Kiwi professionals Ryan Fox and Michael Hendry are looking to go one better than Sir Bob Charles at the infamous Carnoustie course, when they tee off at the 147th Open Championship on Thursday (NZ time).
Carnoustie, stage for this week’s third Major of the year, is commonly known as 'Car-nasty', considered the toughest venue on the Open rotation, with a treacherous finishing stretch of holes.
Irishman Padraig Harrington put two balls in Barry Burn, a stream that protects the 18th green, as he limped to his first Open title in 2007. Frenchman Jean Van De Velde wasn't so lucky in 1999
He saw his three-shot lead slip downstream, when he found the burn on the 72nd hole. His title chances - and his reputation - never survived.
But Carnoustie was far kinder to New Zealand's golfing knight, who finished runner-up when the Open was staged on these links in 1968. Charles shared second with Jack Nicklaus, two shots behind Gary Player.
Impressive company.
And the two Kiwis teeing it up this week hold no fear of the historic championship course that claimed Van De Velde.
"Hopefully I don't repeat what he did down 18,” Hendry said.
"This year is going to play different to the way it has in the past. With it being so firm and fast, it really shortens the course up."
Fox will look for some revenge, after shooting one over par and six over par at two previous visits to Carnoustie.
"This place hasn’t treated me that well in the past," said Fox "This is one of the best golf courses - if not the best - in the world, so I can’t complain."
The two golfers have had vastly different build-ups to this week's Open Championship.
This past fortnight has seen Fox finish second in Ireland and sixth in Scotland on similar links layouts to what they'll face this week, while Hendry has been juggling daddy duties.
"I've only played one event in the last six weeks,” Hendry said. “My wife and I had a little baby girl six weeks ago.
"My life's been filled with changing nappies back in cold, wet Auckland. I've been here a week now and been getting a little bit more used to it."
This will be Fox's fifth Major appearance. The New Zealand number one is now a regular feature on the European Tour, banking NZ$2.6 million already this European Tour season.
It seems a long way from when the Aucklander first snuck into the 2015 Open Championship via qualifying and found himself playing the final round with golfing legend Bernhard Langer.
"Playing Majors and spending a couple of years on the European Tour, getting used to seeing all the big guys week in, week out, feels a bit more comfortable," Fox said.
"It's still a bit surreal to be playing in it. At least I've got to a point now where I know I've got a job to do here as well."
Hendry normally plays in the relative obscurity of the Japan Golf Tour, but at his second Open Championship appearance, the New Zealand number three has been hitting balls on the range alongside PGA Tour stars Rickie Fowler and John Rahm.
"The atmosphere is so different in a Major championship to any other event," Hendry said.
"It's great fun being around these great players. I wouldn't necessarily put myself in that boat – hopefully one day – but obviously it's an amazing opportunity to play in such an amazing event and learn a little bit too."
The Kiwi duo may be outsiders with the bookies, but the Open Championship has a history of crowning unlikely winners – Todd Hamilton and Ben Curtis are two modern-day examples.
And in 1963 a softly spoken bank teller from Masterton named Bob Charles claimed the Claret Jug. Hendry and Fox both hope they can hoist the iconic trophy above their heads come Monday morning.
"I can think of a few things that would be in that Claret Jug," Fox beamed. "I wouldn't call it a goal, more a dream, to be competing in Majors, let alone trying to win them.
"I'll go enjoy the experience and see what happens for the week.
Hendry is equally hopeful of adding his name to golfing folklore.
"It would be pretty trippy, pretty surreal. Hopefully I can have a good week and put myself into contention come Sunday."
Hendry tees off at 11:20pm on Thursday, alongside Lee Westwood and Kelly Kraft.
Fox’s first round starts at 2:32am Friday, playing with past Major champions Jason Dufner and Keegan Bradley.
Newshub.
