LIV Golf takeaway talk, Sergio snap, Lowry leaves on high and Spieth on Birkdale - snippets from The Open

Takeaway talk: LIV Golf player ready to ‘retire’

According to a conversation overhead in a takeaway restaurant in Portstewart, one of the 18 LIV Golf players who teed up here will be leaving the Saudi-backed circuit when his contract expires.

It was initially quite funny hearing someone saying over and over again that he was talking about Jason Kokrak and not Brooks Koepka, the two Smash GC team-mates.

In fairness, and even more so considering he’d clearly had a few refreshments, the person knew exactly who he was talking about and also that Kokrak had filled his pockets through signing for the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit.

They must still be bulging because the word “retiring” was muttered, which instantly made this correspondent think that those ongoing talks between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf can’t exactly be close to offering a pathway back to the US circuit.

Anger mis-managment as Sergio Garcia snaps driver

Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton had both blown their tops in the third round and it was Sergio Garcia’s turn to overheat in the closing circuit.

After badly pulling his drive at the par-5 second, the Spaniard slammed the club into the turf only to be left regretting his action as the head snapped off.

That, of course, left Garcia having to play the remainder of his round using either a 3-wood or iron off the tee and, in fairness, he didn’t do too badly, singing for a three-under 68.

It was a decent week, incidentally, for the LIV players as 11, including Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, made the cut.

Shane Lowry blowing kisses at end of tough week

Shane Lowry, the 2019 winner here, finished his closing circuit a good 90 minutes before the last group teed off.

It had been a difficult week for the Offaly man as he was hit by a two-shot penalty at the end of his second round then found himself being sick a few hours later as a virus swept through his family.

He departed the scene, though, blowing a kiss to the crowds around the 18th green after signing off with a satisfying 66 that contained six birdies.

“It was probably one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf I've had in a while,” he admitted. “I'm happy I finished like that, and I'll drive down the road a little bit happier than maybe I would have been.”

Jordan Spieth looking forward to Birkdale boost

A raft of changes, which included the removal of the old 14th and the creation of a new par-3 15th, have been made at Royal Birkdale, venue for the 154th Open Championship.

But that won’t stop Jordan Spieth, the winner at the Southport venue in 2017, enjoying a walk down memory lane in 12 months’ time.

“I haven’t been there since and it will be really cool to just go out there and play the course again,” said the American. “It'll be cool to relive the memories that I had from the whole week, and obviously the last five holes or so.

“That was probably the best, most clutch stretch of golf that I ever played. Anytime I go back there in the future, I’ll remember exactly how I felt. It'll come right back to me.”