AMERICANS WILL NOT MC' THE OPEN GRADE!

JOHN McHenry expects the Americans to arrive all swagger and poise at The Open.

- BY DEREK FOLEY

But despite that nation providing three of the last four winners, he can't see them repeating the feat at Portrush this week given the links is not a gambler's paradise at the best of times.

Busy schedules can mean fitting in a mid-season trans-Atlantic hop doesn’t appeal.

"The first thing is simply jet-lag, some players simply can't shake it, others worry about it and it affects them," said former pro McHenry.

"What I will say though is that once here and on the tee they do take something like an Open Championship extremely seriously.

"Secondly, it’s just that the money is just so big in America now, coming over to play the Scottish Open in advance of an Open Championship or playing an Irish Open, to them it doesn’t make any sense.

"They are quite committed to playing in America for a bigger prize pot and take their chances as a one-off in Open Championships."