2008 US Open Thread (TP South)

[golf_junkie27]

a) Hard-core golf fans care about Tiger. They also care about other golfers.

I'm not disputing the type of fans that care about Woods and I'm fully aware about casual golf fans and TV Coverage. In order to keep those eyes, they will show the more popular, players. (I spent 12 years at a major television network and know how these things work)

My beef is with the post round coverage. Again, as great as Woods' back nine was, other players deserved as much. Appleby, Love, Jimenez, Mediate all are great stories. I did not see much mention after the round or a breakdown of their rounds like Tiger. That's all.

[Chas]

Maybe the next time the Open comes to Oakmont? I dunno. I'm not in California.

Ooops. Sorry about that, somehow I got the wrong idea. It happens

I read about Ian Poulter's little tantrum - the limp-wristed Brit does it again. So glad he was wearing pink plaid at the time. I pity his two compatriots who had to put up with him yesterday. I'd buy a round of bitter to all in the clubhouse to know what those two were really thinking. O well, at least they didn't have to suffer him for the full 18 ...... How did I manage NOT to get a ticket to this event? I must be the only golfer in San Diego no to be there - how am I going to explain myself? In my back yard, I can almost hear the crowd go nuts when Tiger sinks an eagle putt. Well, not exactly, but I do have to put up with military jets diverted a few miles to the north heading out of Miramar (marine air station just east of TP). Anyone have a ticket for tomorrow, anything less than four digits?

[Thrash13]

Most people know by now I'm not a huge Tiger fan, but he needs to be in the hunt Sunday for the Primetime coverage. That could be a huge step for golf after losing a little steam in recent years.

Tiger getting all the spotlight has bugged me some in the past, but I'm used to it by now. And like Erik said, it's a smart move by the TV networks. Tiger equals ratings, and that's what it all comes down to. As far as the post-round coverage, didn't they interview Appleby right after Woods last night?

Edit: Also, I expect Phil to shoot something in the 60s today now that he isn't grouped with Tiger. He should relax a little and go low. He will put himself back in the top 15 or so, but he will struggle a little tomorrow. I just have that feeling heading into today's third round. It would be great for golf if Lefty could at least sniff the first page of the leaderboard at some point today or tomorrow.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

"Diet" Koch? Thankfully, I don't have to listen to understand what's going on.

"Single Maltbie" was just slightly better...

I agree it would be great for him to get near that top page today. He's playing with Adam Scott again today and they seemed to be chatting a bit the first two days so perhaps he'll be more comfortable with the same pairing, minus Mr. Woods

However, he simply has to hit more fairways. 75might have been the best he could have shot yesterday. I think all the Phil not taking driver talk is totally justified. The guy is hitting less than half his fairways with a 3 wood (I still don't know what loft this thing is). Point is... sure, he's hitting it 290 or whatever but he could still miss the fairway and hit it 300-something with his driver. The closer the better when hacking it out of that stuff.

[iacas]

My beef is with the post round coverage. Again, as great as Woods' back nine was, other players deserved as much. Appleby, Love, Jimenez, Mediate all are great stories. I did not see much mention after the round or a breakdown of their rounds like Tiger. That's all.

I don't know, I saw a good bit of coverage of the other guys. Not on ESPN (see watcher c above), but on The Golf Channel it was pretty even-handed.

And like it or not, not everyone that watches TGC is an "a" member either. Some casual golf fans watch that too, and they want to hear about Tiger. Even some hard-core golf fans want to hear about Tiger. So yeah, I think the post-game coverage was okay, too. They talked with Love, Appleby, Mediate, Mike Davis, and others. I could come on here and complain about all the coverage Phil's getting. After all, he's not even T2 like Tiger... but I don't. I'm not suggesting that you're complaining a bit too much, g_j27, but you have to realize by now that talking about it isn't going to change anything or accomplish much, right?

far as the post-round coverage, didn't they interview Appleby right after Woods last night?

Yeah. And even Woody Austin got some interview action (though Rich Lerner only asked about Tiger Woods).

BTW, nobody's mentioned this yet, but if Tiger wins the U.S. Open, he'll have won each major at least THREE times: the TRIPLE career grand slam. And if he does that, he's one win away in each of the Opens from winning the QUADRUPLE career grand slam.

