If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke ?

[Dodger]

Just a wee thought for Sunday morning....if either of these 2 win for me they will go down as joke winners of supposedly the best championship in the world a la Hamilton,Curtis,Lawrie etc.

Watson doesn't even play golf any longer bar the majors that he won giving him the opportunity to get out for a game and the wrinkly tours Majors so for him to win today as romantic as it may be would still be a bit of a joke for golf in general and as for the Aussie....another Hamilton type winner would not be great for The Open.I'm praying for a real golfer to win,Westy,Fuyrk etc.....thoughts everyone?

 

[Smiffy]

Goggin....hmmmm.
But Watson??? Don't you think his experience has helped him this week? Admittedly, he has canned a few putts that possibly he had no right to which have helped keep him at the top of the leaderboard.
But the romantic in me tends to think his experience has had a big part to play in where he stands at the moment.

 

[clubchamp07]

I think Watson leading just goes to show that if you enjoy what ur doing it pays off. He is out for a walk around a golf course enjoying all he's given. Maybe if we all took a leaf out of his book we'd play better golf.

 

[madandra]

I think Watson has the combination to beat Turnberry but to be honest it isnt a secret, just keep your ball in play at all times. I also think it is good to see a course where finesse is required as opposed to wide open tracks that let guys spray the driver all over without punishment or penalty.

So for me Watson would be a good winner.

 

[bobmac]

If the 'real golfers' of today took a leaf out of Watson's book, maybe they would perform better.
All this stuff about mind gurus, swing coaches, short game coaches, diet experts, they are mostly scavengers picking at their piece of the huge pie the tour pros play for each week.
Find a swing that works and leave it alone.
Eat sensibly, keep yourself fit, think positively and you could play great golf into your 60s.
In my opinion lots of young successful golfers get too much, too soon and that removes their need to win.
Sure, they all want to win, but they dont need to any more.
Now, where did Poulter park his Enzo?

 

[nomadpaul]

Ok , so let me get this straight . If Westwood , Furyk or any other 'real' golfer shoots the best score of the weekend then they are a worthy winner of the best Championship of the golfing world.......but if Watson , Goggin.....lets look lower , even Jaidee or Foxy Molder win by shooting the lowest score over the 4 days then they're not worthy winners and this devalues The Open ?

I wouldn't be blaming the R&A or the 2nd rate golfers for that . I'd be blaming all the Billy big-boot players who havn't performed or who've bottled it during the 72 holes they've played since thursday. In my opinion , the player that wins the open , whatever his ranking , deserves that title and to demean or belittle his achievement is golfing snobbery in my eyes .

There's a reason why its called The OPEN surely ?

Whats the only way to ensure a marquee winner ? I know , lets only invite the worlds top 20 to play....at least that way we can ensure a big name winner !!!!

 

[Earl]

I rather think it ends the debate of who was better in their day, who now would think Woods is better than all who have gone before. The equipment has made up for a lot of flaws of the modern golfer. It has been a bit of an eye opener.

 

[birdieman]

I think it's great that Watson is up there - he's played the shots and used his experience better than anyone else and bar a couple of long putts hasn't been lucky in any way.

He has putted much better than usual too which is why he's scored well. The greens pace isn't lightning because of the wind factor and perhaps that has helped him.

I don't think Watson is in the Hamilton mould. 5 Opens means he knows links golf. Curtis has proved himself with 2 PGA tour wins and decent Opens since 2003.

Finally regarding yardage Turnberry is not short - look at the card. Controlling the ball in the wind is paramount as is scrambling pars from just off greens. Watson has done that really well.

However I don't think Watson will win, Goosen for me.

Fisher has a great chance if his wife doesn't pop. Is it just me or is the milking of this baby story getting on anyone else's wick yet?

 

[TonyN]

I dont think it devalues the win. I can see where your coming from Dodge, but the fact he can shoot these scores at that age, is testament to his game, and to do it in golfs biggest event makes it even more special, so on that note, come on Westy!

 

[John_Findlay]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

I'm pretty sure Dodger's tugging our chains on this one, boys.

Did Jack winning the Masters at age 46 devalue that tournament? Or did Lee Jansen & Steve Jones winning the US Open devalue that? I can hardly even name some of the winers of the USPGA.

The answer is no. A winner's a winner.

 

[JustOne]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

I'd be happy to see Watson win it. Afterall he has played better than anyone else

Westwood and Goosen are the only other two I can think of who have played anywhere near consistant... so there's my top 3.

