Bubba Watson has admitted that he will have to adapt his game if he is to make a challenge at the top of the Open leaderboard.

The American, a two-time Masters winner, has struggled on previous appearances in the tournament, and the left-hander has acknowledged that he is expecting to find it "a challenge" when he gets his St Andrews campaign underway on Thursday.

The 36-year-old told reporters: "The Open Championship is tough. The ball bounces around a lot, rolls a lot and the way I like to move it is pretty difficult when it's windy.

"On paper, it's probably not the best for me and with all the conditions that you add to it, like with water. I don't play well in rain because of how I like to move the ball.

"It's a challenge for me. It's about trying to figure out the right shots and hitting the ball straighter. For me, it's harder to see the straight shots because I don't see the straight shots, but I have to do that around here."

Watson missed the cut when The Open was last staged at St Andrews in 2010.