Open Saturday, Order of Play query

[User62651]

Ok, good call to go off 1st and 10th to get everyone out early due to weather concerns. However why is Woods effectively going off last even if from 10th tee? He and others at bottom of leaderboard should have been off first from either the 1st or 10th, what's the reasoning behind this? We should have the leaders on the course last shouldn't we? Is this fair or is it just a way of getting the crowd favourite out there at same time as leaders for tv?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Ok, good call to go off 1st and 10th to get everyone out early due to weather concerns. However why is Woods effectively going off last even if from 10th tee? He and others at bottom of leaderboard should have been off first from either the 1st or 10th, what's the reasoning behind this? We should have the leaders on the course last shouldn't we? Is this fair or is it just a way of getting the crowd favourite out there at same time as leaders for tv?

The cynical amongst us would say so. There is a post on this in the Open thread with a tweet from Iain Carter (BBC 5live) who says it is purely coincidental

 

[BTatHome]

Ensures that players close together on scores are playing at almost the same time. I guess they don't alternate the tee starts as that ensures there is no favouritism between start points.