Thread: The Open

At Royal Birkdale this year. I guess I picked a good week to not go to work full time. I guess they've revamped some of the course to make it harder. I forget which hole, but they lengthened it, and the pros were already complaining about the green in warm-up rounds.

Coverage on TNT all the way until 6 p.m.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

At Royal Birkdale this year. I guess I picked a good week to not go to work full time. I guess they've revamped some of the course to make it harder. I forget which hole, but they lengthened it, and the pros were already complaining about the green in warm-up rounds.

Coverage on TNT all the way until 6 p.m.

I lost track and didn't realize it was this week. I'm taking today off (yesterday too) sort of recovering from my trip. I'll have to watch some of it. Glad you posted.

Originally Posted by Tned

I lost track and didn't realize it was this week. I'm taking today off (yesterday too) sort of recovering from my trip. I'll have to watch some of it. Glad you posted.

I'm rooting for Sergio, myself.

Ian Baker-Finch just said 75 is a good score today with the weather (wind and drizzle), which is expected for the next two days as well. Could be an ugly open.

http://sports.yahoo.com/golf;_ylt=An...9YAsyWiza4wrYF

What a great story this would be, ala Jack Nicklaus in 1986

AP - Jul 17, 1:32 pm EDT 1 of 96 Golf Gallery SOUTHPORT, England (AP)—So, Greg Norman, how are you enjoying the honeymoon?

A month after marrying tennis great Chris Evert, the Shark has turned back the clock at the British Open, a major he won two times in his prime but never thought was still there for the taking at age 53.

For the second straight round, Norman matched par with a 70 Friday at brutally tough Royal Birkdale and will head to the weekend with the lead or, at the very least, in contention.

Who would’ve believed it?

Certainly not Norman.

“Nope,” he said bluntly. “My expectations were almost nil coming in, to tell you the truth. I hadn’t played a lot of golf.”

With 36 holes to go, Norman still considers himself the longest of long shots, and he’s got players half his age—such as 26-year-old Camilo Villegas, who shot the best round yet with a brilliant 5-under 65 Friday—ready to chase him down over the final two rounds.

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Still, it was amazing to see Norman’s name atop the leaderboard at a tournament he won in 1986 at Turnberry and then again in at Royal St. George’s seven years later.

“You feel like you’re stepping back in time,” he said, his bride watching proudly from the back of the room after following him around the links course on another windy, damp day. “Still, my expectations are still realistically low, and I have to be that way, too. … I haven’t been there for a long time.”

Norman’s focus has certainly been elsewhere in recent years as he cut back on his golf, turned to his myriad business interests and endured a messy, costly divorce. Recently, he was more concerned about planning his wedding to Evert than prepping for the Open, one of the rare golf events on his schedule.

The two got married in the Bahamas less than three weeks ago, then kept the honeymoon going by heading across the Atlantic.

“The least of my worries was getting out there and practicing,” Norman conceded. “My mind has really been elsewhere. Justifiably so, too.”

With no offense to Norman’s steady play, no one was hotter Friday than Colombian heartthrob Camilo Villegas, who started his round with two bogeys but closed with five straight birdies—rolling in putts of 16, 6, 16, 3 and 20 feet.

“I obviously played unbelievable,” he said. “My caddie just told me to keep battling, keep grinding.”

Villegas, dubbed “Spider-Man” for his unique style of reading putts and one of golf’s fashion leaders, has come across as more flash than substance. He’s never won on the PGA Tour, but put himself right in contention at a tournament known for unlikely champions, including Ben Curtis and Todd Hamilton.

The charismatic Colombian had eight birdies overall. He capped his amazing run at the end by striking the flagstick with his approach at No. 18, then sinking the putt after the ball ricocheted onto the fringe.

Even though he’s used to a more balmy climate, Villegas wasn’t bothered by the chilly, wet conditions at his first British Open. The temperature struggled to reach 60, a light mist fell much of the morning and a stiff breeze forced everyone to put on an extra layer of clothing.

