”.
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The famous Road Hole has been lengthened by 40 yards, with the tee box now sitting outside the boundaries of the Old Course.
Many players have criticised the changes, with Colin Montgomerie claiming modern-day course designers would be “off their head” for making alterations like it, but Harrington, a two-time Open champion in 2007 and 2008, believes it restores some of the ‘aura’ of the course.
“It’s an intimidating tee shot and a tight fairway, but the way I look at it you always want to make sure that the guy who wins the Open is tested at some stage coming down the stretch,” he said.
“It’s no problem with length and it’s the same angle, it’s just playing as a big hole – as it should be at the end of championship golf. There is no-one going to get through 16 holes without thinking about it for four days.
“It’s what you were used to seeing on the TV years ago and exactly what they need. Everything evolves – you do realise they used to play this course from the greens to the tees, the reverse way round?”
“I know 17 is very high-profile, but this is the modern game. I’m sure the old tee was probably not there 30 years ago. It has to change at some stage ... that is part of golf. All courses, and this one in particular, has evolved over the course of time.”
Harrington has been paired with Ryo Ishikawa and Tom Watson in the first round, which starts on Thursday. 
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