PGA Tour: Open Championship / True South Classic: Notes from the Ballwasher

First topic message reminder :

1).Well done Zach Johnson, winning the John Deere Classic after you tried hard to throw it away on the first play-off hole. Second win of the season for Zach who is on the Board of the tournament and has done so much to ensure its place on the PGA Tour schedule - reminiscent of Carl Pettersson's win at Greensboro a few years ago in that respect.

2).This win doesn't arithmetically ensure Zach Johnson of a place on Davis Love's Ryder Cup Team, but he and DLIII are near neighbours on the Georgia coast, have worked together to help create "The McGladrey Classic", and it would be a huge surprise if his John Deere success doesn't clinch a spot at Medinah.

3).Troy Matteson came way too close to winning last week's John Deere Classic, leading as he did every day, to throw it all away on his first play-off hole. He would have been the first player to win a Tour event in which he finished last in driving accuracy for 24 years! But he putted for his dough, leading the field in "strokes gained - putting". Sometime College Teammate of Kuchar and Molder, among others.

4).Open Championship week, then, and let's hope Royal Lytham gets the Champion it deserves. Rather like Carnoustie did in 1999, or so Davis Love thought:
"When you have a screwy setup, you're going to get a screwy finish," Love was quoted as saying. "And if Paul Lawrie is the champion that Scotland wanted, I think they got exactly what they wanted."
The R&A get exactly what they want on Thursday, 8.31 a.m. BST, when Lawrie and Love tee it up together with Tim Clark!

5).Let's see who's done well in the past at Lytham:
1996 result:
1st: Lehman
2nd: Els
11th: Darren Clarke, Vijay Singh
14th: Duval
18th: Harrington
22nd: Woods, Stricker
27th: Broadhurst (also 58th and Leading Amateur in 1988 - hope he plays well this week, will never get the credit he deserves for his 1991 Ryder Cup play.)
41st: Calc, Mickelson
Also made the cut: Hamilton, Furyk, Allenby, Ames, Lyle, Daly, Goosen

6).2001 result:
1st: Duval
3rd: Els, Clarke, Jimenez
9th: Garcia
13th: Vijay, Goosen, Jacquelin
21st: DLIII
23rd: Michael Campbell, Greg Owen
25th: Woods
29th: Barry Lane
30th: Cink, Mickelson, Rose
37th: Harrington
42nd: Stricker, Paul Lawrie
Also made the cut: Allenby, Scott, Westwood, Calc, Lyle.

7).The last two Major winners won Majors their namesakes had won, Watson and Simpson. Sadly Jarrod Lyle won't be maintaining the tradition as he battles leukemia in Australia. But Aussie Luke Elvy tweets a promising update on Jarrod's condition:
"Has had his ups and downs over the past 6 weeks but Bone Marrow tests overnight showed no leukemia cells. Great news."
Get well, Jarrod, hope to see you on Tour soon.

8).No idea who'll win this week, fingers crossed though for Westwood and Harrington. Obviously Els, Clarke and Vijay have played well here in the past, but, Woods apart, it's difficult to see where any American challenge might come from. (Interesting take in USA Today on David Toms' non-participation: "He's pulled out of the British on several occasions due to injury and general disinterest."!)
Apart from the golden oldies, Woods, Stricker, Furyk and Phil, the leading Americans in the owgr have little to show for their trips to The Open, Dustin Johnson, Fowler, Mahan and Watney scoring the only 5 top 15's.

9).Hate disclaimers but this week's "opposite field event", the True South Classic in Mississippi, has been abandoned by PGA Tour players in their droves, very few of the owgr top 200 bothering to show up for a $540K first prize. Players are withdrawing by the dozen and it seems futile to speculate too much about the event. If they don't care, why should we?

Except to say that it's a BIG tournament for Gary Christian and Russell Knox, not to mention the ailing Richard S.Johnson and a golfer with an excellent record in Lytham Opens, Alex Cejka - a cut for Cejka this week will earn him PGA Tour "Veteran" status as he reaches 150 career cuts. Good luck Alex, but a poor reward for a first-time sponsor and a Jack Nicklaus course that the players rate more highly than Torrey Pines, Doral, Bay Hill and the Greenbrier.

