Dave Tindall is our man at Hoylake this week and he'll bring you all the news and colour.

1900: The dry, fast course has alerted me to the chances of Retief Goosen who normally thrives in such conditions. He's 28 on Betfair and despite his modest form of late that is tempting. So it's almost fate when I take my first look at the course and the group I run into features Goosen. He's playing the 15th where the elevated tee gives spectators a wonderful view of the Dee Estuary. Goosen strikes his iron at the 161-yard par three and it plonks about eight feet from the hole. Hmmmm. The temptation is growing. A good drive on the par five 16th and I'm almost running back into the press tent to press the light blue 'back' button but his second is a little wayward, coming up short and right. He has another go and it lands in the same place. He half-heartedly chips them both onto the green and while I'm willing him to hit a load of practice putts he decides to chomp on an apple for five minutes before walking onto the next tee. The 459-yard par four 17th is downwind today and with the ball running for miles practice partner Tom Watson speculates that they could drive it. Goosen doesn't quite manage that but he easily flies the bunkers. Earlier Vijay Singh had taken three attempts to find the green in two on the par five 16th and his body language isn't great over the next two holes. But there are contrasting fortunes for his playing partners. Tom Pernice Jr finds the wispy rough with his drive on 16 and on 18 he knocks his tee shot out of bounds. A fella near me picks it up, boasts to his mates that he's keeping it but, when the marshall asks if anyone's seen a ball, throws it back like a naughty boy who's been rumbled. Pernice then finds sand and plays a poor bunker shot. Hunter Mahan, meanwhile, holes his second shot with a sand wedge for an eagle two. As ever, how much do you read into these glimpses of a player's round? Do I now oppose Pernice in a three-ball, especially as he'll be clear favourite against Warren Abery and Jim Payne? Shall I back Goosen, especially as he's now drifted to 29? And is Singh's poor body language anything different from normal. Probably not. Much to think about though as I head back to the Wirral for the evening.

1640: Interesting comments from Monty in his pre-tournament press conference. The big Scot claimed: "This is the driest links course we've ever come to on a Monday, Tuesday. I tend to keep the ball fairly straight and that's key around here. Length I don't think is an issue. Although it's 7,200-some yards on the card, it must be playing about 5,500 in real terms. It's just the control of the ball that has to be found around here." I'm quite happy to hear those words given that my tips this week are more experienced old-school types rather than young bombers who just blast it anywhere.

For the record the tips are:

2pts e.w. Jim Furyk at 33/1 (Paddy Power, Betfred, Blue Square 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. Davis Love at 100/1 (Ladbrokes 1/4 1,2,3,4,5)
1pt e.w. Kenny Perry at 125/1 (Betfred 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. Rod Pampling at 150/1 (Blue Square 1/4 1,2,3,4,5,6)
1pt e.w. Mike Weir at 100/1 (Ladbrokes 1/4 1,2,3,4,5).

That's three 36-year-olds, a 42-year-old and a 45-year-old. Hopefully all that experience will count for plenty.

1600: The 'Harry' I referred to by the way isn't Prince Harry. It's Harry Emanuel - Sportinglife.com's roving golf reporter. Harry files pre-tournament course reports and analysis from both the US and European Tours and makes a living trading golf on Betfair. He does actually sound a little like Prince Harry and likes going to lap-dancing clubs so there are definite similarities.

1530: Just arrived at the course now. First impressions? Well, it certainly feels very much like an Open. Big yellow scoreboards, brown, scorched rough and lots of spectators burning in the sun. Having somehow parked right outside the clubhouse - I think the security guard was looking the other way - Harry and I have a quick nosey at the putting green. It's a busy scene with notebook entries including Monty giggling like a schoolboy, Luke Donald holing a 25 footer and Greg Owen wearing loud orange pants. When parking up, the first golfer we see is 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie - the last European to win a major. An omen? The law of backing the first golfer I see means I'll now have to chuck a fiver at the Scotsman. He's 300/1 with Sporting Odds and, having finished 24th at Loch Lomond last week after a final round 67 and 12th in the Open de France two starts before it might not be money down the drain.