𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

The shot Lucas Herbert just hit from the sand way left of the 17th green is a good example of where players can end up when they miss wide on this golf course.

Typically, at the majors, it actually hurts you more to miss the fairway by only a couple of yards, where all the thick rough is. But if you miss way offline, you usually can get lucky, because the rough is stomped down by the crowds and the lies are often favorable.

At Royal Birkdale however, many of the walkways outside the ropes are just sand — thick, dark beach sand. And they’re littered with deep footprints.

Herbert got pretty lucky there, as he was able to splash out a wedge almost like he was hitting a greenside bunker shot. By comparison, this was a lie Kristoffer Reitan got earlier today when he missed the 14th fairway way left.