10).Finally, Majors may be two-a-penny on the Champions Tour, two-in-Michigan even, but Sundridge Park's Roger Chapman won't be complaining as he added the US Senior Open title to the Senior PGA he won a few weeks ago. Two fingers, then, to the USGA who only saw fit to invite five Europeans (Hogberg went through qualifying) to their Senior Open which is even more of a closed shop than the Champions Tour. Pathetic.

Roger Chapman won't mind though as he will be at Kiawah Island for next month's PGA Championship, and joins Lee Westwood in being the first two Englishmen to punch their tickets to next year's US Open at Merion.

Fader wrote:Have i missed something! Seen a report on bbc this morning saying the favourite Tiger Woods has 3 wins this year! I heard the same on Sky last night!

I know he has 2 but where have they got the 3rd from! Did he beat someone at tiddlywinks or something because i cannot recall 3 tour wins!

if in doubt, trust this! :

https://www.606v2.com/t31706p100-pga-tour-acts-of-congressional-notes-from-the-ballwasher

So what do we reckon the leading score will be at the close of day 1? Conditions look like they'll be reasonable all day with little chance of rain and not so much wind.

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=uk7dayx7;ct=18918~Lytham;sess=#forecast

Could someone go as low as -6 perhaps??

Looks like the weather could be pleasant for the 4 days and especially so on Sunday.

Sandy Lyle off to a promising start (after his standards). Only +3 after 7.

pedro wrote:Sandy Lyle off to a promising start (after his standards). Only +3 after 7.

How many Claret Jugs and Green Jackets have you won Pedro??

News through that Michael Thompson will replace Russ Cochran who has just withdrawn... Nice move Ben Crane...

Great start from Lee

Great start from westy and lawrie.

EmmDee57 wrote:

pedro wrote:Sandy Lyle off to a promising start (after his standards). Only +3 after 7.

How many Claret Jugs and Green Jackets have you won Pedro??

Bjorn Borg also won Wimbledon 5 times, but that doesn't give him a wild card now. "Open" tournaments should be "Open", not closed. Fair enough to be excempt a few years, but not 27!

P.S. Birdie for Lyle!!!!!!!

Double bogey for Westy on the 3rd. Damn it. Such a good start before that. Come on Lee!!!

EmmDee57 wrote:

pedro wrote:Sandy Lyle off to a promising start (after his standards). Only +3 after 7.

How many Claret Jugs and Green Jackets have you won Pedro??

As Sandy's No.1 fan, you fell nicely for that one!!!

Hope Sandy doesn't walk off again..................

McLaren wrote:We keep hearing that the jet stream is imminently about to move to its usual more northerly summer position. I can only guess it hasn't as yet given how wet I got earlier this evening.

Were you reading 50 Shades of Grey again last night?

I have not read it yet but I am sick of seeing at the check out in every supermarket. Can it really be that good?

Has anyone on here read it?

Good work, robo!

Who's next? Would think it must be Manassero??

Wonder if he knows that???

Woods looking a bit ominous. Just watched him make a birdie up the 6th (hole average so far - ~4.6) by striping a 2-iron, a flush 5-iron from ~220 to ~20 feet and rolling the putt dead centre....

For those able to watch the action how is the course playing in terms of fairway and green firmness & speed?

Given the rather calm conditions are the morning group going to have an advantage over the later tee times?

I backed Lyle at 25/1 to finish top Scot. Ironic seeing as he's English....

McLaren wrote:For those able to watch the action how is the course playing in terms of fairway and green firmness & speed?

Given the rather calm conditions are the morning group going to have an advantage over the later tee times?

its not playing like a links.
players spinning mid irons around the greens.
not a breath of air either. surprised there isnt a few more players going low on the front nine

I player is a wonderful thing.
Woods with some unusual footwear and sergio with shirt from matalan.No problem with his game though.
Decent coverage from BBC some good shots looking down

Justin Rose looking to get in the "can't win it on Thursday but you sure can lose it" column.

