2009 Open Championship conversation

[Trav]

When was the last time Tiger missed a cut?

In a major, 2006 US Open. This was probably the last time for any event.

I agree the holes start to look alike, but I like watching this event as a change of pace from the target stuff we're used to seeing. I enjoy the fact that when you're in trouble, you're really in trouble. Wouldn't want to watch it all the time, though.

[golfmentalist]

poor tiger right now im watchign it and hes 7 over par, he appears to be slowly loosing his confidence

[1par2win]

Watson has a stretch of 5 bogies in 6 holes and ends up even on the day!?!? He could have easily figured yesterday was one of those throwback days and gone on to play for the cut. That guy is so mentally tough. The guy could bend spoons with his mind!!!

[iacas]

wow tiger just hit the par 3 199 yards with a 9I. thats insane. yes there was wind with him but still.

Don't under-rate the wind. I've hit 9I 190 yards in wind.

Too bad he won't get a chance to hit any 199-yard 9Is on the weekend. Briny Baird, Bryce Molder, AND Billy Mayfair all have to lose 1 or 2 shots coming in to push the top 70 to +4, and that'd be 70 on the number, so he still wouldn't get in. He got hosed with the wind kicking up today, but he really doesn't deserve to play the weekend regardless. But that's what's screwy about the British Open: you get a lot of goofy winners, kind of like the U.S. Open prior to Mike Davis. The weather has such a huge effect and someone who just has some freaky luck along with some hot play can pull it out. I think you get more bizarre winners in this tournament than any other.

[iacas]

BTW, too bad (for TW) that they don't have the 10-shot rule like in the U.S. Open. He'd be in (along with 14 or so others).

[eahollis4]

He got hosed with the wind kicking up today, but he really doesn't deserve to play the weekend regardless. But that's what's screwy about the British Open: you get a lot of goofy winners, kind of like the U.S. Open prior to Mike Davis. The weather has such a huge effect and someone who just has some freaky luck along with some hot play can pull it out. I think you get more bizarre winners in this tournament than any other.

Looks who's won at Turnberry Watson, Price, and Norman. Those weren't long shots. Besides Hamilton, Curtis, and Paul Lawrie during the past few years It was been very consistent in producing favorites over the years. It maybe the best major for producing the best players because a shot off line is more penalized than the other majors most of the time.

[iacas]

Looks who's won at Turnberry Watson, Price, and Norman. Those weren't long shots. Besides Hamilton, Curtis, and Paul Lawrie during the past few years It was been very consistent in producing favorites over the years. It maybe the best major for producing the best players because a shot off line is more penalized than the other majors most of the time.

I'll concede the point that Turnberry has produced good champions. I said as much in my predictions. But that was also before the modern ball, the modern grooves, the modern driver.

Since those things have come about, I think the British Open has produced some of the goofier winners. Sure, it's just been 10-15 years or so, but that's what I was limiting my comment to. I didn't say that, though, so apologies for that. I disagree with the "why." Often at the British Open, shots that are a foot one way or the other, well within the fairway roll 50 yards sideways into a pot bunker. I think the U.S. Open punishes offline shots far more so than the British Open (and the U.S. Open produced its fair share of fluky winners, but more so prior to the past 10-15 years, maybe). And I'm not sold on any of my own opinions here. They're kind of off the cuff, and without a ton of thought, so... I might change my mind if I bothered to think about it more.

[onthehunt526]

I think over the weekend the weather is gonna get squirrelly... and this is gonna turn into a fight to stay under par... I thought at the beginning of the week if the weather stayed "fair" 4 under would win... if it turns "foul" even par wins... a lot of people forget in 1986 at Turnberry... when Norman won... The first day was foul... and Ian Woosnam led at even par... the second day was very fair and scoring was very good... Greg Norman shot 63 (that could have been much lower he three putted 17 and 18)... Saturday was very foul... Norman shot 74 and still led by one... he shot 69 on Sunday in the week's best conditions and won by 5...

[RichF]

'GOOFY' MAJOR WINNERS: 2000-2009

The Masters
Mike Weir
Zach Johnson
Angel Cabrera

US Open
Micheal Campbell
Angel Cabrera
Lucas Glover

The Open
Paul Lawrie
Ben Curtis
Todd Hamilton

PGA Championship
David Toms
Rich Beem
Shaun Micheel

[Cara1975]

Steve Stricker really got hammered hard today as well.

[mcfc_nick]

'GOOFY' MAJOR WINNERS: 2000-2009

cabrera cant really be a weird champion at the masters seeing as he was already a major winner before it can he?

[Cara1975]

Mike Weir is awesome, Glover could win again.

[Chilli Dipper]

I have a feeling that someone who is currently lurking under the radar will post two under-par rounds this weekend to win. I want to say Henrik Stenson.

[mcfc_nick]

I have a feeling that someone who is currently lurking under the radar will post two under-par rounds this weekend to win. I want to say Henrik Stenson.

camilo will win

[Zeph]

Nice to see Vijay up there, Jimenez and Stricker struggling on the second day. We'll be seeing John Daly in the weekend, he's at even par, Martin Kaymer at -1.

[Cara1975]

This is why the PGA is fabulous, not just because of Tiger but because of this intangible thing. Who knows who will win. I can't believe Adam Scott missed the cut, back to square one it seems for him.

[CG031]

I really like Sergio's chances of sneaking up to the top by the end on Saturday... I think he plays better when their really isn't much of a spotlight on him - he's kind of flying under the radar.

[Cara1975]

I really had to do a double take when looking at the players who missed the cut. Woods, Duval, Scott, Kim, Faldo, Poulter and then someone like Casey who barely hung on to make the cut.