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pitchandputter

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  1. 1. Phil -and one of the nicest guys on the tour as well. 2. The late great Payne Stewart who may well have won more majors. Also a gentleman. 3.Colin Montgomerie- to me the greatest player never to have won a major but is now already one of the best seniors ever after only two years in. 4.Sergio Garcia. So much potential. Got a feeling its still there.Think he is still has a major in him. 5.Ernie Els. One of the few players to win the Open twice - a decade apart. I'm sure all these players would have won more without the Tiger effect and
  2. Hi Guys. Please accept my apologies, didn't intend to come across snobbish or elitist with my posts on The Open Championship, stand by what I said in my earlier post that anyone is free to call the tournament by what they know best. Don't worry there are no plans to invade the US anytime soon, the liberty bell is safe! Joking apart I was just trying point out the little known title on the Claret Jug and that the competition is a fitting legacy for the father of professional golf -and I include all the rest of the majors in that legacy. Hope this makes sense. In the same way that there would be no Masters without the late great Bobby Jones. Hope you get what I'm trying to say. Think we've maybe been caught up in pedantics and we've maybe been taking things literally. Without sounding disrespectful I didn't mean the Open Champion is the champion of the world in the same way that the US Master winner isn't neccesarily "the Master" of the golfing world. I think all the majors are special in their own way and its a great compliment that so many people are willing to travel thousands of miles from home to compete in them. I hope that maybe puts the debate to rest, although I do suspect merely to due to globalised marketing and media, the tournament might be increasingly known as "The Open" elsewhere, however that doesn't stop people calling it the "British". We'll know what you mean.
  3. I think with increasing multimedia, the internet and global marketing, the championship will increasingly be called "The Open" throughout the golfing world and international media. However, I know it doesn't bother most of us brits that's its called the "British" by other nationals. If anything its a great advert for our tournament and country to be acknowledged in this way by people thousands of miles away from us. to me though it will always be The Open because it was the first truly "open" tournament following the passing of Allan Robertson in 1860 and as a tournament it is steeped in so much history whilst professionals and amateurs alike for almost a century and a half from all over the world have been open to qualify for and possibly win it. For this reason alone I think it is so special.
  4. Would love to see John Daly as US captain or vice captain in 2018, that in spite of me being a Euro. Have been lucky to be in his presence at previous tournaments and the guy just oozes character, a two time major winner on two continents and someone who just maybe deserves a shot at one of the greatest team contests to be played in sport.
  5. I think variety should be the spice of life, the Masters will always be Augusta, the Open: links golf whilst the US Open and PGA can alternate between the type of courses available, it is this which makes the majors special -I guess such as tennis where lawn grass prevails at Wimbledon, clay at Rolland Garros, outdoor hard courts at flushing meadows plus the closed roof of Melbourne. Few other sports have this unique privilege and I think golf should make the most of this privileged variety thats available.
  6. I think both -on a great summers day its a joy to watch golfers in their element, playing target golf and scoring low. Such as being privileged enough to see Woods win his inaugural Open Championship in the sun at St Andrews in 2000 with a score only bettered by Jason Day last week. On the other side though its great to also see golfers being given a true test -particularly of links golf such as Carnoustie the previous year where again I was fortunate enough to be in the stands -all be it in almost horizontal rain watching my fellow Scotsman Paul Lawrie score 67 on a day when +6 would be the winning 72 hole score to lift the claret jug -whilst seeing Jean Van De Velde bravely carry on in the play off after his predicaments on the 18th. Quite simply its being open to the elements rain, hail or shine which makes Golf up there with some of the most exhilarating sports in the world today.
  7. As said earlier I totally understand why those in the states call The Open Championship "The British" to differentiate it from other majors thousands of miles away. Interestingly enough we in the UK call the PGA championship in the States the USPGA whilst calling our own equivalent at Wentworth the "PGA". However, I think in spite of all the colloquialisms we know what each other means on both sides of the pond.... Some might not know though that when the winner of the competition is announced is he is neither the Open Champion nor British Open Champion but the "Champion Golfer" -to reflect the inaugural tournament "open" to golfs professionals at the time -which took place following the sad death of Allan Robertson in 1860 -the first undisputed professional champion of golf who was unbeatable at the time and sadly died at the young age of 44. He is buried in the grounds of St Andrews Cathedral and was highly revered by the likes of Old and young Tom Morris who themselves are interred not far from their champion. Definitely worth visiting his graveside if ever in St Andrews. From what I have read he was the most highly respected sportsman of his era and deserves a place alongside the annuls of the greats in golfing history. Quite simply Without Allan Robertson there may have been no major golf tournaments. As a result, he has certainly played his part in contributing towards making Golf the major sport and gentlemans game it is today. P.S. On my visit to the Golf Museum I was lucky enough to see the "original" claret jug and it was interesting to note the trophy contains the words "champion Golfer of the World" -a fitting epitath I think to Allan Roberston and all those who have followed him over the past 145 years.
