The Open star apologises to Royal Troon employee whose 'arms are about to fall off'

The Open star Min Woo Lee has apologised to a Royal Troon employee on behalf of his fellow professionals due to the players’ inability to keep shots away from the bunkers on the eighth hole. The famous Postage Stamp features five sand traps, with one member of staff given the unenviable task of raking them after players have entered them.

Australian star Lee ended the first day of the tournament on even par after completing the course in 71 shots but then finished nine over on day two.

And he ultimately saw his tournament ended before the weekend after finishing two strokes adrift of the cut in South Ayrshire.

The front bunker of the Postage Stamp has seen the most action, with a string of shots making their way into it. But when Lee found the bunker to the right, he issued an apology on social media.

The 25-year-old explained to his fans that each group of players is usually followed by one individual, who tidies up after them by raking the bunkers. But he then revealed that the Postage Stamp has its very own bunker attendant.

“So if people didn’t know, there’s a person that follows each group raking bunkers at The Open, but on 8 (postage stamp) there is a specific guy who does it,” he wrote on X. “I feel bad for the fella, his arms are about to fall off. Sorry from the pros out here plus me. #brutal.”

The Postage Stamp measures just 120 yards and is the shortest hole in the history of The Open.

It has claimed myriad victims over the years, with Rory McIlroy struggling this year after Tiger Woods saw his aspirations of glory ended in 1997 after a triple-bogey six in his final round.

And ahead of this year’s tournament, the American said: “It's just simple. I hit a nine iron and a pitching wedge the last two times I played it. I've hit as much as a seven iron. But it's a very simple hole; just hit the ball on the green. That's it. Green good, miss green bad. It doesn't get any more simple than that.”

Joaquin Niemann, meanwhile, appeared to be particularly susceptible to the perils of the Postage Stamp this year as he found three bunkers during his round on Friday. And he finished the three par hole with a quintuple-bogey eight.

“It was a tough hole and a tough break,” Niemann explained after finishing his round.

“But I knew if I recovered quickly I was going to be able to bounce back because I’d been playing some great golf and hitting the ball really good.”