Sunday
I left Loch Lomond on Sunday, after finishing on level par in the Barclays Scottish Open, very pleased with the way I'm playing but disappointed with my scoring in the last round.
I'd hit the ball lovely all week, which was really encouraging but on Sunday just couldn't seem to get the ball in the hole and finished with a 75.
But I knew my game is good shape for this week and I'm looking forward to the challenge of The Open.
Arrived at Hoylake in the early evening where I'm sharing a house with Graeme McDowell and David Howell about 100 yards from the course. It's great being so handy and we don't have to worry about cooking because we're all in the same management company, ISM and we can pop down to the International Sports Management marquee to get whatever we want.
Monday
A bit of a quiet day really, after a lie in. Just getting my bearings and working on my putting. I'm just trying to get a good rhythm.
Tuesday
Up with the lark just after six because I'd fixed up my main practice round with Kenneth Ferrie, John Bickerton and Warren Bladon, whom I knew from my amateur days and who qualified for the Open through the various regional and final events.
We set off at 7.20 when it wasn't too hot but decided not to keep score or play for any side bets. We were all concentrating on doing our own thing.
Crowds were amazing - with thousands on the course, even for a practice day.
The course is lovely - everything you'd expect from an Open track. It tests every aspect of your game.
It's mostly a case of deciding with my caddie Guy Tilsden, where we need to put the ball in play to get the best result on each hole - as the old cliché says ' one shot at a time.'
As I said, I'm hitting the ball really well, so off the tee isn't a problem, it's mostly a case in these practice rounds of hitting chips to difficult parts of the green to get the pace and understanding the pace of the greens.
There are places to hit it with your approaches and places to avoid.
Afterwards I practised my putting a little more and got my gear together for the week - trying to decide what Galvin Green clothes to wear and what shoes.
Wednesday
It's really hot this week, up in the 100 degrees Fahrenheit, so Ken, Graeme and myself again started early and played the first six holes before switching to the last five.
We felt the course couldn't tell us any more and there's no point in getting too tired before such a big event such as this. I rang my pal Jamie Donaldson and he told me he could only manage three holes of practice - it was too hot.
I finished off with an hour's putting practice and will just relax for the rest of the day at the house.
I'm really looking forward to this Open - especially the chance to play with Mark O'Meara who won this Championship at Royal Birkdale in 1998. He's been there and done it, as they say, and he'll be good company.
The other one in our group is the South African Charl Schwarzel. He's only a little guy but he hits it a long way. I played with him in Singapore and he's a good lad.
Hopefully I can get a lay in - as long as Howler doesn't make too much noise on his way to his 8.20 am start - because I'm not off until 12.03.
I'm excited about the prospects and particularly about how I'm playing. I'm on track for a great week.
Look out for the next installment of my diary tomorrow evening.
