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Welcome to a kinder, gentler Royal St. George's at The Open ... but will it stay that way?

SANDWICH, England -- The mean-spirited among us prefer to see whitecaps on the English Channel, umbrellas breaking in half, waterproofs as the preferred clothing. If the wind wants to howl at a reasonably high rate, that would be good, too.

That is Open weather. The kind that showcases -- and sometimes exposes -- the best golfers in the world. It can be maddening and frustrating, but it is pure entertainment for the golf public that enjoys seeing professionals endure the elements at the game's oldest championship.

Of course, Mother Nature does not always cooperate. And there are many who were just fine with the rather pleasant day that unfolded at Royal St.