The 149th Open: Shane Lowry, Ian Poulter and Sky Scope technology among the best of The Open Zone
Padraig Harrington, Shane Lowry and Ian Poulter were among the players to head into The Open Zone at Royal St George's, while Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy were the headline names to appear using Sky Scope technology.
By Sky Sports Golf
Last Updated: 19/07/21 11:31am
The Sky Sports Open Zone has become a signature part of The Open in recent times, with the world’s top players once again returning for this year’s contest at Royal St George’s.
The facility - located on the practice grounds at the Kent venue - was the home of Sky Sports' round-the-clock coverage of the final men's major of the year, with many of those in the field coming into the studio to offer their unique insights and provide plenty of great guidance.
Shane Lowry, heading into the event as defending champion after his six-shot victory at Royal Portrush in 2019, showed off his fine touch around the greens and offered plenty of advice on how to improve your bunker play.
Renowned swing coach Pete Cowen, who has McIlroy among his star-studded client list, also demonstrated ways to limit mistakes in the sand and shared practices that can bolster your chances of getting up and down from short of the green.
A dialled-in short game is pivotal around a links course, as many players found out during the final men's major of the year, with Ian Poulter explaining how to use bounce with your short irons to maximise your chipping talents.
2011 champion Darren Clarke took a closer look at the stinger and how the shot is a handy weapon to have at your disposal on a links layout, while Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington provided some top tips for players when their ball finishes on a slope.
Richard Bland and his coach Tim Barter went through the work they've done over the past year to turn the veteran into a European Tour winner and major contender, while several of the Sky Sports team have spent time using the facility to showcase an array of golfing tips.
Paul McGinley, Rich Beem, Dame Laura Davies and Inci Mehmet have all struck shots along with Nick Dougherty, who has also been using Sky Scope to bring you closer to the players than ever before.
The innovative technology enables the players to virtually appear in the Zone during their rounds, with McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau among those getting the mechanics of their swings analysed in detail.
Click on the videos above to look back at the Open Zone highlights from The 149th Open!
