As the 2025 Open Championship returns to Royal Portrush, we sit down with someone who knows the land, the game and the moment better than most. Justin Parsons—coach to the likes of Brian Harman, Harris English and Louis Oosthuizen—grew up just down the coast in County Down, learning the game on windswept turf and nine-hole loops near oyster farms. In this wide-ranging conversation with host Casey Bannon, Parsons reflects on Northern Ireland’s rich golf culture, how pros adapt to links conditions, and what it takes to compete at The Open. Along the way: lessons from Harman’s win at Hoylake, thoughts on developing young pros, Portrush pub tips and a reminder that sometimes the draw beats the field.

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