[Chas]

I think all the Phil not taking driver talk is totally justified. The guy is hitting less than half his fairways with a 3 wood (I still don't know what loft this thing is). Point is... sure, he's hitting it 290 or whatever but he could still miss the fairway and hit it 300-something with his driver. The closer the better when hacking it out of that stuff.

Because on this track, the more you miss by, the bigger trouble you're in. And there's some very big trouble. I've played TP a few times and it was tough enough even before the new flora got put in .... I can't wait to play it again a.s.a.p. after the pros have gone home to nurse their wounds (and put ice on their wrists). But me, I'm packing the big stick and no mistake! Without it, I aint got no hope of GIR from the back. I loved watching where those guys were hitting their approach shots from on the 1st - it's not a view I'm personally familiar with .....

Am I going to try hitting from the tournament tee on the 13th? hmmm, we'll have to see how I feel on the day (and how strong the wind is).

[CG031]

So depressing for me that Bubba didn't make the cut.

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

Because on this track, the more you miss by, the bigger trouble you're in. And there's some very big trouble.

Valid point but it seems to me that often he has been missing by wide margins with his 3 wood. It was suggested on the air that perhaps he's trying to hit it too hard or trying to hit a hard draw and he's flairing them out to the left. I don't know. I do know that it's not working.

[Chas]

Also a valid point. If that's what Phil thinks might be happening, he might well go back to the driver and do better with it.

I just dislike the second-guessing by the overpaid commentators - what the heck do they know? Whatever Phil chooses to do, he's doing it for his own reasons - about which those twits know nothing.

[iacas]

I'm catching up on coverage (started at about 5), and a few minutes ago they showed Tiger walking through the gates. He was limping - not a bunch, but it was there if you were paying any attention at all.

Again, makes me think the work he had done is more than he let on.

[Chas]

Phil just self-destructed on the 13th. With a wedge in his hand, repeatedly. Sayonarah .....

[QWKDTSN]

Oh man... I feel sick to my stomach for poor Phil. 9 strokes on the par 5 hole #13 while he was already well over par for the tournament...

I grew up in San Diego, went to La Jolla High and Torrey Pines would be my home course if I had started playing golf before joining the military and moving away.

I know how important winning this tournament is for Phil and while I know his chances were getting slimmer and slimmer as it went on I have to say there's just no chance. His mental game just has to be shot.

[T.J.K.]

That was some Tin Cup style golf. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

[Chas]

Looked to me like he was trying to finesse the shot onto the very front of the green - again and again. No margin for error. Maybe he was just too confident with the wedge, on this all-too familiar course.

Pretty sad for our local boy.

[iacas]

So Appleby can't putt. 7 putts from a combined distance of 22 feet on two holes.

Rocco is playing like he has all week.

Phil and Ernie can't hit a pitch shot to an elevated green.

Tiger has settled down. Maybe his knee stiffens up after his warmup (he putts for 15 minutes after going to the range), and maybe he should consider hitting a few balls right before going to the first tee. Or at least taking some more near-full-speed swings.

Westwood's hanging around. Mahan came back. Love is steady. Ogilvy is back to even on the day and even through the tournament.

If Tiger is going to win, it may be that fabled first time he's come from behind to do it. But he's got a lot of people around him, and he's still three back of Rocco.

[wilbur.kay]

And there goes Ogilvy now. Having said that he has been there before and seems to be hitting it well enough to get back up there. But frankly the only way anyone with less than ten pins on their hat is going to win is if someone really gets in Rocco's head and changes the amazing mindset he has right now. He has even stopped watching his shots after he swings and knows they are (again) in the middle of the green!

[Thrash13]

My cheers will definitely be for Mahan and Garcia tomorrow, but it seems Westwood may be the guy. It's hard for me to believe Rocco's putting will hold up for a fourth straight day. That's been his undoing in past majors, and it may again this year. Westwood is steady as a rock.

[wilbur.kay]

What score does everyone see as winning? I'd say if Rocco does a Faldo from here in straight pars he will be very hard to beat. I'd be surprised to see the USGA leave the tees forward for Sunday. It would be a great story for Rocco to go all the way but it would also be cool to see a big Sunday charge from anyone through the field. Maybe Sergio got his bad 6 holes out of the way early and he will come through this time? Looking forward to it anyway.