Looks like they're just about skating round within 4 1/2 hours; how long can that last? And what will they do when rounds stretch towards 5 hrs??

Kwini

Do you watch the golf with a stop watch?

Get yourself a bacon roll and a pot of coffee, relax and enjoy the golf.

Is the cut Top 70 & ties once again (no 10 shot rule) ??

Nio mention of the cut on Championship website............

John,
I believe that's correct.

Lot of big names coming to the fore in the early going, shaping up nicely

Only two par 5's on the course?

omg - woodsy!!!!

Damn you Adam Scott!! My 3-ball coupon accumulator was going along nicely apart from that one. Can't see Kuchar catching up in the closing holes.

Scott could have a look at a 62 and a new major record here...

Steve Williams must be loving this . . . . so far.

Robert Rock hasn't really pushed on from his victory over Tiger has he?

robert rock is just quality journeyman/playboy type dude.

Kwini

THEY are doing very well.

Rose wilting, Rock sinking, Tiger prowling ... it's early but if you don't go red this morning you've obviously missed an opportunity.

Will Scott be a one-round wonder or can he finally get a major? Just an exceptional swing.

I cant imagine Rocky having the patience after a poor start sadly.Probably starting having a go and this course doesnt allow that.
Watched a good bit of Jeev early on strange action but not to much to go wring.Cack handed putting and seemed to push a few.Definitely not in the instruction books

Not a very good attempt at a defence of the title from DC so far, but that is not really a surprise is it?

What is also not a surprise is to see Kaymer similarly of the pace.

I'm hoping Kaymer doesn't make the RC team, not playing well to be there on merit imo and no way deserving of a pick.

I'm going to have to settle for some red button highlights tonight time I get home it'll be all over coverage wise.

What is happening to Westwood???? Brilliant round from Scott, and very happy for Lawrie. Woods looks ominous.

if the weather picks up next 3 days its all immaterial what todays scoring is like

Mysti - Regardless of the weather if you put yourself in a 5+ shot hole you've made for some rough sledding. Absolutely can be made up, but would not classify it as immaterial.

well offcourse is material. however the worse the weather the better i will feel for the pack to get back involved.. offcourse as we know with the open sometimes the worse weather can affect the leaders last day- so in that situation as we know anything can happen

I think if the weather turns, surely having played a good opening round and scored under par will put you in better stead than having played a poor opening round in good conditions....? If the weather takes a serious turn for the worse, at least the players who perform today will have established a reasonable platform from which to defend...

yeah but it doesnt really work like that Blues, the thing about the open or golf in general is that when the bad weather comes it can only affect half or a certain amount of the field.

If the weather is exactly the same for everyone then its immaterial when you shoot a good score. The simple fact is you are just in a better position if your in a better position. Your just in better stead bad weather or good weather

Ah I see what you mean mysti, sorry I misunderstood that. I'm really hoping that Westwood comes out storming tomorrow- he is so capable of winning a major, but I fear he's missing the mental integrity or toughness.

Well i think westys best chance is if the rest are affected and he can just grind out some good scores- maybe it will help him to actually be out of the limelight day 1 for once

Yep, we shall see. Who you championing mystir, if you don't mind me asking?

i backed westy,donald,rose(1 gone, 1 almost) from these islaes

and zach,michelson,scott and h english.

But at the moment i will go for Donald- i am abit english biased when it comes to golf..

But i allways back a selection of players, zach and scott are well up there at the mo. But anything can happen from here on

Ah similar to me in terms of English bias. Would love to see an Englishman to win this year- it's about time.

mysti

You been knocking back the red bulls again? some of the posts above are classic.

bluestonevedder wrote:Ah I see what you mean mysti.

Then you must be the only one bluestone. Would you care to enlighten us, because I have no idea what mysti is on about!

raycastleunited wrote:

bluestonevedder wrote:Ah I see what you mean mysti.

Then you must be the only one bluestone. Would you care to enlighten us, because I have no idea what mysti is on about!

I understand about the English bias!

nah mate- just exited with the cricket and golf