2009 Open Championship conversation

[retexan599]

Ten inches from immortality....

[UP&DOWN]

What a BUMMER.

[shankapotamus]

Would have def liked to see Watson take it home, but no disrespect for Cink.

Epic facepalm. Tiger's stats since 08 Open:

10 events played. 3 won. 1 cut missed. 8 top 10's. 9 top 25's. Sooo inconsistent

[Sherlockian]

I was pulling for Tom, but am so happy for Stewart. Stewart has always been a great golfer, now he is major champion(my favorite major too). Great gentleman from Alabama with the Open on his record. I hope this will jumpstart him to more. I remember playing against him in high school. He was a freshman and I was a sophmore. With him, Bradshaw beat the snot out of Athens(my school). He had great skills back then, and proved today that they are even better.

[Elsfan]

Epic facepalm. Tiger's stats since 08 Open:

Its terrible especially if you know what the word relative means. Ask Tiger Woods how he is playing, I am sure he is really happy with his game. Tiger will also tell you its all about the majors. Rate his game by his standards, not an above average tour players.

[Dave]

Tom's one of my golfing heros. I watched all the TV coverage each day and thought I'd have a stroke watching all the ups and downs.

It's not surprising Tom didn't do well in the play-off after missing that putt; having the wind sucked out of your sails.

Too bad for Cink in a way. I'd guess most won't remember Stewart winning the Open, they'll remember Tom losing it.

[patriot07]

Yeah I think you're right. Unfortunately for Cink, the most remembered shot in this open will be Tom's putt on the 72nd.

I met Watson about 5 years ago and a few of us guys talked to him by ourselves for a couple minutes at a clinic he held in Dallas. From the short time I had with him, he was just as nice a guy as you hear everyone say he is. It's a real shame he didn't walk away with his 6th open championship, what a story it would've been. Still one heck of a run. Congratulations to Stewart.

[golfindib]

When I was younger I got beat by a couple of older gentlemen.I could pound the ball a mile but they were right down the middle everytime and did not miss a putt.With Tom coming close, I think it still shows you, that golf is played by all ages.And getting older might take away some distance off the tee.But it`s the distance between your ears that makes the score.Still was a great Open to watch! Good Golfin

[apex53]

I really hated to see Tom Watson lose the tournament... he played fantastic golf for 4 days under the most intense pressure... this is a guy who stared down Nicklaus in The Masters, U.S. Open, and the Open Championship... I hate to say it but for some reason after he missed the par putt on 18 I didn't like his chances in the playoff... full credit goes to Stewart Cink for playing a great tournament and winning the playoff... Watson is one of the greatest players in history and a lot of people feel his chip-in on the 71st hole in the '82 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach is the greatest shot in golf history... would have loved to have seen him win and be the oldest major champion ever... 59 years old and to perform like that in the Open is amazing... Never thought Norman really had a chance last year but I thought Watson could pull it off... just a damn shame

[Chilli Dipper]

A couple of things to be noted among the other frontrunners.

Chris Wood: Last year, he was an amateur no one had heard of who finished tied for fifth. This year, he was a professional who had done so little since Birkdale that no one had remembered him, and he finished tied for third. He looks like Cone from Sum 41. The chairman of the R&A; may shoot himself before handing the Claret Jug to him. Is he a two-time flash in the pan, or will we hear from him again?

Ernie Els: His Open record this decade? T2-T3-1-T18-2-T34-3-T4-T7-T8. He missed the cut at his first Open in 1989, but he has a dozen top-10s in 18 appearances since, and has made every cut.

[Awsi Dooger]

It's much more devastating than on the surface. For one thing, there's a good chance Tom Watson never wins another pro tournament. Very few 60+ year olds win on the Champions Tour. Of course, Watson could win next week in the Senior British but make no mistake he can't replicate this effort on the big tour and opportunities will be lesser and lesser on the senior tour.

Imagine having a loss like that stand out as the final big opportunity. It would have set him apart as an alltime example of sporting accomplishment at an advanced age, alongside George Foreman winning a version of the heavyweight title.

I rooted for Watson all day but I've got to concede it doesn't hurt like it would have if someone I'd pulled for throughout his career had lost in that fashion. Watson has also made some very simpleton political statements recently that I don't appreciate. You risk that type of thing with political comments. Basically, I felt worse that his caddie lost:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle6719773.ece

[mtsalmela80]

It's much more devastating than on the surface. For one thing, there's a good chance Tom Watson never wins another pro tournament. Very few 60+ year olds win on the Champions Tour. Of course, Watson could win next week in the Senior British but make no mistake he can't replicate this effort on the big tour and opportunities will be lesser and lesser on the senior tour.

"“I'm a great believer in the truism that, if you are not liberal when you are 19, there is something wrong with your heart, and that if you are not conservative when you are 40, then there is something wrong with your head,” Watson said. "

Is that what you mean by simpleton political statement?

[HytrewQasdfg]

I guess I'm one of the few that was rooting for Cink.

I'm afraid Cink isn't going to get his due credit here. Watching it, the impression is that Watson broke down (I think he got tired at the end.) Cink though, played a great last 9 to put himself in a position for the playoff. Then he shot a 2 under par for the 4 hole playoff.

The way Cink was playing at the end of the day, it is unlikely anyone could have won that playoff against him.

[Prairie Golfer]

Ten inches from immortality....

BAH!

The man has eight majors. He was immortal before the putt and he's immortal now.

[iacas]

One final thing to say here: for those who like to bag on Johnny Miller, I'm fairly certain ALL of you would have traded him and his giggly co-host Hicks in for the entirety of the ABC announcing team.

When Andy North and is one of the bright spots, you know something's wrong (Judy Rankin always is).

[iWALK18]

"“I'm a great believer in the truism that, if you are not liberal when you are 19, there is something wrong with your heart, and that if you are not conservative when you are 40, then there is something wrong with your head,” Watson said. "

That's a reference to a Churchill quote, I believe. While I don't believe that its a true statement, I don't judge a person's worth or character for believing it. And I think a lot of great people believe this quote is true; it is not "simpleton". Watson, by all accounts I have heard, is an absolute gentleman.

[AmenCorner]

The way Cink was playing at the end of the day, it is unlikely anyone could have won that playoff against him.

Well, he did shoot 2 under in 4 holes so I have to agree with you here.

You are absolutely correct though, Cink played great even though he missed some rather easy putts on the back. At least 2 I can think of. All in all, I thought the tournament was incredible despite the playoff. Leading up that was so intense I have no more fingernails.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Yeah a great tournament..I had it wall to wall in my house with live internet interactive streaming and on the box.

Everyone wants to win it, and thats why its such a great tournament. It was nice that Justin Leonard ventured out with the other spectators to watch the play off.