The Open Championship 2019 - Shane Lowry!!!

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Shaneo Lowry!!!!!!!!!!

Since I said that Spieth has been chopping his way round

What will SR do if Lowry wins!?

Some leaderboard. I hope the afternoon guys get similar conditions and scoring opportunities. This course is now on my bucket list. One of the announcers said the 16th is similar to the 5th at Pine Valley (for which Colt is said to have worked on). I do wonder if any current golf course architect would ever design a hole like 18 with the blinding mound in the fairway. I suspect not ... but I think it's a great finishing hole.

Great to see Westy contending!! But superb so far from Lowry!

Yeah delighted to see Westwood up there. It’ll be some story if he’s still contending on Sunday.

I see Sky have drafted Azinger in. Question is, is it a loan or did NBC sack him mid-round?

super_realist wrote:

GPB wrote:The Open Championship is allegedly being broadcast here in the USA.  But it is more like Commercials with a smattering of golf shots.

This is the worst I have seen Golf Channel and NBC.  It's been terrible.

Shocking from Rory, and Duval.

Koepka on Cruise Control

Even at its best, American coverage is still absolutely terrible.

super,
I agree that the overall production can be terrible, but the technical side of it is often superb: camera-work, audio, many commentators (but plenty of shockers as well) are terrific.

But too many ads, too much of "featured" groups or specific players, seeming inability to tell a balanced story, blurred lines between the production and extra-commercial side of it, CBS especially.


wire,
I imagine Azinger is moonlighting, doubt you'll see much of him this weekend. Perhaps you'll get Nantz sometime too. If he can spare the time away from making banal commercials.

Same here re "featured" groups Kwini, we've just watched Tiger walk over a bridge after finishing his round, despite missing the cut by miles and numerous contenders being on the course, and we're now about to see every shot Rory hits even though he's gonna miss the cut by miles too.

On the US coverage, Jimmy Roberts interview JB Holmes after the round.

Jimmy Roberts brought up the story about JB Holmes playing on his high School Golf team in the third grade.

That sounds remarkable until you do some fact checking and find out he was 15 yrs old in the third grade.

GPB wrote:On the US coverage, Jimmy Roberts interview JB Holmes after the round.

Jimmy Roberts brought up the story about JB Holmes playing on his high School Golf team in the third grade.

That sounds remarkable until you do some fact checking and find out he was 15 yrs old in the third grade.

Jimmy Roberts just a little too infatuated with himself.
But it also sounds Holmes played Portrush whilst on a High School trip. Don't think our High School travels extended beyond the Yorkshire Dales, lovely though they were/are, the pubs too of course.

GPB wrote:On the US coverage, Jimmy Roberts interview JB Holmes after the round.

Jimmy Roberts brought up the story about JB Holmes playing on his high School Golf team in the third grade.

That sounds remarkable until you do some fact checking and find out he was 15 yrs old in the third grade.

So he actually is as backward as he looks?

Ian Carter mentioned on the five live coverage that Rory's best rounds come when not right in contention and some of the pressure is off. I know he has the pressure of making the cut at the moment but Carter might be generally correct.

He’s certainly making a decent fist of it.

McLaren wrote:Ian Carter mentioned on the five live coverage that Rory's best rounds come when not right in contention and some of the pressure is off.  I know he has the pressure of making the cut at the moment but Carter might be generally correct.

Just like his 61 to win "Canada"? From the final pairing. Or his win at Sawgrass from the penultimate tee-time.
Fine drive on #12, fingers crossed he gets a Saturday tee-time.

kwinigolfer wrote:

super_realist wrote:

GPB wrote:The Open Championship is allegedly being broadcast here in the USA.  But it is more like Commercials with a smattering of golf shots.

This is the worst I have seen Golf Channel and NBC.  It's been terrible.

Shocking from Rory, and Duval.

