2014 Open Championship (British Open) at Royal Liverpool Discussion Thread

[RJH999]

Really great contribution to the discussion.  Can you elaborate for us?  I take it you believe he will break Jack's record?

He won't break Jack's record. To say he is a "non-factor in majors" is a little ridiculous.

[albatross]

He won't break Jack's record. To say he is a "non-factor in majors" is a little ridiculous.

It is?  How is it ridiculous?  He hasn't been in contention on the back 9 on Sunday in 6 years!!   How has he been a factor?

[9iron]

It is?  How is it ridiculous?  He hasn't been in contention on the back 9 on Sunday in 6 years!!   How has he been a factor?

This is what people are missing. Other than the 2009 PGA which I wasn't 100% certain he'd lose until Yang hit the towering approach on the last hole there is no other major where on the back nine on Sunday that I believed Tiger would/could win.

Multiple times I believed he looked like an "older" golfer. His distance advantage relative to everyone else is gone. His putting in majors is nothing like it used to be. Nothing. So you and I are in total agreement.

[mvmac]

It is?  How is it ridiculous?  He hasn't been in contention on the back 9 on Sunday in 6 years!!   How has he been a factor?

Did you see this post?

http://thesandtrap.com/t/75401/2014-open-championship-british-open-at-royal-liverpool-discussion-thread/702#post_1024269

[RJH999]

It is?  How is it ridiculous?  He hasn't been in contention on the back 9 on Sunday in 6 years!!   How has he been a factor?

In his last 9 majors, 4 of them were T11 or better. He also was in contention at the 2012 and 2013 British Open.

[mvmac]

Ok I think there's been enough Tiger/contention talk, now let's this thread back on topic please.

[albatross]

This is what people are missing. Other than the 2009 PGA which I wasn't 100% certain he'd lose until Yang hit the towering approach on the last hole there is no other major where on the back nine on Sunday that I believed Tiger would/could win.

Multiple times I believed he looked like an "older" golfer. His distance advantage relative to everyone else is gone. His putting in majors is nothing like it used to be. Nothing. So you and I are in total agreement.

At least someone agrees with me.  Mvmac, I'll move along and stop posting in this thread about Tiger, but I just wanted RJH999 to simply answer my question, and then I won't continue posting here.  Is he saying that he thinks Tiger will break Jack's record?

Whoops. Sorry. I just noticed he answered the question. Moving along

[FarawayFairways]

I really hope Rickie wins a major soon. In fact, I'll be rooting for him the most at Valhalla. It's good for golf, kids love that dude. Hell my wife bought my 9 month old a Puma outfit because of Fowler.

Rickie = Andre Agassi?

[saevel25]

Rickie = Andre Agassi?

Not even close. Andre Agassi had a totalitarian dad who built his own tennis court and ball launching machine to drill into Andre from a young age how to play tennis. Also Andre stated he hated tennis, the only reason he played was because it was the only thing he knew how to do. I don't think you can even compare him to Andre Agassi, unless Rickie is taking meth to help battle against depression and injury.

Given Agassi is tied for 8th for all time Grand Slam titles for Singles Men's Tennis. Rickie has no majors championships yet. I don't think Rickie struggles mentally anywhere near as bad as Agassi did during his career.

I think Rickie is way more comfortable with himself than Andre ever was when he started playing Tennis. Andre wore a wig to hide his bald head for the first half of his career. He also had severe authority issues, boycotting Wimbledon because he hated how stuck up they were and how they forced players to wear all white. Rickie did have that issue with wearing his hat backwards at Augusta, but he hasn't boycotted The Masters yet, which I think would be equivalent to boycotting Wimbledon.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Rickie = Andre Agassi?

Nah, Rickie doesn't have fake hair

[Golfingdad]

Andre wore a wig to hide his bald head for the first half of his career.

How did I not know this?  You mean the entire time he had that crazy long hair, it was a wig???

[FarawayFairways]

I was thinking more in terms of trying to find a colourful character who can be used to promote the game, and make it look a little bit trendy and even edgy, rather than a tired game for old men. Personally I think that when the dust has settled and you look back on why golf lost market share, the name of Phil Mickelson will loom large in establishing a template that others have followed. The description of 'boring' fits golf today as well as its ever fitted in my lifetime (well living memory anyway)

[saevel25]

How did I not know this?  You mean the entire time he had that crazy long hair, it was a wig???