“It’s the same for everybody,” Villegas said. “Who cares?”


Simon Wakefield of England pla…

AP - Jul 18, 8:13 am EDT
Norman was two strokes ahead of the field until he made a mess of No. 17. He put two shots in the rough and another in a backside bunker, but rolled in a 12-footer for bogey that limited the damage.

After a perfect drive on No. 18, Norman walked up the fairway twirling his club and taking in a huge roar from the British gallery, which knows him as a two-time Open winner, not the guy who squandered numerous chances to win majors in the States.

Norman’s approach came up far short of the flag, then he rocketed the putt 20 feet past. Facing another bogey, the Aussie sank a par saver, giving the slightest hint of a fist pump, then a tip of the cap as his caddie patted him on the shoulder.

“That was quite an ordeal last few holes,” Norman said. “I felt like it was getting away from me a little bit.”

Norman birdied three holes on the front side to offset a double-bogey at the gargantuan sixth, leaving him as the only player with a score that didn’t have a plus sign in front of it heading into the afternoon.


Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden pla…

AP - Jul 18, 8:12 am EDT
Of course, a host of top players were just teeing off, all of them hoping to avoid the cold, soaking rain and howling winds that made life miserable for the early starters Thursday. That group included Retief Goosen and Mike Weir, who both opened with 71s in brutal conditions and started the second round just a stroke off the lead.

Those who went out early Friday found the course a bit easier. Then, a pounding rain struck suddenly around lunchtime, giving everyone an intimidating glimpse at what might await those with p.m. tee times. The forecast called for potentially heavy showers throughout the day on top of an ever-more-menacing wind that could be gusting to 35 mph for the late finishers.

Rocco Mediate, who shared the first-round lead with Graeme McDowell and Robert Allenby at 69, couldn’t match that score but was still in contention. A double bogey at No. 11 marred the American’s round, but he tapped in for birdie at the final hole to cap a 73 that left him two strokes behind Norman.

Mediate is following up on the U.S. Open, where the 45-year-old journeyman gave Tiger Woods all he could handle until losing a 19-hole playoff. He doesn’t have to worry about Woods this time—the world’s best player is sitting out the rest of the year recovering from knee surgery.

“It made me think I can do it again,” Mediate said. “I don’t know what will happen, but I know I’ll be more comfortable.”

McDowell was struggling—with four bogeys and no birdies—until a 3-wood at No. 16 set up a short birdie putt. He finished with a 73 and was tied with Mediate at 142, as was Allenby (73) and Jim Furyk (71).

Sergio Garcia, looking to make up for a devastating playoff loss to Padraig Harrington at last year’s Open, rolled in a 75-foot birdie at No. 4 but ran into trouble after the turn. He bogeyed the 10th and double bogeyed the next hole on the way to a 73, five strokes behind Norman.

So people actually watch golf?

Originally Posted by Davii

So people actually watch golf?

Yes. Run along.

I missed Norman's round already by sleeping in. I'll have to catch it this afternoon hopefully, or at least some of it. I kind of had some plans this afternoon, plus I need to go into work.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

Yes. Run along.

Very underrated sport.

If you play like we do, we appreciate how hard it is.

Originally Posted by MissouriBronc

I missed Norman's round already by sleeping in. I'll have to catch it this afternoon hopefully, or at least some of it. I kind of had some plans this afternoon, plus I need to go into work.

I did not see it either, I just read about it.

I will watch the replay or parts of it tonight.

I am also glad Rocco Mediate is doing well. He is very classy and deserves a shot after having his heart ripped out at the US Open

Originally Posted by Medford Bronco

Very underrated sport.

If you play like we do, we appreciate how hard it is.

I play. I just can't stand watching it on TV. I'll read about it, it takes less time and I have paint to watch dry.

I was just kidding anyhow, I know people watch. A lot less since Tiger bowed out for a while though.