The 150th Open Championship

[fixyurdivot 18,162]

This week brings us to the final major of the season, The 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews.  Not sure where this event lands in your "best of the best" choice on majors but for me it's second only to The Masters.  A healthy portion of the field have little travel and can get some rest before teeing it up.  Colin Morikawa returns to defend his title from last year and will need another A game performance, and possibly some great bounces, to join the select group who have successfully defended (Padraig the last in 2007/08).  

Unfortunately I'll be traveling and may not get time to watch much coverage.  But fortunately I have PGA Tour radio and can listen into whatever they have going.

Maybe it's because of all the tour churn of late, dunno, but I'm kind of thinking this year will have an unexpected winner (no, not Phil ).  How do you think this years event goes down?

Don't forget to make your pick for this weeks winner https://runmypools.com/JRMPNWWF.  Good luck!

[Shankster 33,161]

TW and JD in a playoff.  Ends in a Tie.

[fixyurdivot 18,162]

36 minutes ago, Shankster said:

TW and JD in a playoff.  Ends in a Tie.

Maybe during a pre-round putting green contest, and only because they ran out of daylight.

[MacTourney 79]

Nothing like brown fast fairways, balls bouncing around like dice on a crap table, bunkers you can't see, wind saying 'oh no you don't', playing low and not high, the smell of tavern bread, appreciative and knowledgeable golf fans, tradition, acquiescing to the demands of nature, a sea of waves nearby and a sea of waves when coming home.    Love the Open...best week in golf.

Tiger's leg is trashed, but will be a fun week. 

[GolfSpy_APH 8,411]

So freaking happy that it is the Open this weekend. Been watching all morning and may not move for the next 4 days. 

[Shapotomous 5,314]

I love watching the Open.  Not only is it fun watching the golf played on the links style courses but live golf with morning coffee is great!

And if Justin Thomas has a fashion consultant for his clothing contract they should be fired for those pants!  

[bens197 12,819]

Waking up with a cup of coffee and live golf is one of my favorite weeks of the year.

In a close second, a crowd of spectators who clap appropriately, recognize talent and resist the infantile urge to shout moronic statements. 

[fixyurdivot 18,162]

Listened to PGA Tour radio quite a bit on my road trip the last couple of days and there was lots of talk about course conditions being the most firm and fast they'd ever seen. Sobel and Collins show said it wouldn't surprise them if someone over the 4 days drove a ball 500 yards (now doubt wind forecast dependent).  Haven't watched any of round 1 but those of you who are, will this renew the distance debate?   It also sounded like 4 days of dry conditions leading into the event... but wait... a system moves in and now we have rain likely Friday.  Mother Nature likes to play golf at St. Andrews, and mess with players fates.  

[cnosil 26,247]

See lots of interesting things on this course.  Hideki just hit a 3/4ish wedge from on the green and was still short of the hole.   Some of the Greens are pretty big.  

[benb1989 123]

1 hour ago, fixyurdivot said:

Listened to PGA Tour radio quite a bit on my road trip the last couple of days and there was lots of talk about course conditions being the most firm and fast they'd ever seen. Sobel and Collins show said it wouldn't surprise them if someone over the 4 days drove a ball 500 yards (now doubt wind forecast dependent).  Haven't watched any of round 1 but those of you who are, will this renew the distance debate?   It also sounded like 4 days of dry conditions leading into the event... but wait... a system moves in and now we have rain likely Friday.  Mother Nature likes to play golf at St. Andrews, and mess with players fates.  

On the radio im sure someone just said Rory hit an iron (presume his 2 Iron) 345 yards on the 18th

[Middler 3,762]

A good first day for many big names, especially Rory, Cam Smith, Scheffler & Schaffele - hopefully JT will do better tomorrow. Sorry to see Tiger off to a very rough start. But looking forward to how this year’s tournament plays out, LONG way to go.

[fixyurdivot 18,162]

I can't tell if Tiger was actually playing that bad or the competition is just playing that much better.  Probably a little of both but think the latter more so than not. I listened to most of the round today on PGA Tour radio; which is actually kind of fun... a little like listening to baseball. It seemed like at least 50% of the coverage was focused on or about him... started getting a bit long in the tooth.  Now that he's not playing the weekend, that should go down to about 45%.  

Some fantastic pairings going out tomorrow.  Quite a few LIV players making the cut... I could be wrong but suspect they had extra motivation.  I'm hoping that either a healthy weather system pops in or it goes dog biscuit hard and dry.  I'm rooting for either of the Cam's to win it.

 

[cnosil 26,247]

1 minute ago, fixyurdivot said:

I can't tell if Tiger was actually playing that bad or the competition is just playing that much better.  Probably a little of both but think the latter more so than not.

 

Based on watching the coverage the past two days, Tiger was playing that bad. 

[Rickp 30,274]

18 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

I can't tell if Tiger was actually playing that bad or the competition is just playing that much better.  Probably a little of both but think the latter more so than not. I listened to most of the round today on PGA Tour radio; which is actually kind of fun... a little like listening to baseball. It seemed like at least 50% of the coverage was focused on or about him... started getting a bit long in the tooth.  Now that he's not playing the weekend, that should go down to about 45%.  

Some fantastic pairings going out tomorrow.  Quite a few LIV players making the cut... I could be wrong but suspect they had extra motivation.  I'm hoping that either a healthy weather system pops in or it goes dog biscuit hard and dry.  I'm rooting for either of the Cam's to win it.

 

Cam Smith looks out of sorts today.

[Middler 3,762]

Could be a great watch tomorrow with Rory and Hovland, hope so! They played great today. I wouldn’t root against either so I’ll be happy to see either get a win - or a Cam. It’ll take a lot of meltdowns for anyone else to win.

It has been a treat to watch a tournament on a course that plays so unlike any US tournament course.

[FrogginBullfish 1,861]

Pulling for Rory big time. He's come so close so many times the last few years in the majors and I think him capturing another major would be the best way for this major season to end.

[Middler 3,762]

Cam Smith unbelievable! Rory had so many great putts that just didn’t fall. Zinger just reported that Cam had 9 fewer putts than Rory this Open, and only 12 putts on the back nine today, so Rory was better tee to green but it wasn’t enough…

[ParFore74x 1,575]

11 minutes ago, Middler said:

Cam Smith unbelievable! Rory had so many great putts that just didn’t fall. Zinger just reported that Cam had 9 fewer putts than Rory this Open, so Rory was better tee to green but it wasn’t enough…

Cam Smith was on it today. What a fantastic round to close out his weekend and bounce back from his Saturday round of 73. 

[Rickp 30,274]

Great Championship Sunday!!  Cam Smith earned every bit of it!

[MGoBlue100 2,773]

Having just been to St Andrews, this was amazing to watch. Scottish & Open were both fantastic fun to watch. Congrats to Cam; wanted to see more out of Hovland, but it just wasn’t his time yet. Here’s to the Champ seeing how many beers fit into the Claret Jug!