'The fairways are faster than the greens' — Conditions at the Open Championship could make for one of the wildest majors in recent memory

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The 2018 Open Championship is shaping up to be quite an event.

While links golf is always compelling, with daunting bunkers, tall grass, and crosswinds causing trouble for the best players in the world, there's another factor this year that should make for an unforgettable tournament — the Carnoustie Golf Links are apparently burnt to a crisp, and running extremely fast.

"The fairways are faster than the greens," said Tiger Woods, who will be making his 20th appearance at the Open Championship.

The conditions are due to a draught in Scotland that have left the fairways unwatered while the greens remain maintained. As a result, the fairways are springboards and will add even more intrigue to what is already one of the most mentally taxing tournaments in golf.

A quick look at images coming out of Carnoustie ahead of the Open Championship make it clear that conditions will be dry and burnt.

Alex Noren showed just how wild conditions were at the course, posting a video to Instagram of him bouncing a ball off the tight turf.

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With the fairways serving as a springboard, expect to see a lot of long shots this weekend.

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Just hit one 427 on 18 @TheOpen .. Guys would be hitting it in the burn in front of green 450+.. Carnoustie is baked out but greens are pure.. Never seen an Open this firm.. Will be an awesome week if it stays like this.. pic.twitter.com/AUXyPGF4iu

Brandt Snedeker, whose average driving distance of 291 yards ranks 135th on the tour, is apparently hitting 400 yard bombs thanks to the conditions.

The fast fairways essentially shorten the course, but add a new challenge for players trying to reach the greens — calculating just how far their shots will carry off the tee.

See Also:

• 13 sleeper picks to win at the Open Championship this weekend
• The Open Championship 2018: 12 golfers with the best odds to win the Claret Jug this weekend
• The much-anticipated Tiger Woods-Phil Mickelson showdown could be a lot bigger and more fun than most people realize

SEE ALSO: The Open Championship 2018: 12 golfers with the best odds to win the Claret Jug this weekend