SANDWICH, England -- Well before COVID-19 intervened, the 149th Open figured to have its peculiarities and idiosyncrasies at a course known for its oddities.
Royal St. George's is the closest venue to London and likely the furthest from the top of anyone's Open list of courses. That's not to say the links in the southeast part of England, which was supposed to host the event in 2020 before it was canceled because of the coronavirus, isn't an excellent test.
But what it lacks in, say, the beauty of Turnberry, the history of St Andrews, the fairness of Muirfield, it makes up for with a quirkiness that is likely unmatched in major championship golf.