Gerina Piller isn't happy that Woburn, the English host of this year's Women's British Open, has taken driver out of her hands. The long-hitting 31-year-old opened with 1-over 73, and, afterward, she said this major venue is too...short?
Is that right?
"I didn't take the driver much today and that's my bread and butter," Piller told Reuters on Thursday.
"I don't feel like this course really gives me an advantage because I can't use my driver. I had to take the 5-wood and kind of place my tee shots, I just wish it would play a little longer."
The Marquess Course is playing at just 6,448 yards this week, and that's fairly short by modern women's major standards. For a number of longer players, however, Woburn's lack of length wasn't an issue. Ariya Jutanugarn, who typically goes without a driver on the LPGA Tour, shot 7-under 65 on Thursday.
The lead, though, belongs to Mirim Lee, who shot a course record 10-under 62, and she leads the Thai sensation by three shots.