2015 British Open at St. Andrews Discussion Thread

[Vinsk]

I highly enjoyed The Open overall. I gotta say though, after Chambers Bay and St. Andrews I'm ready for a tournament of completely non-links golf.

[Missouri Swede]

I highly enjoyed The Open overall. I gotta say though, after Chambers Bay and St. Andrews I'm ready for a tournament of completely non-links golf.

Don't forget the Scottish Open between them.

[Vinsk]

Oh yeah....good call. PGA Championship....let's do it.

[Gunther]

Oh yeah....good call. PGA Championship....let's do it.

Not sure if you're kidding or not but Whistling Straits is links-like as well. Canadian Open this week is not, however, so you're all good.

[Vinsk]

Ralphie from "Christmas Story" :'"ohhhhhh fuuuuuuu..." That's right! Another good call...damn it.

[ChrisP]

Why did this thread evolved into JS bashing?   He seems like he is mature beyond his age and the last time I checked, that's not a bad thing.   He was one shot away from potentially winning his 3rd major tournaments in a row.   That wasn't boring, and it did not make him a fake.

He's too nice and too respectful. Some people don't like that and think it's fake, even though there no evidence to suggest it's fake. Sounds a lot like Phil Mickelson. My honest opinion? This doesn't apply to everyone, but I think there are Rory fans and Tiger fans out there that don't like this kid because he's their "rival" in one way, shape or form. It's simple as that.

[Golfingdad]

I highly enjoyed The Open overall. I gotta say though, after Chambers Bay and St. Andrews I'm ready for a tournament of completely non-links golf.

I get that ... But I'd settle for a tournament as equally as compelling as these last two - regardless of the course style. :)

[Shorty]

What I don't get is why we are even taking up several pages talking about Spieth when he didn't even make it into the playoff?  Now he resets and gets ready for wherever he plans to play next.

It's like nobody even cares or gives any props to Zach Johnson for a really gutty performance.

Yes - a shot out of it and a decent putt away from being in it. Didn't even make the playoff. Pathetic.

I mean - it's not as if there was anything riding on his performance. Nothing to talk about really.

Why is someone who FAILED to make the playoff worthy of any mention? No idea.

We're bound to see the Grand Slam completed at least 20 times in the next 25 years.

It's like Cink/Watson. Who knows why there's more talk about Watson than Cink years later? It's a complete mystery.

Translation:

I think there are lots of people admiring Johnson's gritty performance and clutch putting.

Problem is, the last hour of the tournament was about possibilities, not eventualities.

Johnson is the winner, but the winner is not always the story that ignites the imagination .

[Zeph]

Zach winning was...ok. Nothing spectatular or out of the ordinary.

Spieth getting the third in a row would've been huge.

That's why people talk about Spieth and not Zach.

While we are on the subject, I find both of them kinda bland and boring, but they play good golf. Being bland is  more a commonality than an outlier in the mix of professional golfers.

[boogielicious]

I think the media hype to make Jordan Spieth the squeaky-clean good guy is 100% fallout from Tiger's life. Everyone wants to root for the good guy in golf, and the original one fell really hard. I wouldn't pass judgment about anyone I knew from television appearances, BTW.

BTW - Did anyone else see this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fFpPA4iYjI "The Fall of Tiger Woods."

I had no idea how much pressure his dad put on him, and how insane his personal life was until this weekend. The documentary director seems extremely agenda-driven with his narrative, but all of the stuff about Earl Woods wanting his son to be the next Buddha, and him putting for 8 hours a day after school, etc., the IMG Sports machine, etc. There's one part where the narrator claimed Tiger was having delusions that snipers were in the crowd ready to shoot him as he putted in championship events in 2007. Then there's a backstory about these poor black caddies who live across the street from Augusta with their insight about Tiger hitting 2-irons at Earl Woods while he stood perfectly still... Craziness...

Steve Williams stated in an interview that Tiger received death threats and needed security with him for a while on Tour. So it was not delusional. I doubt JS or Rory are receiving death threats.  Maybe marriage proposals, but not threats.

[taxgolf]

My honest opinion? This doesn't apply to everyone, but I think there are Rory fans and Tiger fans out there that don't like this kid because he's their "rival" in one way, shape or form. It's simple as that.

