The 138th Open, Turnberry Date: 16-19 July Coverage: Live TV coverage on BBC Two, Online and the Red Button, live on Radio 5 Live and text commentary online on all four days
By Rob Hodgetts BBC Sport at Turnberry |
 For our latest Day in the Life snapshot of life at Turnberry, I caught up with BBC Sport golf reporter Shane O'Donoghue. He told us about his day on Friday - a typical day working at this year's Open: "Alarm went about five to seven, snooze button on till about 10 past. Up, shower, cup of tea and out. Luckily I've got my own car here, which I drove over from Ireland last week. Gives me a bit more freedom as everyone else gets bussed from the BBC houses we're staying in down in Girvan. "It's like a Brookside Close but we're all there together so there's a community feel. Mark O'Meara is there too, living down the road. "Got into BBC office in the TV compound about 0745 and went straight to work online, going through all the players that I might need to interview on the range. "Players arrive on the range an hour ahead of their tee time so I try to get them the minute they come through the door because they haven't yet got the blinkers on.  | 606: DEBATE |
"I usually tell them it'll be just 60 seconds, two questions, three max. I'm very courteous. I try to make it as conversational as possible. I'll have a first question ready but I'll try to base the second question on the first answer. "Hopefully you get a bit more personality out of them because you're reacting to what they say. Not listening and asking set questions infuriates them. "More often than not they're agreeable. I'm with a cameraman and I'm in touch with the studio via earpiece. Occasionally the interview will go live but recorded interviews are good to have as fillers back at base. "Got Davis Love, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington, Rory McIlroy and a good interview with O'Meara talking about Tiger. He played a practice with Tiger on Tuesday and reckoned he was going to be up for the challenge in the second round. "It played in nicely to the build-up of Tiger teeing off, but little did anyone know that Tiger was going to have a nightmare, certainly on the back nine. "All the players are very good in general, and will stop for a chat. "Lee Westwood, in particular, is very kind, David Howell is exceptionally good, a great personality and arguably the nicest man in golf.  Garcia is bidding to win the first major of his career |
"Some don't want to talk, such as Sergio Garcia. He likes to get straight into the zone as soon as he walks on to the range. He comes on with his father and they get down to business very quickly. "It's an intense period and I usually go until about 2pm, in all weathers. We got absolutely pelted on by the rain at Birkdale last year. "Then went to the world feed commentary box to fill in for Julian Tutt. He needs a break and it's nice to have a sit down and watch golf on the TV. "Lunch, then worked with production team putting together a package on Mark Calcavecchia's Lazarus-like climb back onto an Open leaderboard. "The years haven't been that kind to him and he doesn't go to the gym. My sources tell me that the only thing he exercises is his hamstrings. Apparently, if he can keep his hamstrings loose he will be able to play golf for as long as he wants. He's an interesting study and a natural golfer. "It's nice to watch guys like him, Angel Cabrera and Boo Weekley. They're not gym bunnies. Some of the guys here are ripped like they're on Baywatch. "Calc" was playing on Friday afternoon so the plan was to grab him on Saturday, which I did and he was great. "Also worked on a package on the leading amateur which will go out on Sunday. "Left the course at 8pm when we came off air and stopped by a pub in Girvan for one quick pint. "One of the guys in the house cooked, watched a bit of TV, and in bed before 11, ready to fight another day."
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