2013 British Open: Short Games Will Decide the Winner at Muirfield

Miguel Angel Jimenez will take a one-shot lead into the third round of the 142nd Open Championship at Muirfield Golf Club on Saturday.

The extremely firm conditions have left many players shaking their heads in astonishment at drives that stretch to 400 yards, wedges that will not stop on the greens and putts that continue to roll 10 feet past the hole.

Scotland has experienced unseasonably hot and dry weather conditions this summer, making the sandy links course firm and fast. As the players in the Open are finding out this week, it's rather difficult to control a golf ball on the fairways and greens.

Very few drivers are required from the tee at Muirfield, and even long irons and hybrid clubs are traveling unusually long distances. Once balls hit the fairway, they continue to roll over 100 yards and find the pot bunkers or long grasses that line the fairways.

The most perplexing problems arise on approach shots and around the greens. The greens are only running at 11-12 on the stimpmeter, but downwind or downhill putts simply refuse to stop. The additional roll-out leaves long comeback putts, which leads to the dreaded three-putts or worse.

Jimenez has found 18 of 28 fairways and only 21 of 36 greens in regulation (58.3 percent).  He is playing magnificently around the greens, however.

Jimenez is averaging 1.53 putts per green while the field average is 1.77. Success around the greens at Muirfield this week requires a tremendous amount of imagination and the dexterity of a neurosurgeon.

Muirfield does not have severe sloping on the greens, but the plentiful humps and bumps offer unique challenges, and the sun-baked hard conditions make some short chip shots and putts nearly impossible.

Jimenez has a quartet of very talented golfers just one shot back of his lead. Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods are lurking and ready to assume the top spot.

Many players have complained about pin placements and the lack of watering on the course. Trying to stop a shot has been compared to hitting a chip shot on a parking lot and trying to gauge the roll-out.

Some have even suggested adding a clown mouth and windmill to make the course complete.

Three-putts or more are very common this week. When the dust settles late on Sunday evening at Muirfield, the player hoisting the Claret Jug will be the player who has been able to control their emotions in the difficult conditions and has a deft touch on the hard, fast greens.