Casey not at the races!

[alexgolf]

What do we all think about Paul Casey's performance Yesterday. I was very disapointed.

In fact with all the laughing and joking going on before the round, it could be said that he gave up the game before the off!!

There is a post in the Lounge about Nick Faldo and people saying he was rude to them etc etc. (and BTW if you want a golfer being rude story, i have a gem about Monty but thats not the point), But Faldo would not have been that chummy and that is why he demolished Greg Norman At St Andrews one year that he won.

Now i know there is a fine line here. Its called Winners and Loosers, and Winners sometimes forget that they have a wider responsibility and do not do the civil thing. But that is one of the things that make them winners.

Nick Price was one who could do both things. Many pro golfers (sportsman in general )can not.

Alex

 

[Smiffy]

In fact with all the laughing and joking going on before the round, it could be said that he gave up the game before the off!!

What was he supposed to do, square up to the guy and eyeball him????
Casey was nervous, as was Oosthuizen. One of the common effects of nervousness is laughter. It's a natural release to try to alleviate the pressure.
For me, it was a pleasant surprise to see the laughing and joking about. It showed they were human, not machines.
So stay aloof like Faldo and be called a "stuck up arse" or laugh and enjoy the moment?
I know what I would choose

 

[USER1999]

Chance would be a fine thing Smiffy.

I agree though, I thought it was nice to see two guys talking to each other.

For supposed mates, the Woods / Clarke line up was like a funeral.

 

[Smiffy]

One thing I spotted that Casey did, which was quite refreshing. I think it was on the 17th when Oosterwhatsisname had marked his ball to one side to allow Casey to putt. We saw him put his ball back on the correct spot but Casey not only asked his own caddie if he had remembered to replace it correctly also asked Oostermagrews caddie if he had so that he wouldn't incur a penalty.
Would Faldo have done that???

 

[alexgolf]

In fact with all the laughing and joking going on before the round, it could be said that he gave up the game before the off!!

What was he supposed to do, square up to the guy and eyeball him????
Casey was nervous, as was Oosthuizen. One of the common effects of nervousness is laughter. It's a natural release to try to alleviate the pressure.
For me, it was a pleasant surprise to see the laughing and joking about. It showed they were human, not machines.
So stay aloof like Faldo and be called a "stuck up arse" or laugh and enjoy the moment?
I know what I would choose

And thats why i say there is a fine line and most pro golfers and winners sometimes do not know where that is.

It is a tricky one i grant you and i always would try to be in the Chatty camp rather than aloof, but thats ok for Club Golf and Pro ams etc.

This is one time i would have liked to see a game face and not the larking about.

As always there is a time and a place and the Winners know that.

 

[Imurg]

But how long can you keep a "game face" on for?

Don't all the mind Guru's say switch off between shots and only concentrate hard just before and just after the shot?

Keeping a game face on for 5-odd hours is hard going.

 

[mjsw13]

People deal with nerves and stressful situations in different ways. If that's the way Paul Casey chooses to do things, if it helps him to keep calm, so be it. Nobody can concentrate for 5 hours solid, so as long as he focuses for 30 seconds before he hits the ball, I don't think we can really criticise.

Think about Linford Christie and Usain Bolt. The former did that 'tunnel vision' thing where he didn't acknowledge anyone around him before the race. Usain Bolt mucks about, laughing joking and smiling for the cameras - he then goes out and quite easily beats the world record, time and time again. 2 different competitors, 2 very different people.

Swings and roondaboots

 

[DCB]

Whilst on the face of it Casey didn't seem to rise to the ocassion yesterday, he only really had one bad shot that cost him dear !

he was up agains someone who was on fire and with the lead that he stated off with, virtually no-one would have caught Louis in yesterdays conditions.

Casey played really well on Saturday to put himself into the position he was in, unfortunately he couldn't capitalise on it this time.

 

[Aztecs27]

I wasn't disappointed in his performance per se, I just really wanted him to win.

He only hit a couple of bad shots all day, which was enough but even if he'd played a perfect round he can't really do alot when Ooustermagozer is holing 40ft Eagle putts and pressure par putts like they're little 2ft tiddlers.

And I agree that it was refreshing to see them relaxed and having a joke before the golf started.

As a side note, the size of Paul Casey's forearms never ceases to amaze me. He clearly eats at least one tin of spinach a day!

Nice to see Westwood consistent for the weekend (again). He'd have been right in contention if it weren't for the fortune of Louis' tee times throughout the week meaning he didn't have alot of wind to deal with and he totally took advantage of that. (can't take anything away from his golf though, it was superb. And to Play that final round so calmly was a credit to him and his game). I still think Westy's time will come though.

 

[Oddsocks]

I just felt for the guy. He was always going to have a mountain to climb, but on the hole where he launched it into the gorse then missed the green with he's recovery he knew it was all over. Quite impressed with westwood creeping through tho.


For me it was more of a let down seeing the winner not stay 100% focused towards the end of he's round. He seemed to just relax and chill up the 16th/17th/18th as he knew he had the win. I would have loved to see him smash in a -19 to beat tigers record.

 

[Fyldewhite]

I think he did OK. He stayed in the game, didn't putt too good from outside 10 feet but holed a few important 6-8 footers. Ended up chasing it with that drive and handed it to the winner on a plate. He was not likely to ever come back from 4 behind (especially on that course) and I'm sure on reflection he wishes he'd been more patient and kept the little pressure he had on the guy right down the back 9. At least he would have got 2nd that way.

 

[Oddsocks]

Fylde, the thing i dont understand is the comentator stated " he has set himself up for a draw " then looked shocked when he hooked it into the gorse on the left, which from the look of the hole was where all the danger was.

 

[freddielong]

Casey needs to grow a pair, he never looks comfy under pressure, even when he got it back to 3 it was him you felt that would crack first. IMO it was his bad putt on 9 that took the pressure of Louis for his eagle putt.

I cannot say how much I didn't was Louis stupid name to win but in the end it would have been a travisty if he didn't because noone else even put in a challenge.

 

[Oddsocks]

i do think alot of it was down to luck with the weather on friday though

 

[RGDave]

What do we all think about Paul Casey's performance Yesterday. I was very disappointed.

I was disappointed too. However, small things can turn a game and there were 3 moments that more or less did it for Casey.
Birdie chance at the 1st. Awful first putt at the 9th and then the 12th. Paul had been brilliant on the front 9 every day and as the holes ticked by, he must have realised he was never going to catch Louis. I wonder if he suspected even before the game that the odds were stacked well against him?

 

[muttleee]

So stay aloof like Faldo and be called a "stuck up arse" or laugh and enjoy the moment?
I know what I would choose

But would you rather be called a "stuck up a**e" and win majors, or be "a good bloke" and never win one? That's the real question.

 

[alexgolf]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/ar...jor-player.html

To be fair this artical sums this all up for me.

 

[CrapHacker]

Casey lost it with his missed putt on the first, and leaving his second half a mile short of the second green.

After those two shots Oosey knew he had nothing to beat, and just relaxed to get it round in par or there abouts.

Casey wasn't in the zone for that first putt - he could see the consequences of the putt, rather than just focusing on hitting a good shot.

What was the stat they showed about Casey never hitting sub 70 in the final round ? I like the guy, but we all know the difference between 'being in the zone' and 'getting too far ahead of yourself, and then trying too hard' even in a monthly medal, let alone the final round of The Open.