5 tips for watching The Open tonight

Not since 1993 has Australia had a British Open champion. Here are a few tips for staying up tonight to cheer on Adam Scott.

Adam Scott will tee off his final round at the 2012 Open Championship at 11:30pm (AEST) tonight with a four stroke lead from Brandt Snedeker and Graeme McDowell. Many Australian golf fans will take to the couch to help get Scotty home but with few Australians being in contention to win a major over the past decade or two, here are some tips to get you through the final round.

The whole sleep thing

I’ve already received a few emails from Aussie golf fans wondering the best form of attack when it comes to getting sleep. After the years of heartbreak we would all gladly give up a night’s sleep for a major winner. But with some careful planning you may be able to sneak in some sleep without missing a shot.

Ideally, you would have had a big (student-like) sleep-in this morning, waking about lunch time and you’ll be set for the occasion at 11:30pm no problem. If, like me, you’ve already done your dash with this I’m going to attempt an afternoon nap in preparation.

I’ve watched enough big sporting events to know that they’re even more pleasurable when watching with other people. (The exception is watching football with Collingwood supporters). Get your mates over or encourage any other family members to sit in front of the box with you. Maybe even make a bit of noise so their forced to wake and see what is going on.

It’s a double-edged sword though. The last thing you want during a tense final few holes is someone asking you what a bogey is, or why that cute guy’s putter is longer than everyone else’s.

Eating food while watching sport in the middle of the night is always a difficult one. While it seems natural to hoof down a couple of packets of chips or nail a few chocolate bars while watching weekend sport, somehow doing it at 2am, knowing you’ll need go back to bed and get up for work tomorrow seems a little wrong. Snack, but don’t over do it. You may need the energy for the victory celebration but you may also need to turn it off the TV in disgust and get to sleep.

Going without tea and coffee would be like taking to the golf course without a wedge in your bag.

Having a glass of wine or two should also be encouraged. Moderation is key though. It would be a shame to see an Aussie with a major golf championship only to have no recollection of it the next morning.

In the wake of an Australian victory, it’s hard to see the PM announcing a public holiday, nor stating “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum”. So either way, be prepared to be at the office looking a little underdone tomorrow.

Truth be told, maybe you should think about taking tomorrow off. But you didn’t heat that from me.