Used to like Stewart Cink...

[senorchipotle]

before the open championship last year, cink was one of my favorite guys to watch and i always rooted for him. until it came down to the final round at the open. i, among pretty much everybody else, wanted to see TW win that tournament, which would have pretty much been the greatest finish to a major tournament since the other TW in the '05 masters. after that huge let down, i just can't enjoy watching stewart anymore. i know it's illogical for me to no longer root for him, but now i couldn't care less whether or not he wins or loses. is this wrong of me?

[Elsfan]

No way. You are doing the right thing. I don't understand how anyone likes him in the first place. I always felt he was a great underachiever. Anyway when or should I say if Stewart ever wins again and you are rooting for him without any feelings of wanting him to win that would be really weird.

[Chilli Dipper]

If it was 1974, would you be unable to like Nicklaus or Trevino because they finished ahead of a 62-year-old Sam Snead at the PGA Championship? Is it not okay to root for Padraig because he denied Norman at Birkdale?

[MSDOGS1976]

I wanted Watson to win too, but Cink was not the cause of Tom not winning. Tom simply messed up getting up and down on the 18th green. And did nothing in the playoff. He lost it. I hold nothing against Cink.

[Tiger Spuds]

Is it not okay to root for Padraig because he denied Norman at Birkdale?

Difference being, Tom Watson is a gentleman and Greg Norman is a w*****.

But yeah, as for the OP, bit silly to change your opinion of someone just because they won a tournament over somebody else. Any other player out there would have tried their best to win it ahead of Tom too, it's a Major..

[max power]

I was rooting for Watson too, but he hit two truly ugly putts to end up tied with Cink. Gotta blame Watson, and give credit to Cink for destroying him in the playoff.

[drglew]

i wouldn't have minded Cink's win if he didn't look like he borrowed his hat from Kermit the Frog...

[Cornbread]

Cink was in a bad situation once he tied Watson. Win and become hated, or lose and never be the Brit Open Champ. He knew that and Watson knew that.
I honestly believe that Watson didn't wish bad will on Cink once he finished the 18th. So how could he get out of that situation without making Cink look bad? Shoot a high score thus taking the blame off of Cink. Watson is a class act and I will always believe he done the classy thing in the playoff.

[senorchipotle]

Cink was in a bad situation once he tied Watson. Win and become hated, or lose and never be the Brit Open Champ. He knew that and Watson knew that.

yeah, perhaps he did do that. and i know that tom doesn't hold anything against stewart for winning the playoff. and had tom sunk his putt we wouldn't even be having this conversation. but it broke so many hearts when tom lost, it's hard not to blame stewart as he was the one who beat him.

[holeinon3]

I was pulling for Tom as well (fellow Kansas City boy), but I still like Stewart because it wasn't his fault Tom screwed up.. Plus he's hard not to like if you keep up with him on twitter.

[max power]

Cink was in a bad situation once he tied Watson. Win and become hated, or lose and never be the Brit Open Champ. He knew that and Watson knew that.

There is absolutely 0% chance Watson was trying

not to win the playoff. Sorry, but that is ridiculous. He just didn't have anything left in the tank-and he is a class act.

[michaeljames92]

Difference being, Tom Watson is a gentleman and Greg Norman is a w*****.

+1 Greg Norman is a complete douche. Reeks of arrogance and I am ashamed that he is Australian.

[Weezy]

If you root for someone then whoever beats them is the enemy. Just think about all the sports teams you hate because they took down you beloved team. Same principal

[Shorty]

Cink was in a bad situation once he tied Watson. Win and become hated, or lose and never be the Brit Open Champ. He knew that and Watson knew that.

That is without doubt, the most moronic thing I have ever read.

You are suggesting that Watson deliberately lost the playoff?

[Mulligan]

I was never really a Stewart Cink fan, and I was pulling for Tom Watson to win the Open, but I don't think any worse of Cink for winning it. They are both professionals, and for either of them to let the other win was not going to happen. And the greatest thing to take out of it was that Tom Watson was just as gracious of a loser as Jack Nicklaus was to him when he beat Jack at Turnberry.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Watson wasnt good enough. You cant hate Cink for doing what he was supposed to do.

[shaun]

Cink was in a bad situation once he tied Watson. Win and become hated, or lose and never be the Brit Open Champ. He knew that and Watson knew that.

No, that didn't happen. But even assuming that you're right -- which takes a lot of effort and makes me feel idiotic -- there would be nothing 'classy' in Watson gifting the Open to Cink by deliberately losing the playoff. If Watson had done that, he wouldn't be congratulated; he'd have irreparably tarnished his legacy.

[sean_miller]

I was never a Cink "fan" before and I'm still not. He's just one of many guys in the pack who would have love to be in that playoff with Watson and played those 4 holes steady enough to hoist the claret jug. He's a tad boring, I don't give 2 s***s about Twitter, and he's clearly colour blind, but I would never, ever consider myself a Cink hater. I wanted Tom Watson to win last year's Open so badly, I was devastated when that ball ran through the green on 18, because I could sense the mojo ran out.

It's not Cink's fault that the players who may have made a better story line. Is it Jack's fault Seve dunked his shot in the water in the '86 Masters?

Same goes for Lucas Glover - is he supposed to apologize because Phil missed a couple putts down the stretch?