Koepka on Cruise Control

Even at its best, American coverage is still absolutely terrible.

super,
I agree that the overall production can be terrible, but the technical side of it is often superb: camera-work, audio, many commentators (but plenty of shockers as well) are terrific.

But too many ads, too much of "featured" groups or specific players, seeming inability to tell a balanced story, blurred lines between the production and extra-commercial side of it, CBS especially.


wire,
I imagine Azinger is moonlighting, doubt you'll see much of him this weekend. Perhaps you'll get Nantz sometime too. If he can spare the time away from making banal commercials.

I find the coverage terribly parochial and flag waving. They aren't interested in anyone who isn't American and make no effort to pronounce any foreign name correctly or learn where they come from.
The commentary is like Obvious Townsend and the ad breaks are infuriating. Can't stand it.

Looking at the forecast for tomorrow suggests there will be a 15-20 mph wind! Bring it on!

Some are certainly parochial, Azinger and Johnny Miller among them.
But others do their homework and are excellent.
"Flag-waving" is to offer red meat to the viewers as much as anything - as you can see from your presidential observations!

Townsend doesn't know what he doesn't know!

Not Mcilroy’s biggest fan but this is gutsy stuff! I question his fight when things go wrong but this is top stuff!

Stenson seems really close to being close to his best!

kwinigolfer wrote:Some are certainly parochial, Azinger and Johnny Miller among them.
But others do their homework and are excellent.
"Flag-waving" is to offer red meat to the viewers as much as anything - as you can see from your presidential observations!

Townsend doesn't know what he doesn't know!

I was referring to Andy Townsend, rather than Jay Townsend.
Andy is so bad at football summarising that he almost makes the world's worst commentator Clive Tyldsely look competent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skNc9RFBAek

Johnny Miller features in the new series of Chronicles of a Champion Golfer.

I never saw Miller as a player, at least not in his prime, he was just a bit before my time but I had plenty of exposure to him as a commentator with NBC when, in my opinion, he more often than not came across a cantankerous old man angry at the world changing around him.

However I’m a sucker for a golf doc and the Chronicles are usually excellent so I watched his earlier this week and I thought he came across really well and I saw a side of him I hadn’t before. His story is interesting with much more to it than I realised.

If you get a chance check it out.

sirbenson wrote:Looking at the forecast for tomorrow suggests there will be a 15-20 mph wind! Bring it on!

Will certainly spice it up if the early starters get less wind than the afternoon tee times...plenty of contenders who will go out early who "could" shoot a real low one in good conditions. And will be a real test for Holmes, Lowry et al if the wind is up

Incredible effort from Mcilroy

Some round by the vastly overrated rory mcilroy

Fair play to Rory!

All Irish hopes lies with Shaneo!

Great interview by rory.

GPB wrote:28 Players have made the cut in each of the first three majors in 2019.  I think only Howell is not playing this week.

Cumulative Score, Player:

This list has been reduced by 12 players as Gary Woodland, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Billy Horschel, Haotong Li, Phil Mickelson, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Emiliano Grillo, Zach Johnson missed the cut

Charles Howell III did not make the trip across the pond

16 Players have made the cut in all four majors, and their cumulative score through 14 rounds

Spoiler:

Does CH3 know that you don't have to cross the Atlantic by steamship anymore?

Steamship stuff from Woods as well, too "exhausted" to play Memphis.
Haven't seen official commitments yet, but would expect others to give the WGC a miss also.


EDIT:
Only 64 players committed for Memphis's WGC. I thought there was a minimum number for the field, 78-ish? No Woods, no sign of Fowler, Molinari, Westwood or Wiesberger
There must presumably be an "alternate list" which doesn't seem to have been published.

No alternates for WGC FEDEX. You either qualify or you don't play.

I didn't realize that Westwood had qualified.  Westy and DJ are the only qualifiers to win at TPC Southwind.  Mickelson has finished 2nd twice.

wiretapper wrote:I see Sky have drafted Azinger in. Question is, is it a loan or did NBC sack him mid-round?

