There will be a strong Tauranga presence when the Open Championship tees off at Muirhead in Scotland on July 11.
Tauranga Golf Club resident professional Jay Carter will be on the bag for Mark Brown, who has made Tauranga home since February this year. Brown qualified for the Open byshooting a course record 62 to win a pre-selection tournament in Australia at the Kingston Heath course in Melbourne.
Carter was on his bag that day and the partnership worked so well Brown wanted his mate from their amateur days 15 years ago in Wellington to go to Scotland with him.
Brown played the Open Championship in 2009 and is confident a more relaxed build-up to playing this year will pay dividends.
"I haven't played a tournament for close to two months but the form feels good and has really come on in the last month or so," Brown said.
"I am going to play a few open courses over there next week as a warm up.
"I don't know too much about Muirfield ... but from what you hear, it will be a good solid test. I will assume, after the summer they have had so far, the rough will be pretty thick and long. Hopefully the driver and two iron will be pretty important clubs."
Brown is pleased to have Carter caddying for him next week after their success in Melbourne together.
"He has helped my game a lot so he will be able to keep an eye on that and keeping me on track mentally," Brown said.
"Having someone to chat to walking around is pretty important to me to try and relax. It is a good fit of a mate and someone to keep an eye on my game."
For Carter it will be his first Open Championship and he is looking forward to experiencing it from inside the rope alongside Brown.
"It is just about making sure he sticks to his processes, as the hardest thing under pressure is not to go searching," Carter said.
"Keeping him calm and relaxed is key and once he has finished the shot, it is just two mates having a hit at Muirfield, rather than the British Open.
"He plays his best, I think, when he is relaxed and joking around a bit."