  8. Saevel25: There was the usual concerns in the press here about the Old Course being too easy for a major championship, however I don't think that's going to happen. Going to be a true test of links golf this weekend. Stood at the 17th green at the weekend and many of those practicing were naturally out practicing chipping out from the road but possibly also anticipating some north winds this week. As always draw times will play a big part -but predicting the weather at the moment is very difficult across here given the mixed condtions. Hat goes off to the people we watched from the 18th Stand who ventured out from the West Sands and into in the North Sea, brave or very tough people lol ;-)
  9. Mentioned this on another thread: Was at the practice rounds at the Old Course last weekend and have to say the weather is very unpredictable across here just now...four seasons in one day yesterday! Not warm either. Have a feeling the Open could go to someone with a lot of experience, a player who has who put a great deal of practice in and someone who played the Scottish Open down the round a few days back. Ootsthuizen, Coeztee and Molinari have been out every day on the course so far. So based on that I'm going to go for a shock: Mcdowell -10 Oosthuizen -10 Donald -10 Three man play off with Luke Donald coming out on top. If anybody remembers Carnoustie 1999 and Muirfield 2002 conditions are currently and as likely to be as bad as back then. Going to be interesting! Although the weather might be cold, the atmosphere is very warm. :-)
  10. Was at the practice rounds at the Old Course last weekend and have to say the weather is very unpredictable across here just now...four seasons in one day yesterday! Not warm either. Have a feeling the Open could go to someone with a lot of experience, a player who has who put a great deal of practice in and someone who played the Scottish Open down the round a few days back. Ootsthuizen, Coeztee and Molinari have been out every day on the course so far. So based on that I'm going to go for a shock: Mcdowell -10 Oosthuizen -10 Donald -10 Three man play off with Luke Donald coming out on top. If anybody remembers Carnoustie 1999 and Muirfield 2002 conditions are currently and as likely to be as bad as back then. Going to be interesting!
  11. Unfortunately, as my username suggests I'm more of a pitch and putter than a golf player, think my Dad gave up on me as teenager when I hit the ball right up the fairway and still couldn't find my ball... however, being Scottish, a sports enthusiast and a two hours drive from several open courses (plus Gleneagles) it would be inevitable that I would follow Golf -all be it as an armchair player.. In spite of this though I can lay claim to play the Old Course several times -part of it at least ......you may have heard of the "Himalayas" which is the putting green associated with course. Costing no more than £2 to play (less than $5) its an experience which I can only imagine is similar to playing the "Valley of sin" at the 18th hole on the nearby fairway. Would recommend it to any golf armchair enthusiast like me or even those with a decent handicap if only to feel the St Andrews experience.....great for the family aswell. More info available on http://www.visitstandrews.com/do/great-outdoors/2643-2
  12. Interesting topic, being from the UK I naturally call it "The Open", however totally understand why people from the states would call it the "British" to differentiate from other tournaments and geography. Was at the Museum of Golf a few years back and learned a bit of history about the worlds oldest continual major tournament (of any sport)..... Basically, Allan Robertson who is recognised as being Golfs 1st pro, was unbeatable. Even the great late Old Tom Morris could not outplay him and Robertson made his money by playing his fellow contemporaries for wagers whilst challenging richer players who played the game of golf as a hobby more than anything else. However, like most pro's at the time he made much of his salary by caddying and golf club making. However, sadly Robertson would pass away at the relatively young age of 44. The world of golf was shattered. As previously said, he was considered as being the best player to have ever picked up a club. However, fellow pro's such as Tom Morris felt that a fitting tribute would be to find the new "champion" golfer which the phrase still used today comes from. This championship would be "open" to any pro who wished to take part and given that golf was Scotland's national sport it was considered fitting that it would take place at Prestwick Golf Club on Scotlands west coast. According to Wikipedia: His epitaph reads: "Allan Robertson - who died 1st Sept. 1859 aged 44 years old. He was greatly esteemed for his personal worth and for many years was esteemed as the champion golfer of Scotland." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Robertson So that why today its called "The Open" and why this years winner will be called the "Champion Golfer". A fitting tribute I think to the tournament from which the US Open gets it name....
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