It was in his autobiography. He and his brother both lost their hair early on, it was probably genetic. Yea, when he made his comeback he decided to go bald.  He was always Tennis' bad boy, and they ripped him for going bald. He couldn't win even when he was trying to become less renegade looking.

[Crim]

Rickie = Andre Agassi?

I don't understand the correlation.

[FarawayFairways]

It's explained above

[FarawayFairways]

Interesting take by Rory in this mornings paper about this notion of being streaky (that was the context of the quote), as the interviewer has asked a question about what he might say to Woods should he bump into him next week regarding Tiger's assertion that Rory is "brilliant, but streaky, like Phil"

"The Characteristics of my game are more like those of Phil than Tiger, but the major wins now suggest something different in terms of career paths. I've won three majors by 25, and Phil won his first at 34, although has obviously had an incredible time in the majors since. And actually this year has been consistent - the only time I didn't finish in the top-25 is the missed cut in the Irish open"

I think that what Rory might be saying here increasingly shows a new level of confidence and possible awareness that he's becoming someone in the context of the games history. Rather than using Tiger or Phil as his benchmark, he no longer warrants a benchmark for the rest of us to try and make sense of him from by way of a reference point. At what point do we start saying is Phil more like Rory? etc or do we simply drop the idea of comparing Rory to anyone and saying instead that Rory is Rory, he has arrived, and in future he will be the benchmark that we use to try assess other players against in terms of who they remind us of?

FWIW, I still think Rory is streaky, and similar to Seve and Phil in that regard. Unlike those two though who might define their mercurial talent with an outrageous good shot, or a single hot round, Rory can put four of them toegther with a greater frequency I suspect, which is why he could end up with double their total of major wins. He's streaky still, but perhaps he can stay streaky for longer than they did?

[Gunther]

Interesting take by Rory in this mornings paper about this notion of being streaky (that was the context of the quote), as the interviewer has asked a question about what he might say to Woods should he bump into him next week regarding Tiger's assertion that Rory is "brilliant, but streaky, like Phil" "The Characteristics of my game are more like those of Phil than Tiger, but the major wins now suggest something different in terms of career paths. I've won three majors by 25, and Phil won his first at 34, although has obviously had an incredible time in the majors since. And actually this year has been consistent - the only time I didn't finish in the top-25 is the missed cut in the Irish open" I think that what Rory might be saying here increasingly shows a new level of confidence and possible awareness that he's becoming someone in the context of the games history. Rather than using Tiger or Phil as his benchmark, he no longer warrants a benchmark for the rest of us to try and make sense of him from by way of a reference point. At what point do we start saying is Phil more like Rory? etc or do we simply drop the idea of comparing Rory to anyone and saying instead that Rory is Rory, he has arrived, and in future he will be the benchmark that we use to try assess other players against in terms of who they remind us of? FWIW, I still think Rory is streaky, and similar to Seve and Phil in that regard. Unlike those two though who might define their mercurial talent with an outrageous good shot, or a single hot round, Rory can put four of them toegther with a greater frequency I suspect, which is why he could end up with double their total of major wins. He's streaky still, but perhaps he can stay streaky for longer than they did?

His comment about his consistency this year kind of supports my thought proffered a week ago, that he is, in fact, one of the most consistent players on tour when looking back on his 4 or 5 year career in a bigger picture kind of way. I believe that's how the greats of the game, such as Rory, look at it themselves and don't necessarily judge their own "consistency" on a tourney by tourney basis.

[turtleback]

His comment about his consistency this year kind of supports my thought proffered a week ago, that he is, in fact, one of the most consistent players on tour when looking back on his 4 or 5 year career in a bigger picture kind of way. I believe that's how the greats of the game, such as Rory, look at it themselves and don't necessarily judge their own "consistency" on a tourney by tourney basis.

I think you are absolutely correct.  The problem is that we have been spoiled and our perspective has been skewed by the incredible level of consistency we saw for 13 years between 1996 and 2008 from Tiger, particularly if you make allowances for 1998 and 2004, the two swing change years.  Rory may be streaky compared to that, but that doesn't make him streaky in any real sense.  Not being as consistent as the most consistent guy there ever was is not a good way of measuring streakiness, IMO.