Golf - The Open Championship

[Geelong_Bisons_#36]

Thought I may as well start a thread about The Open.

Played at Muirfield in Scotland. A par 71 course which will play very hard and fast this week due to the unseasonal warm weather.
Finding the fairway off the tee will be important, and players will most likely leave the driver in the bag for most holes, due to the extra roll.
As always, links golf courses require imagination and creativity with approach shots and around the greens. Players will be hoping the wind isn't strong to make these shots easier. Ball-striking and controlling the ball-flight will make shooting low scores easier.

Tournament Favourites (TAB):
Tiger Woods - $8
Adam Scott - $16
Phil Mickleson - $17
Jason Day - $21
Graeme McDowell - $21
Justin Rose - $21

There are 12 Aussies in the field:
Adam Scott
Jason Day
John Senden
Geoff Ogilvy
Marc Leishman
Marcus Fraser
Peter Senior
Stephen Dartnell
Brendan Jones
Steven Jeffriess
Brett Rumford

Be a huge effort for Tiger to win this coming off an injury. Can't see him doing it.

Be great for Scotty to make up for last years choke and lift the claret jug. Or for Jason Day to finally crack it for a win after three high finishes in recent majors.

A sneaky chance from the aussies would be Peter Senior. The disadvantage he has from the big-hitters is gone and he hits it very straight. Out in the first group, when the weather will be at its best.

Other than that, the winner really could come from anyone of 20-30 players.
The field is pretty even with Tiger and Rory not dominating at the moment.
Open championships tend to throw up a few surprises here and there too.

My tip: Adam Scott - to cash in b4 they ban the long putters and to make up for last year.
Roughie: Peter Senior - $201

 

[JuddsABlue]

Got Scott at $21 and Day at $41

set up on my new home projector for 4 days of ashes and open watching

 

[getthefooty]

Shame there's not more talk about golf on these forums. Pretty tough conditions out there, Zach Johnson shooting the lights out early, D. Johnson, Angel, Phil all around the mark. Aussies haven't had the best start, looks like Day double bogied the last to be +2. Sendo had a horror first round to be +6, the rest of them are around +1 and +2. Scott and Ogilvy tee off soon.

 

[OzBomber]

How is McIlroy still 2nd in the world? +8 and I haven't seen him do anything of note in more than a year.

 

[Ted38]

What on earth do they find to rave about re the course? Seems to me that if you can hit the ball straight you have to do well. Hate to see what it would look like if they had some really hot weather.

 

[matt_897]

At the open all week, so yeah it's a pity there isn't more talk about it on here. Place is beautiful, it is golfing heaven this part of the world. Weather is pretty much prefect, which is making the course play so fast, greens are amazingly quick, saw many go way past the hole. It's fair though, I hate the whinging, as long as the ball isn't moving at rest then I don't see the issue, majors are meant to be tough.

Followed Scott most of the day. Played well, was a pity he made that bogey on 18 but he made some nice long ones, that one on 11 was absurd. Cool moment of the day, looking for a ball on 14 in the rough with Scott, kuchar and Donald. It's the little things

Lulz at McIlroy having the same score as full time commentator Faldo

 

[matt_897]

What on earth do they find to rave about re the course? Seems to me that if you can hit the ball straight you have to do well. Hate to see what it would look like if they had some really hot weather.

This is really hot weather according to everyone here. I actually got sunburnt... Ok yeah it's only 24

 

[Geelong_Bisons_#36]

Pretty disappointing 1st round from all the aussies except Scott. Zach Johnson at -5 is the leader.

2nd round underway.
Lee Westwood lighting it up -6 thru 12.
Long way to go but cut line may be +3 or +4. Lots of aussies still a good chance to make that number.

 

[the 5th wiggle]

Is it just me or have those greens got a lot greener than 1st day,players must have had a good whinge making them put a bit extra water on.

 

[Ted38]

Is it just me or have those greens got a lot greener than 1st day,players must have had a good whinge making them put a bit extra water on.

Some obviously did I think Poulter may have been one of them, FFS they are supposed to be professionals aren't they? Should be able to handle any conditions HTFU and just play.

 

[funk44]

Tiger and Westwood, that's a pairing! Looks like I won't be sleeping for awhile

 

[Rustin Cohle]

It would have been nice to see five minutes of Adam Scott in the five hours of coverage.

 

[Ted38]

Tiger and Westwood, that's a pairing! Looks like I won't be sleeping for awhile

Highly likely that the winner will come from those two, I'd be inclined to favour Westwood he's looking very composed and in control. The Tiger might come undone through trying too hard

 

[Ted38]

It would have been nice to see five minutes of Adam Scott in the five hours of coverage.

We should see more of him in the last round, lets hope he doesn't do the old choke trick.

 

[funk44]

It would have been nice to see five minutes of Adam Scott in the five hours of coverage.

Tiger and Scott paired together for the last round

may get some coverage

 

[rideclutch]

Highly likely that the winner will come from those two, I'd be inclined to favour Westwood he's looking very composed and in control. The Tiger might come undone through trying too hard

I've seen this from Westwood before though, there's a reason he tops the list of most majors contended without a win.

Don't mind if he wins, though it's not like the English need anymore sporting triumphs. There's an element of timing/occasion about Scotty here, wouldn't be surprised if he loomed as the winner at some stage

 

[The Passenger]

haven't been watching as much of this as i would've liked with the cricket on (need two tv's?) but tonight will be very interesting. the cricket is ****ed so can pretty much piss that off.

westwood - can he finally win a major?
woods - can he gets his first since the marriage breakdown?
scott - can he produce what would be one of sports most epic stories to win the masters and the open after capitulating at last years open.

with all due respect to the others i hope it's one of those three. either way, it's got the hall marks of a classic, and we are looking like finishing in the zone where the best majors are played, which for me is a winning score of around par.

to be honest i really couldn't care about all that off course shit tiger got up to. probably made me like him more if anything. showed me he wasn't just some sort of golfing robot.

 

[Cousin Jed]

Nice of Adam Scott let me get some sleep tonight by choking up the first instead

 

[getthefooty]

If he doubles here I'd probably write him off.

 

[getthefooty]

Westwood begins his implosion...

 

[funk44]

I haven't got a problem with anyone in contention winning bar fat phil

Westwood in big trouble here, wind is up too which should spell the end for Mahan

 

[Cousin Jed]

Scott hitting more pull hooks off the tee than my last round

 

[Rustin Cohle]

Poulter is on fire.

 

[funk44]

Poulter going nuts

 

[funk44]

Would love a poulter win