Defending Open champion Darren Clarke has echoed Tiger Woods's claims that the rough at this year's Championship is going to be "brutal".
Woods, a four-time holder of the Claret Jug, described the long grass at Royal Lytham & St Annes as "unplayable" yesterday.
"There are a few patches out there where it's just absolutely brutal," said Clarke, who overcame testing conditions at Royal St Georges last year to claim his first major title.
"The grass is a little bit thicker than what you normally find on a links golf course. It's really, really tough.
"If you start spraying the ball around this week, you might as well go home."
Clarke will play alongside Ernie Els and Zach Johnson in the opening two rounds after the tee times for the first two days were announced earlier today.
