European Insider: Local knowledge an advantage

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McDowell is playing for back-to-back majors this week at St. Andrews after winning the U.S. Open in June.

ST. ANDREWS, Scotland -- Count Phil Mickelson and Tom Lehman among the many fans of the Old Course.

"This place is an incredible place," the reigning Masters champ said. "It's a spiritual place as well as a wonderful course. A career doesn't feel complete unless you've won here at St. Andrews."

Jack Nicklaus spoke similarly of the home of golf, and many former Open champions hold the Old Course in the same reverence. Take Lehman, the 1998 champion, for example.

"When you talk about playing at St. Andrews, it's an all encompassing thought," he said. "You have the golf course, the history of the game; you have the town of St Andrews, the people, the traditions. There's so much that makes the Open here so special."

OPEN FOR BUSINESS: The European Tour visits St. Andrews every year for the Dunhill Links Championship. It's a great tournament, always well received whatever the weather, but it doesn't compare to this week as the busy university town swells to several times its normal size. .

Those running guesthouses are moving beds into their neighbors' houses to cater to the extra visitors. Houses that will rent for £800 for the Dunhill Links three months from now can soar to £9000 for this week.

The course is filled with spectators for days before the tournament starts. Bars see customers spill out onto the streets. Restaurants need booking well in advance, or you have to be prepared to queue for hours for a table -- and be prepared to pay inflated prices, too, as new menus are introduced for the week.

We often talk about a buzz before a big tournament. Sometimes, it's hyperbole. Here, honestly, the whole town seems alive, vibrant, expecting.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE: The manner of his victories over the Old Course -- five strokes in 2005, eight in 2000 -- make Tiger Woods an inevitable favorite. Yet, of course, this event features the world's best, a huge strength in depth, and a great many with local knowledge who could prosper.

Two-time Open winner Padraig Harrington feels his two Dunhill victories will serve him well, despite the different nature of the course in autumn. Simon Dyson won the last staging of that event, and fancies his chance of contending over the iconic course once again.

Colin Montgomerie enjoyed his best moment of this year when he shot a scorching 62 to qualify this year, and the Ryder Cup captain looks back with pride on his runner-up finish to Woods here five years ago.

His fellow Scot Stephen Gallacher is in tremendous form, having enjoyed a top-five finish at the PGA Championship at Wentworth and following up with fourth place at Loch Lomond last Sunday. He is another former Dunhill champ.

And Edoardo Molinari won that Barclays Scottish Open by the Bonnie Banks. He has played the Old Course on many occasions.

"My first visit was for the St Andrews Links Trophy," he said. "The first hole was so windy. I hit driver, 2-iron, still short of the water, and that was my welcome to the home of golf."

BACK TO BACK: Graeme McDowell admits to having some "champagne swings" at Loch Lomond. He was well down the field on his return to action after the superlative performance in winning the U.S. Open, and he's certainly been enjoying the celebrations.

He says it feels like he's had three months off, but he's ready to try to make it two major wins in a row. With his affection for links golf, having his home in windswept Portrush in Northern Ireland, who's to say he won't improve markedly on his best Open finish of 11th here at St. Andrews in 2005?

ROAD TO RUIN: Graeme McDowell's views on the newly lengthened Road Hole have been widely reported -- and often mis-reported.

He admits he didn't feel any change was required and some of the drama may have been taken out of the hole, because "it makes a difficult hole even more difficult," but he does feel "it's been really well done, and they've blended it in well."

The famous 17th has had its tee box pushed back 40 yards and now has a minimum carry of 260 yards over the replica railway sheds, and seemingly perilously close to the Old Course Hotel. Many feel the hole will now have to be played very conservatively, and that we may see fewer shots being played off the road or from the infamously deep greenside bunker.

Former Masters champion Trevor Immelman went down the second fairway in benign conditions in practice, feeling that was the best way to tackle the new challenge.

LETTER TO TOM: Cameron Percy is among those playing a St. Andrews Open for the first time.

The PGA TOUR-based Australian wrote Tom Watson a letter, asking whether he could play a practice round with the five-time champion who came so close to making it six last year.

He says he wrote quite a few weeks ago, got a courteous reply, and then was amazed to get the thumbs up when struggling at the John Deere Classic. The bonus was that Watson would also be playing with the defending champion Stewart Cink.

Percy had his family and friends crossing the Swilcan Bridge on the 18th with Watson and Cink for a wonderfully memorable Open moment.

As Tom Lehman has said, "I've told people for years and years, if I had one last day to spend on Earth, it'd be here at St. Andrews (to) play golf and enjoy the town."