Oosthuizen confirms he is a major player after posting 64 at Sandwich

Patient Louis Oosthuizen confirms he is a major player as perennial bridesmaid bids to add to his only major at The Open following strong opening round of 64 at Sandwich

• Louis Oosthuizen is back in the thick of the action after posting a score of 64 
• The 38-year-old has been viewed as the bridesmaid having regularly come close 
• However, the South African says patience will help him to a second major
• Oosthuizen’s only major came in 2011 when he won The Open at St Andrew’s 

The nearly man is back in the thick of the action.

In fairness, though, Louis Oosthuizen has rarely been out of contention in majors this year. Following runners-up finishes at the US Open and US PGA, the South African made an impressive start in his bid to go one better, with his opening round of 64 providing a perfect example of the patience required to thrive on this unforgiving course.

Oosthuizen’s playing partners looked as though they would have benefitted from his instruction for long periods of a blustery opening day, with defending champion Shane Lowry and US Open winner Jon Rahm both labouring in rounds of one over par.

Louis Oosthuizen is proving his major worth after posting a superb 64 at Sandwich, Kent

‘I don’t think they played poorly but on this course if you get out of position on the tee you won’t get many opportunities for birdies,’ was Oosthuizen’s charitable verdict.

The South African was forced to bide his time, beginning with seven pars before birdies at eight and nine sparked a charge which saw him finish the back nine in only 31 strokes.

When he scrambled to avoid a bogey at the last, it was the only time he looked at all troubled.

His six under par is Oosthuizen’s lowest ever score in a major and one shot better than his opening round when he won the Claret Jug in 2010.

The 38-year-old South African has been the perennial bridesmaid with recent close efforts

It certainly sets him up well for a tilt at emulating what remains his only major win.

Oosthuizen has become something of a perennial bridesmaid since that unexpected triumph at St Andrews when he was ranked 54th in the world.

He has two subsequent runners-up spots at the US Open and US PGA and one apiece at the Open and US Masters. But even competing for major titles again represents considerable progress following a slump in which he went almost three years without a tour win between 2015 and 2018.

The 38-year-old attributes his recent improvement to refocusing on his putting and keeping faith in a Ping Voss putter, rather than repeatedly changing.

‘I have a bag of putters that I’m going to throw in the river one day,’ he said on Thursday. ‘I used to change my putter regularly but that’s no way to get consistency.

However, a patient mindset could give him the momentum to win his second major title

‘In my mind this was the perfect round. I don’t think I made many mistakes and took advantage of some opportunities. I know from experience that in major championships you have to show patience.’

Oosthuizen insists there are no mental scars from his recent run of near-misses. Getting the better of Rahm so comprehensively on the opening day will certainly have boosted his confidence after the Spaniard beat him by a single stroke at Torrey Pines last month.

‘It depends if you lost it or someone else won it,’ said Oosthuizen when he considered the psychological toll of finishing second.

‘In the last two tournaments I think I just lost to a better golfer. You have to forget about it and go again.’

The serial silver medallist will resume on Friday with his eyes set firmly on securing that silver jug again. 

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