148th Open Championship

[Grant85]

Yeh - I really don't buy that Rickie Elliot is going to give Brooks a huge advantage. Similarly sceptical that the likes of McDowell, McIlroy & Clarke will have a big advantage due to local knowledge.

Ultimately these guys are used to playing new courses every month or so and they are quite adept at figuring out a strategy and how to 'tackle' a course - especially for such a big event where they will take the time to play plenty of practice rounds and make sure they have hit a lot of shots around the green complexes.

I'd be more concerned that with a bit of wind, that is going to make it more difficult for McIlroy (higher ball flight) and bring a lot of shorter hitters into the mix.

The chat seem to be that the winner will be a good ball striker - you'd imagine Molinari will fit that bill, as will Rose and Stenson. Possibly Tiger, but hasn't played much and might loose a few balls off the tee.

 

[patricks148]

Love how they're punishing players for hitting it near grandstands, which normally always ends up in a very favourable drop, not at Portrush, the drop zones are effectively in bushes so they're dropping into absolutely awful lies punishing them for hitting it so far off-line. Love it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1150877211282616325

good that they learnt from when the Irish open was there

 

[Slab]

They seem to have made a bit of a mess with the Open app (at least with my Samsung)

Watching any of the videos in one orientation if I turn my phone to switch to horizontal it switches the video off and goes back a screen

 

[pendodave]

Regarding the open app...
Are there any rights jurisdictions where they will be showing live coverage, even if it is just featured groups? Doesn't seem to be any sort of schedule available that I can find.

 

[pendodave]

Regarding the open app...
Are there any rights jurisdictions where they will be showing live coverage, even if it is just featured groups? Doesn't seem to be any sort of schedule available that I can find.

Ok. So it looks to me as if featured groups might be available in the UK via the open championship website. Probably only Thursday and Friday I guess, and maybe only mornings.
I believe that if you are in the US, the same website has live coverage in addition from 0800bst. Not sure if that extends to the weekend.
Still not clear what you get through the app.

 

[JohnnyDee]

Mcilroy talking about Portrush on Sky earlier.

‘It doesn’t matter what your skill level is. Whether you’re somebody like me or a 12 handicapper. Everyone enjoys their time there...’

Dear Rory,

We can’t all be world class superstars fella.

And just for that jibe if you think that I’m now going to win that Sky comp to play with you in the States, then you’ve got another think coming.

I’ve already emailed Sky and asked them to scrub my entry.

Kindest regards,
Your former No. 1 fan,
JohnnyDee
Handicap 11.6
😂😂😂

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Watched the Sky "Journey to Portrush" programme last night. Really good and really whetted my appetite. Showed just how much they've had to work not only on new holes but also virtually a new railway station etc to be able to host this event. I really hope the R&A recognise the lengths they've gone to and ensure its not another 68 years before the next one. Golf needs the Open to have more/different courses on the rota and I hope this week is an Open to remember

 

[BrianM]

Just watched the road to Portrush, course looks phenomenal.
Some journey to get where they are today.
Think we’re guaranteed a cracker here.
Would be great for Rory, G-Mac or Clarke to win it.

 

[Crazyface]

Love how they're punishing players for hitting it near grandstands, which normally always ends up in a very favourable drop, not at Portrush, the drop zones are effectively in bushes so they're dropping into absolutely awful lies punishing them for hitting it so far off-line. Love it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1150877211282616325

And about time too!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/48987342

 

[Slab]

Just an hour to go

The Masters has its place but year after year its pretty much identical down to the last blade of grass. Look at the contrast in course conditions in Ireland to last years Open... for the same time of year, its brilliant

And on the range right now we have a past champ (fairly recent too) smoking a fag as he warms up! Its brilliant

 

[Slab]

Jeez I was actually feeling some nerves for those lads teeing off first

 

[BubbaP]

Looks lovely and decent crowds for the early start.
Sarah has said "gets underway" about 30 times already though 😕 There must be someone at presenter school who teaches them that words like begins and starts are off limits.

 

[BubbaP]

Never been a big fan of internal OB, not a great start by Sullivan.
Great birdie start from DC though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Glad its all underway now and we can focus on the golf and not the build up. Really looking forward to the next four days. I'm not a fan of internal OOB's either

 

[JohnnyDee]

Frequency of ads looking poor. Just had 2 breaks within about 5 mins of each other. They’re only one minute long but it’s 7.15 on day one and it doesn’t auger well. Hope I’m wrong and that was only an anomaly

 

[Coffey]

Never been a big fan of internal OB, not a great start by Sullivan.
Great birdie start from DC though.

The left hand side used to be a fence running the whole way along it. Must have had to remove it to get the machinery in.

It is one tight tee shot with oob both left and right. Complete card wrecker for a first hole!

Also the green is so so steep at the front. Could easily run 40/50 yards off it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One lucky man but a good read - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/49014251

 

[Dan2501]

We're underway So excited for this tournament. Eddie is away now as well, hope he has a good week.

Nice to see Darren Clarke off to a good start too!

 

[Coffey]

Would be nice to see a top tracer or something on the first.