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

[RJH999]

Aside from the betting odd's, do you have a dark horse favorite..?  My top 3 were Sergio, Martin, and Paul Casey, but I'm liking Ricky Fowler as a long shot.

I like Cabrera, Jimenez, Furyk, and Choi's shots

[ChrisP]

I personally think Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia are two of the best bargains out there at those odds. DJ has a great record at the Open and he should blow up these par-5s. One key stat to look at is par-5 scoring this year. I think I heard somewhere that Scott and Stenson are two of the best. The player that wins this week is one that will go something like -12 or better on par-5s.

[CarlSpackler]

What are the odds that there will be a streaker at The Open this year?

[David in FL]

What are the odds that there will be a streaker at The Open this year?

I doubt it, all the knuckleheads are at the Tour de France....... ;-)

[FarawayFairways]

If you offered anything odds against there'd be no shortage of candidates from Liverpool game to back it and then make it come true (have you ever seen what the so-called 'ladies day' looks like at Aintree?)

I do wonder if the 11/5 about a round of 64 or lower isn't value. Five players shot 65 in 2006 and with the strides made in distance since, then a bit of me wonders if Royal Liverpool has kept pace being just something like 40yds longer

In answer to the name of the course, it's a tough one. Strictly speaking its Royal Liverpool at Hoylake, the problem is that Hoylake is on a peninsula called the Wirral (west bank of the Mersey) and Wirral is definitely not Liverpool. However, Hoylake Golf Club exists as a separate entity

[Crim]

So, who's getting up at 4am to watch it live?

My wife's out of town on business, so I'm thinking about it....

I just did a test to make sure I can watch it online @ ESPN.com

I'll be up early in the morn for sure.

[nevets88]

I just did a test to make sure I can watch it online @ ESPN.com

I'll be up early in the morn for sure.

I had problems with ESPN + Chromecast during the World Cup, but on browser on a laptop was fine. If anyone is using a Chromecast, as they might already well know, there's always a chance for stalling/buffering or having to reset.

[FarawayFairways]

Get yourself the BBC feed and you won't have to worry about another advert again.

[nevets88]

I was reading the @Jeremie Boop 's post on the wi-fi problems and did a Twitter search on wi-fi and found this:

http://www.theuksportsnetwork.com/interview-how-the-open-championship-is-utilising-ibeacons-wi-fi-and-storytelling

Quote:

One of the biggest investments that was trialled last year and is now being expanded upon is the installation of wifi points around the course. 350 access points will be have been installed giving Wi-Fi coverage on every grandstand.

One of the most interesting findings was around usage – they expected video streaming to be the key driver but it turned out that GPS tracking of players on the course was the most used feature, showing who was teeing off from where and what their current score was.

GPS coverage of player locations on the course is cool though. That is an excellent use of tech, less walking, see more action. Bloody brilliant!

Interesting - cell phones are allowed:

http://www.theopen.com/en/Information/SpectatorAdvice.aspx

MOBILE DEVICE APPS

A complimentary Wi-Fi network, providing access to The Open App, will be available, enabling spectators to keep up-to-date with all the action around the course. A host of official iPad, iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Windows 8 mobile Apps can be downloaded in June via Apps.TheOpen.com.

MOBILE DEVICE & CAMERA POLICY

A strict policy will be in place to ensure play is not disrupted in any way.

• All devices must be in SILENT mode at all times.
• Calls must be placed or received in approved designated areas, referred to as “Mobile Device Zones”.
• No audio or video capture is permitted at any time.
• No still photography is permitted on Championship Days.
• Data use (e.g. texting, e-mail, website access, etc) is permitted throughout the golf course. Volume must be muted at all times.

Spectators who breach any provision of this policy will be subject to the terms and conditions of ticket sales.

[nevets88]

Get yourself the BBC feed and you won't have to worry about another advert again.

I'm not talking about ads, I'm talking about the streaming just plain not working, stopping and stalling.

[3putter]

I'm not talking about ads, I'm talking about the streaming just plain not working, stopping and stalling.

I had this problem before, and I had to go into settings and change my viewing to 720P, that stopped all buffering and stopping. Golf Channel/NBC streaming app on the other hand just don't work well for me.

[ChrisP]

One of those predictions that I'll look like an idiot if I'm wrong but a scholar if I'm right, but I'll go out on a limb....

Not saying they'll do it, but someone will come close to a 62 tomorrow.

Perfect weather conditions expected, soft greens. Someone's going to hit all the fairways, play the par-5s in -5 or better and play target practice on these softer greens.

[Gunther]

One of those predictions that I'll look like an idiot if I'm wrong but a scholar if I'm right, but I'll go out on a limb.... Not saying they'll do it, but someone will come close to a 62 tomorrow. Perfect weather conditions expected, soft greens. Someone's going to hit all the fairways, play the par-5s in -5 or better and play target practice on these softer greens.

If you said WHO, then you'd look like a scholar. ;)

[FarawayFairways]

I'll spare you the idiot stakes Chris and raise you, as I was looking for a price on a 59 earlier today!!!

Admittedly the R&A; tends to regard 59's as only being possible on lame American tracks, but my own view is that it's going to happen in Europe sooner rather than later, and they're going to get a shock when it does. Peter Ulhein came within a whisker of taking Kingsbarns for one last year at the Dunill when a putt slid past and he had to settle for 60. Now Kingsbarns plays 7210yds and when it was first introduced into the Dunhill the general consensus was that it was nearer to Carnoustie than St Andrews. In recent years those its been surrendering low scores. Last years Dunhill was played in particularly becalmed conditions and showed up just what is possible on a links course now if the wind is removed from the equation. It was this which kind of led me to the conclusion that if a 59 is to be shot one day, then where will it happen? Well a top class field is normally a precursor and that would mean something like the Dunhill or the Open

Reverse engineering the process, I decided it would have to be one of two things

1: A suspect links course that you catch under very calm and fast conditions with a top class field on it

2: A Mediterranean or central European course that hasn't been kept up to date and which equipment technologies have overtaken

The first criteria might be met with both Liverpool and St Andrews hosting in the enxt 12 months

Mind you, given that a 59 has never been shot in Europe, and I think we've only ever had seventeen scores of 60, I'd want at least 500/1 and probably something like 750/1+

[ChrisP]

If you said WHO, then you'd look like a scholar. ;)

I'll go with McIlroy....Mr. First Round himself. After all, guy was a 3-footer away from a 62 at St. Andrews in 2010.

[CarlSpackler]

I wonder who is wearing these pants at The Open...

[Gunther]

I'll go with McIlroy....Mr. First Round himself. After all, guy was a 3-footer away from a 62 at St. Andrews in 2010.

Yep, good choice. I think Stenson will walk away with the Jug but not sure he'll go that deep.

[jamo]

BTW, if you guys take one thing away from the TST staff predictions for the Open, it's that Rickie Fowler is probably going to come down with Ebola sometime this afternoon since three of us picked him. http://thesandtrap.com/b/pga/2014_british_open_staff_preview