Nonsens. Mr Spieth is a tremendous golfer. Although,in my view, not spectacular. With DJ you see a mile drive, Sergio treats us with a nice sandy, Jiminez probably a hole in 1, TW given us whatever and Phil brings his great wedges. That's why I like to watch those guys more. Nothing to do with rival. Stardom comes and gratually goes.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fourputt

What I don't get is why we are even taking up several pages talking about Spieth when he didn't even make it into the playoff?  Now he resets and gets ready for wherever he plans to play next.

It's like nobody even cares or gives any props to Zach Johnson for a really gutty performance.

Yes - a shot out of it and a decent putt away from being in it. Didn't even make the playoff. Pathetic.

I mean - it's not as if there was anything riding on his performance. Nothing to talk about really.

Why is someone who FAILED to make the playoff worthy of any mention? No idea.

We're bound to see the Grand Slam completed at least 20 times in the next 25 years.

It's like Cink/Watson. Who knows why there's more talk about Watson than Cink years later? It's a complete mystery.

Translation:

I think there are lots of people admiring Johnson's gritty performance and clutch putting.

Problem is, the last hour of the tournament was about possibilities, not eventualities.

Johnson is the winner, but the winner is not always the story that ignites the imagination .

But that isn't what anyone was talking about when I posted that.  All they were doing was rambling on about whether or not he was too bland and boring (he isn't Mr. Excitement), or whether he is truly as nice as his public image (I think he probably is).  And since he didn't make it into the playoff, the road to the grand slam is done, so that leaves little to excite the imagination, in my opinion.

To me a better and more interesting topic for discussion is the playoff itself, with the apparent inability of Leishman to handle the pressure after a near perfect round in regulation, and Zach holding off Oosthuizen (who was also near perfect during the final 18 holes).  To me that is the story of the Open Championship this year, with Spieth as a footnote.  He gave it a good run and fell short - not much else to say about it.

One thing that Spieth's performance this year does is it gives the media a storyline for next year's Masters, speculating whether he might make a second run at a slam.  I would find it interesting if he was to win the PGA and the Masters whether there might be a push to change the definition of what makes up a Grand Slam.  That would be a conversation worth having, not how boring or fake or whatever he may or may not be.

[Scotsclaff]

We know that's not true. Look at how many three-putts Spieth had this week and he still almost won it.

I don't think purses would have changed much next year…

Who's "we"???

[newtogolf]

But that isn't what anyone was talking about when I posted that.  All they were doing was rambling on about whether or not he was too bland and boring (he isn't Mr. Excitement), or whether he is truly as nice as his public image (I think he probably is).  And since he didn't make it into the playoff, the road to the grand slam is done, so that leaves little to excite the imagination, in my opinion.

To me a better and more interesting topic for discussion is the playoff itself, with the apparent inability of Leishman to handle the pressure after a near perfect round in regulation, and Zach holding off Oosthuizen (who was also near perfect during the final 18 holes).  To me that is the story of the Open Championship this year, with Spieth as a footnote.  He gave it a good run and fell short - not much else to say about it.

One thing that Spieth's performance this year does is it gives the media a storyline for next year's Masters, speculating whether he might make a second run at a slam.  I would find it interesting if he was to win the PGA and the Masters whether there might be a push to change the definition of what makes up a Grand Slam.  That would be a conversation worth having, not how boring or fake or whatever he may or may not be.

Sorry but Zach doesn't move the needle, few, if any (except Zach's family and friends) were watching the Open in hopes he'd win.  Spieth was going for the 3rd leg of the Grand Slam, DJ was seeking retribution for the US Open and people were cheering for Day because of his gutsy performance at the US Open, that's why everyone is talking about them and not Zach.

[Natural Patrick]

3 putts cost Jordan the Open. No if and's  or but's about it. 5 three puts in one round is un heard of for Jordan.

[Vinsk]

Who's "we"???

Me.

[iacas]

Who's "we"???

"Drive for show, putt for dough" is bogus. I even wrote a book about it (and a bunch of other things).

[onthehunt526]

"Drive for show, putt for dough" is bogus. I even wrote a book about it (and a bunch of other things).

Correction you [U]AND[/U] Dave wrote Lowest Score Wins .