The Open Discussion...

[fozcycle]

It's interesting that Mizuno introduces pics of their new MP4 & MP-54 irons this week while their No. 1 guy, Luke Donald cards a whopping +8 at The Open.

[ms1195]

Maybe I've never noticed it or maybe it's because its usually raining, but they are getting some massive roll on those fairways. Crazy how some good shots are ending up bad because the ball just keeps rolling until it ends up in a bunker or 3 foot tall grass.

 

Luke is all over the place. Looks like he is pretty frustrated today. Not quite as bad as Swarzel breaking his 6 iron though, that was pretty funny.

[fozcycle]

Yeah Charl was in rare form on camera......maybe if they had to pay for their clubs, they would think twice before they destroy them. I am at work with ESPN viewing on my iPad sitting next to my PC....

[apprenti23]

How about tiger's 300 yard four iron on the par five!

 

Boy I wish it was acceptable for courses to be brown in the us... Golf would be much cheaper and probably easier for seniors and women who rely on roll off the tee!

[Mr_Theoo]

How about tiger's 300 yard four iron on the par five!

 

Boy I wish it was acceptable for courses to be brown in the us... Golf would be much cheaper and probably easier for seniors and women who rely on roll off the tee!

 

I'd love to play a course like

[furu]

Some complaints from players today. Hard greens, very quick with pins in "wrong" places. Phil didn't like it.

 

Charl had a bad round but was all smiles after a birdie on 18. Link to his club-breaking

[Mr_Theoo]

Some complaints from players today. Hard greens, very quick with pins in "wrong" places. Phil didn't like it.

 

Charl had a bad round but was all smiles after a birdie on 18. Link to his club-breaking

 

That club breaking wasnt as bad as i thought it would be lol

[The Artful Duffer]

I'd love to play a course like

 

Theoo, have you ever been down to Phoenix in Grove City? It's links style but an Americanized version of it. Still a fun play worth checking out if you get the chance.

[RoverRick]

I looked at my fantasy points and had an embarrassing 24 points. I eventually clicked to see how far I dropped in the standing and had gained one place. Guess I was not the only one who has had a bad week so far.

[Mr_Theoo]

Theoo, have you ever been down to Phoenix in Grove City? It's links style but an Americanized version of it. Still a fun play worth checking out if you get the chance.

 

Haven't gotten to Phoenix yet but played royal American which was nice

[fozcycle]

Theo,

 

I remember playing my home course in central KY during a drought in the early 90's.......The course was so dry & hard I drove the green on a Par 4 375 yd hole. I hit a low screamer to the left with a right sloping fairway and it rolled to the green.

 

The issue at the Open is the hard greens, where a short chip can run out off the back of the green into trouble. As Spieth witnessed this morning.

[Mr_Theoo]

Theo,

 

I remember playing my home course in central KY during a drought in the early 90's.......The course was so dry & hard I drove the green on a Par 4 375 yd hole. I hit a low screamer to the left with a right sloping fairway and it rolled to the green.

 

The issue at the Open is the hard greens, where a short chip can run out off the back of the green into trouble. As Spieth witnessed this morning.

 

True, the greens in the morning havent been as bad as when it gets late in the day

[fozcycle]

Tiger will finish at -2.......not bad going to the weekend.....

[Jmikecpa]

The putt by Robert Garigus on #15 was just insane.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/robert-garrigus-100-foot-putt-british-open-2013-7

[Mr_Theoo]

Tiger will finish at -2.......not bad going to the weekend.....

 

Only one shot off the lead now. I like his odds if this course stays this fast

[RookieBlue7]

Deal Phil,

It's The Open, it's a major, it's supposed to be hard.

Love,

A Golf Fan

 

Oh, and in honor of El Mechanico leading through 2...

 

 

1,000 pounds of awesome for ya

[BIG STU]

Those greens are getting hard and fast. Phil of all people 4 putted from about 20 ft today. Zach 3 putted a couple himself. Snedeker had a 3 or 4 putt himself. If those guys are 3 and 4 putting the greens have to be slicker than grease on a door knob. Far as course conditions that is the type of courses I grew up playing on sans all the pot bunkers and traps. I would probably shoot 150 there but it would be fun but as one of the Dukes over there said on the broadcast today "that is how golf was meant to be played"The way the lead was flip flopping around it will be interesting to see this weekend if the conditions stay the same

[RookieBlue7]

Well, Phil putting poorly doesn't come as a big shock... His putter has historically let him down. Tiger is putting fine, and he's always been one of the better putters on tour. I hope it stays fast and firm, makes it interesting

[ms1195]

I agree, always thought Phil was mediocre putter at best, leaning towards poor. I think Snedeker is a pretty good putter though, and I like his routine. Gets to the point quicker than most.

