2012 British Open Discussion Thread

[RonTheSavage]

I feel bad for Adam Scott, but it was awesome to see Ernie win a major again.

[zeg]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

We know the rules. But the rules dont count somebody walking up to the ball or any of the things you mentioned. There is no doubt that gravity made the ball move, not Adam Scott.

I don't think the rules recognize "gravity" as being able to cause motion for these purposes.

I watched the replays and this is certainly a close case for the penalty, but I think they made the right call. The ball had not been addressed, so the rule about "virtual certainty" doesn't apply. It's a simple question of fact---you need evidence that Scott caused the motion, not evidence that something else did. He was in the area, sure, but you need more than that. Had the ball moved immediately after a practice swing, there would be a case. As it is, I just don't see the evidence as being overwhelming. The ball was perched oddly on slope on a day with gusty wind. I've seen balls roll in similar situations. Assigning a penalty would have been unwarranted.

[zipazoid]

I just had a feeling, and I stated it on Saturday, that the broom handle would let Scott down when the pressure was on.

[nevets88]

Not much has been said about Woods getting out gingerly from the 6th bunker or if it was, I missed it. Are his knees and achilles okay?

Anytime you have an old injury, when you stretch it, it gets sore fast - I have a dodgy ACL, so I can relate a little although I've never had surgery, so it could be nothing and we should just get used to Woods temporarily gimping?

[Jmdmbike]

One image from the TV coverage .... I even backed up my cable box (it can go back about 2 minutes) to make sure I saw what I saw. It was after the turn, and Stevie is seen drinking a bottle of water. He passes it to Scott, who proceeds to take a swig out of the same bottle.  Yuck! I gotta think ... Scott was so focused on his tee shot, he wasn't thinking and neither was his caddie? I've seen Tiger pull sandwiches out of his bag on TV.. There's got to be more than one bottle of water left. Anyone else rmember this?

I saw that too - remember thinking how weird that seemed. Just so focussed he didn't notice, I would guess.

[colin007]

Actually, i made the ball move. I told this really funny joke about how a priest, a lesbian, and Jerry Sandusky walk into a bar...

[TomK82]

Originally Posted by iacas

I predict someone under the age of 40 wins this year.

Discuss all things "Royal Lytham & St. Anne's in 2012" here. :)

Scott's last 4 holes ruined ur perdiction

[GaryH]

Originally Posted by walk18

Huh? He's near the top of the tour this year in driving, and this week's tournament called for lots of irons off the tee.

Firstly i confess that i only watch the majors.  And it seems to me that every major i see he is very wild with his driver off the tee.  Has been the case for years and this trend continued at The Open. I can't be imagining this because the commentators mention it at at every major tournament.

Presumably those driving stats do not exclusively relate to his tee shots with a driver?  He is great with irons off the tee.  I agree, hitting irons off tee was often a smart move.  But when he felt he needed to pull driver out he was often innaccurate.  Scotty hit driver quite a lot and it was a strategy that worked brilliantly for him which suggests it would've done for Woods too, if he could hit it.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by zipazoid

I just had a feeling, and I stated it on Saturday, that the broom handle would let Scott down when the pressure was on.

The putter wasn't the main reason he lost. He put an approach in the weeds on one hole (17?) and a 3 wood in a bunker on 18. His putting wasn't great but it's not what cost him the Open. He did miss a short putt but I'd say that was more nerves that the broomstick.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by walk18

Huh? He's near the top of the tour this year in driving, and this week's tournament called for lots of irons off the tee.

Why are we talking about Huh, he didn't feature in The Open??

[JetFan1983]

Dan Quinn won the American Century Celebrity Classic in Tahoe yesterday too, and he is Ernie's regular caddy. He won over mark rypien, John elway, and Tony Romo. Big day for Team Ernie yesterday.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by MSchott

The putter wasn't the main reason he lost. He put an approach in the weeds on one hole (17?) and a 3 wood in a bunker on 18. His putting wasn't great but it's not what cost him the Open. He did miss a short putt but I'd say that was more nerves that the broomstick.

Understood, but he needed to make an 8-footer to get in the playoffs, not to mention the miss at 16 from 3 feet.

For that matter, he makes the putt at 16 & he's in a playoff at worse.

And of course it was nerves, that's kinda my point. IMO (and we have a long thread on this so not trying to duplicate it here) if you're using is long putter you have 'nerves' issues to begin with. I was just saying that I was kinda expecting Scott to not come through in the clutch with that thing.

[jamo]

Not much has been said about Woods getting out gingerly from the 6th bunker or if it was, I missed it. Are his knees and achilles okay? Anytime you have an old injury, when you stretch it, it gets sore fast - I have a dodgy ACL, so I can relate a little although I've never had surgery, so it could be nothing and we should just get used to Woods temporarily gimping?

Haven't heard anything about it. It's possible that is was just a cramp or putting all of his weight on one bent knee just made the leg tired, and he had to shake it off a bit. Either way I didn't see a limp the rest of the way.

[1NatsFan]

Originally Posted by DocWu1948

One image from the TV coverage .... I even backed up my cable box (it can go back about 2 minutes) to make sure I saw what I saw. It was after the turn, and Stevie is seen drinking a bottle of water. He passes it to Scott, who proceeds to take a swig out of the same bottle.  Yuck! I gotta think ... Scott was so focused on his tee shot, he wasn't thinking and neither was his caddie? I've seen Tiger pull sandwiches out of his bag on TV.. There's got to be more than one bottle of water left. Anyone else rmember this?

I did the exact same thing, hit rewind on the DVR (the term rewind just doesn't seem right for a DVR) to make sure that I saw what I thought I had seen.

I think other's comments about Adam being too focused to notice are spot on.

[utztech]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Ummm, Els uses a long putter too...

So does Webb Simpson, who won the US Open.

I thought Els was not anchoring it, not sure.

Anyway, I have said before I don't like Keegan Bradley's putter either, and go ahead a put Web Simpson in there too.  If Els was anchoring, then I wish he would have lost too.

The thing is, I actually think all the guys are total class acts, I just think they are using a crutch on the greens.  I don't care if it is legal, my opinion is that it should not be, and I think it is a crutch.

[Beachcomber]

Was Bradley the first professional to win a major with the long putter?  And since, Simpson and Els?  That is pretty interesting that out of the last 4 majors, 3 have been won with the long putter.

[jamo]

Was Bradley the first professional to win a major with the long putter?  And since, Simpson and Els?  That is pretty interesting that out of the last 4 majors, 3 have been won with the long putter.

Yes. Angel Cabrera won his Masters using a 39-inch putter. Longer than most, but he didn't anchor so it's not a long putter.

[JetFan1983]

Was Bradley the first professional to win a major with the long putter?  And since, Simpson and Els?  That is pretty interesting that out of the last 4 majors, 3 have been won with the long putter.

Yes, he was first -- with the belly. Three out of the last four for the belly. The broomstick still has zero majors.