Comcast owns both Sky and NBC/Golf Channel, so it's not a loan of personnel, more like an inter-company thing. And this isn't the first time. Sky & NBC/GC collaborated on a lot of things with the PGA Championship as well.

GPB is correct in that there are no alternates for the WGC St Jude. There should be IMO. HSBC fills to 78 if necessary... Mexico fills to at least 72, but can go larger. No reason Memphis shouldn't be doing the same.

https://www.golfchannel.com/news/2019-british-open-xander-schauffele-becomes-first-fail-ras-driver-test

This is interesting!?

Chamblee was on Sky just there and he actually seems a good pundit!

Seems there was a bit of an exchange between Kyle Stanley and Robert McIntyre yesterday when McIntyre got angry with Stanley not shouting “fore” - and hitting a spectator, twice.

Surely this is something that should come with some form of penalty? Not exactly hard for a golfer to shout it!

Yeah Chamblee has been excellent this morning.

Also completely with McIntyre on the Fore issue. It will probably have to be imposed in order to get everyone to do it but having to impose what should be good manners seems a bit absurd.

Other than a penalty or a ban what can they do? A fine wouldn't hurt them!?

sirbenson wrote:Other than a penalty or a ban what can they do? A fine wouldn't hurt them!?

Don't you think being called out by RM and, hopefully, the R&A will shame him into never doing it again?
He'll be going out with Casey in a few minutes and perhaps he or McLaren will have a word??!!

If conditions stay like this, standing still will be a good day. If any of the earlier starters manage to go a few under I reckon they’ll shoot up the leaderboard and stay there.

That’s true Kwini! Maybe it’s inspired Stanley to shoot a low round! Sky have been mentioning that incident a lot!

Have the American networks been giving it much coverage?

Agreed Wiretapper! The second seems a gift of the early holes

That pin on 6 looks fun haha!

Are Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus as popular as the media make out? I know Player has his fair share of detractors

Massive fan of Watson, he won the first Open I properly watched on TV.

I found him to be a tad condescending tbh

100% Agree that players should be yelling "FORE" when they hit an errant shot... EVERYTIME, ALWAYS, WITHOUT FAIL, NO EXCUSES. Kyle Stanley deserves any shaming he gets.

BUT...  Don't expect it to ever become a RULE or seeing players FINED over it.  At most a "suggestion"... Reason is... LEGAL LIABILITY.  

The PGA Tour is already in the midst of some rather sticky legal issues RE injury situations from errant shots.  It's being covered lightly in the golf media so far, but it's increasing and I expect it to do so with all eyes on American Baseball and foul balls. There has already been some mention of U.S. tournament insurance policies increasing because of fans being more prone to pursue legal action if injured.  And the "release from liability" printed on the back of tickets and such not being enough of a defense.

And that's the problem with instituting a RULE.  If a player does not follow it and somebody gets hit and hurt, now you have a lot more potential "proof of negligence" against the player, tournament organizers and tours.  NO WAY they are going to take that additional potential liability on themselves.

It's a sad world we live in when legal liability issues override common sense. There SHOULD be a rule penalizing players if they don't do it... but the Tour's & events don't want to make it easier for people to sue them out of business either... I get that side of it too.

Did anything further happen with the Koepka at the Ryder Cup incident!?

Sheesh... If I'm Xander Schauffele, I'm some kind of pissed at Callaway. I mean WTF is up with Callaway putting a non-conforming driver in his hands? Are players going to have to start testing their own equipment because they can't trust their manufacturers? This really sucks for Xander. I feel really bad for the dude getting caught up in this.

https://twitter.com/GolfCentral/status/1152315669683331077?s=19

Yep, I feel bad for Xander but what can happen to him?

Nick Faldo doesn’t half talk about himself

Great start from Glover!