Probably the best chance Westwood has had to win a major, let's hope he takes advantage of it.

 

[DCB]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

Well if Watson does it thats fine by me, mind you, whoever does it this afternoon will have mastered some rather tricky conditions down there over the past few days. Whoever comes out top, best of luck to them.

 

[Robokolo]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

I dont think it would be classed as a joke i mean look at other majors that have been won by outsiders like the masters, Trevor inelman has done nothing since winning that but that competition is still regraded very seroiusly.

Mabye if i won the open that would be classed as a joke but apart from that i think that our greatest golfing competition will stay clear of the clowns

 

[Jahmoo]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

A Joke, a bit harsh on Watson and Groggin me thinks.

 

[RGDave]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

Well, at 5.24pm it's looking very tight.

I can't see how any player shooting the best score can be classed as a joke. I understand the sentiment of the OP, sure, but may the best man win.

Lee's just found the sand....argh....

 

[viscount17]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

I don't think any winner of The Open can be called a joke winner. For them to have won where were/are the 'stars'?

 

[Herbie]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

You dont know what a real golfer is dodger!

 

[Basher]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

I know it's all over for another year, but regardless of who won just means that they played the better gold throughout the tournament.

As it turned out, Cink pipped it at the post. The lead choped and changed today and Cink was there at the back and waiting. He did what was needed to win.

No jokes, whoever won it.

 

[RGDave]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

All in all, I'm just wholesale gutted. Gutted for Ross (7 over for 4 of his holes??) Gutted for Lee (can't play well when trying to close it out) Super-Gutted for Tom Watson....the list goes on.

I really thought it was a no-lose last day....either Fisher or Westwood to pick up the prize if Tom faltered.

And the result?....a lukewarm performance by another fairly anonymous American. I've had Cink down many a time to win stuff....he's a good player and credit to him, but where were all the exciting players?

A steady-eddie journeyman pipped it with all the excitement of 18 straight pars...where was the fabulous bogey/birdie action like the old days?

Such a damp squid......

Maybe it was just too demanding? Maybe the pins were too over-done? I think I prefer tournaments where -10 wins it...at least you can cheer and shout.....it was just so DULL, DULL, DULL.

 

[CrapHacker]

Re: If Watson or Groggin wins is The Open turning into a bit of a joke

All in all, I'm just wholesale gutted. Gutted for Ross (7 over for 4 of his holes??) Gutted for Lee (can't play well when trying to close it out) Super-Gutted for Tom Watson....the list goes on.

Maybe it was just too demanding? Maybe the pins were too over-done? I think I prefer tournaments where -10 wins it...at least you can cheer and shout.....it was just so DULL, DULL, DULL.

If it was DULL you wouldn't be gutted, or Super gutted, even.

It was tense, and frustrating, and upsetting, and the wrong guy won.

But it wasn't dull, it was edge of the seat stuff. For me at least.

And to roll all the Open threads into one. Watson was unlucky at the last that his ball went through the green. Cink was lucky his ball didn't. But Cink sank a tricky putt, and Watson jabbed at an easier one. If anyone bottled it, it was Watson. But who can blame him, he had been carrying the tournament single handedly for 4 days, Cink had sneaked up with no pressure on him at all.

Westwood didn't bottle it on the last, his bunker shot, and racing the putt proved he was trying to win it. His last round was two worse than the winner's, and he lost by one shot. Not bottling it, by any means.

Did Fisher bottle it by hitting a quad bogey whilst being in the lead ? Possibly. Scoring a 75 on the final day looks like he played himself out of contension. But another guy that has put himself in a fantastic position, and after that run of +7 over 5 holes, he proved his potential by not having histrionics ( no clubthrowing that I saw ) and pulled himself together to finish the round to par figures. A bottler would have given up and either walked off with a wrist injury, or let his game slip and let another 4 or 5 shots drift away on the back nine. My opinion of him has increased hugely this week.

Wood was unlucky. Donald played a great closing round. I think 67 was the days best, and we had two of our guys making it to get themselves to within one, and two shots respectively.

Els was a couple of lipped putts away from making his mark.

If there is to be any finger pointing for under performance maybe it should be waved at Casey and Dougherty. Two guys with good recent form, who had chances, and counldn't get themselves up to the plate when called upon.

If Cink hadn't pinched it over the last few holes it would have gone down as a great Open.

But DULL ? No, I don't think so.