From SI.com wire reports

ST ANDREWS, Scotland -- British Open organizers on Wednesday dismissed as "astonishing" a scathing attack on the new layout of the St Andrews Old Course from Vijay Singh.

The world's No. 2-ranked player is unhappy with the severity of the rough for the 134th Open, comparing it with the much-criticized condition of nearby Carnoustie when the tournament was staged there in 1999.

On that occasion, the rough was so thick and deep that players who missed the fairway struggled to get their ball back in play, prompting frustrated stars to dub the famous old links "Carnasty."

Tiger Woods and others have subsequently argued that the rough at Carnoustie had turned the tournament into a lottery and Singh believes the Old Course is in danger of going the same way.

"It is Carnoustie all over again," the Fijian complained. "The course needed changing but I feel they may have overdone it.

"There are some holes where a yard can make the difference between being unplayable and somewhere you can make a birdie. The rough is not very consistent and if the win blows hard it will get really tough and par could be a good figure."

Singh's comments were refuted by Peter Dawson, Chief Executive of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), who insisted that there had been no attempt to thicken the rough to make life tougher for the pros.

"We don't do anything at the R&A to doctor rough," he said.

"The changes we've made to the course have had very strong support from the vast majority of players I've spoken to and I must say I was very surprised by Vijay's reported remarks.

"The comparison with Carnoustie, I find astonishing. I can think of only three or four holes where the rough could be said to be a factor at all."

The R&A have introduced new tees at five holes, lengthening the course overall by 164 yards in the hope of bringing back into play a number of fairway bunkers that were being cleared comfortably when the Open was last staged here in 2000.

That tournament was won by Woods with a record low score of 19 under par and, despite the changes, scoring is expected to be low again this week if the current benign weather continues.

Despite being lengthened to over 600 yards, the 14th hole was being reduced to a drive and a six iron by some players during practice rounds.

Phil Mickelson, for one, has argued that calm conditions will mean more players having a shot at lifting the Auld Claret Jug on Sunday, increasing the possibility of another relatively unknown player emerging from the pack to win in the way that Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton did in 2003 and 2004 respectively.

Dawson bristles at the suggestion that the Open can ill-afford another AN Other champion, insisting that Curtis and Hamilton were both worthy winners.

But there is little doubt that the R&A would be happier to see Woods, Ernie Els or even Singh end up at the top of the leaderboard -- and Dawson voiced his faith in St Andrews record of ensuring that the cream of world golf rises to the top.

"We had the championship here in calm conditions in 1990 (Nick Faldo) and 2000 (Woods) and on both occasions the top player in the world at the time came through and won, so clearly the course can find the top player in calm conditions."

On the eve of the tournament, the R and A also confirmed that security had been enhanced on the advice of local police following the bomb attacks in London last week.

Play will be interrupted on Thursday to allow players and spectators to respect a two-minute silence in memory of the victims of the attacks on a bus and three underground trains.