[fozcycle]

I agree Theo....and from his interview, I think he looks and feels confident.

[RoverRick]

Tweet from Keegan Bradley,

 

"On range after my round, Miguel Jimenez walked past me with aviator sunglasses, a cigar, and a bottle of wine. Maybe he is the coolest man alive."

 

When asked about the pressure on him because he is in first place, Jimenez leaned back in his chair and opened a leather cigar and smiled and said, "There is a lot of pressure now." "No pressure means you don't need to be here." As he selected his cigar.

 

I love him.

[fozcycle]

1374286079[/url]' post='110130']

Tweet from Keegan Bradley,

 

"On range after my round, Miguel Jimenez walked past me with aviator sunglasses, a cigar, and a bottle of wine. Maybe he is the coolest man alive."

 

When asked about the pressure on him because he is in first place, Jimenez leaned back in his chair and opened a leather cigar and smiled and said, "There is a lot of pressure now." "No pressure means you don't need to be here." As he selected his cigar.

 

I love him.

 

He reminds me of the Dos Equiis commercial...."Stay thirsty my Friend"

[revkev]

Well, Phil putting poorly doesn't come as a big shock... His putter has historically let him down. Tiger is putting fine, and he's always been one of the better putters on tour. I hope it stays fast and firm, makes it interesting

 

Phil is the most over rated putter of all time - statistically he vascilates between below average and average - when he's average he wins because he is a great iron player and every bit as a good with his pitching/chipping as people perceive him to be with his putter.

 

Rookie knows my views on Tiger's putting - it has gone from being the very best in the world to less than the best but still quite good - that's true statistically - it was already beginning to let him down in majors prior to the Thanksgiving incident - I remain convinced that this is a product of his age - its happened before to several top players - Sam Sneed, Tom Watson and Arnold Palmer stand out among them - something happens in the mid-30's and it doesn't come back.

 

He is still a very good putter - he's just not bullet proof as he was - if he doesn't win this major I'm ready to say he won't catch Jack because in this major he doesn't even have to hit driver but a handful of times. His course management and ball striking are brilliant right now. But the putter is just a tic off.

 

As I age I realize just how great a player has to be to win all four majors - Each one tests a different aspect of a player's game - None really hits it by itself but when you put them altogether - the guy who can win all four - he better be able to do everything well.

 

This is fun to watch. I'm anxious to see if Tiger can do enough to win, if Westwood can hold on now that he has a bit of a lead - really great stuff.

 

As for those who would like to play a course like this - be careful what you wish for. Have you ever played a course in Wisconsin or Minnesota in the winter where the ground is frozen but there was no snow so you went out to play? You hit a great shot, it hits ice on the green and the next thing you know you're in the trees 30 yards behing it - that's what this is - the ball goes and goes and goes until it gets somewhere you dont' want it to be - then it stops.

 

I do have a very, very good friend who was a strong player who played Murifield a number of years back during a dry summer - he shot 36 going out down wind and 51 coming back - this is a guy who was a member at a Augusta and has played most of the worlds top 100 courses - he had a 3 that traveled quite well - his best round at Augusta was 71 -

 

Dont' think the extra distance makes it easier.

[BIG STU]

Rev I have played in Wisconsin but not in the winter. I was noticing yesterday that when they hit out of the fairway and that there was not much divot even on wedge shots and the dust was flying. Reminded me of the hot dry summers in the piedmont of North Carolina except it was red clay dust. None of the public courses had fairway irrigation at the time only greens and some tees. The grass what was left of it was short and brown. In those days most public courses used what the Good Lord made on the fairways. Most of the greens on public courses in that area and that era used a hybrid grass called 328 Tifton which is a hybrid Bermuda. It was somewhat slow but rolled true. Man first time I putted on bent wow!

[revkev]

Holy spit - Swartzel just drove the green on 15

 

This is too cool

 

I remember those days Stu - we played the course as nature made it - very different from today - today we play the course as the course makes itself out to be - a lot like dating.

[fozcycle]

Once again, Tiger is just 2 shots behind the lead........Can he do it on Sunday?

[furu]

Lee Westwood + Sean Foley. Would be funny if that resulted in a major in the first tournament

[Mr_Theoo]

Lee Westwood + Sean Foley. Would be funny if that resulted in a major in the first tournament

 

It would, but can Westwood finally close the door, especially with Tiger knocking right on it

[RookieBlue7]

Tiger won't win this tournament. Heard it here first

[fozcycle]

Looks like the greens are holding today........