No Clarke, McIlroy or Olazabal at Open

[birdieman]

What do we make of the above missing the Open?
A year ago you'd have put your house on McIlroy featuring this year, hopefully he'll come good.
Clarke is a big name to be missing, some high finishes in the past and a real crowd-pleaser.
Olazabal is a great links player and was paired with Tiger in the last pairing in 2005 at St Andrews.
Have the R&A got the qualifying procedure correct, seems to be a lot of good links golfers missing and quite a lot of nobodies in the field?
- The times they are a changing"

ps I wondered about a punt on Larrazabal for e/w at the open - am I wasting my cash??

 

[birdieman]

Further to the above I have just been to WillHill and have Westwood (form horse), J. Leonard (Yanks always play well in our Open) and Larrazabal(long shot but has a touch of the Sevvies about him) each way for the Open.

Surely one of them will be top 3?

 

[pjaz]

I know what you are saying, but the beauty of The Open is that its the highest ranked players in the world at a given date playing each other to be the best - everybody knows that and if they aren't on the that list they don't play.

If we turn it into an invitational it will lose its credibility. Also, it gives the nobodies a chance to become somebodies - though that doesn't always work.

 

[GB72]

True but other sporting events allow a few invites to be given out to local, up and coming or crowd pleasing players so why not have a few wildcard spots at the open?

 

[Tommo21]

I know what you are saying, but the beauty of The Open is that its the highest ranked players in the world at a given date playing each other to be the best - everybody knows that and if they aren't on the that list they don't play.

If we turn it into an invitational it will lose its credibility. Also, it gives the nobodies a chance to become somebodies - though that doesn't always work.

I'll go along with that....Westwood will win this, he's ready me thinks.

 

[Imurg]

I've got a feeling that a high finish at Loch Lomond wiould get them in at the last gasp - am I right?
If so they could make it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I love the fact that club pros have a chance to get through the same as the big boys. My club pro is at regional qualifying today and if he gets through goes up for final qualifying and a chance to play with the big boys. My old pro at Wimbledon Common, Jeff Jukes, actually made it into the 1973 open (the one Weiskopf won).

Its a bit like the Champions League. You have the big names that qualify by rights, and then you have those that have to qualify to play in the main stages. I think it is great that you get club pros getting through.

I think the weight of expectation will be Westwoods undoing this year. Larrazabal I'm afraid is too inexperienced to do anything. I think there are two places up for grabs at Loch Lomond for the highest non-exempt players.

 

[OldWindy]

Top 5 finishes in either Euro or Scottish Opens would see Clarke qualify. Not sure if this applies to McIlroy and Olly, tho'

 

[viscount17]

Keep qualification as it is. OK some 'stars' might not make but if it becomes invitational the sponsors will want all their guys in which will squeeze out the club pro and some of the out of form 'stars' won't even bother much with qualifying but rely on sponsor pressure to get them in.

 

[vig]

Top 5 finishes in either Euro or Scottish Opens would see Clarke qualify. Not sure if this applies to McIlroy and Olly, tho'

I thought top 5 in both qualifies regardless, Could be wrong though

 

[Junior]

Hunter Mahan, Steve Stricker and Robert Karlsson for me. I was temped to put money on Monty each way after his performance in France last week !

 

[nomadpaul]

TBH , if they're not playing well enough to qualify then they shouldn't play.....even if they will be missed

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Karlsson, Mickleson and Cink for my money

 

[USER1999]

It is an open, and needs to remain so. No invitations (although I suppose allowing in the top 50 in world ranking, or what ever they do, is really an invitation).

The odd bit, is that most of the qualifying rounds are not on links courses, so a player who may perform well in the open on the links, may struggle to qualify.

 

[Nico]

As for qualifying,Homer has that right,top 5's will get them in.

Final qualifying is always held on links courses,Sunningdale was for Tour boys only.

Only the top 50 in the World get auto invites and the rest is up to qualification it's fantastic. I too know a couple of guys who have made final quali and the Open itself,what an achievement it is real Tin Cup stuff,more power to the club pro's I say.

 

[birdieman]

I see Kenny Perry can't be bothered to come to the Open, following on from missing the US Open, what is wrong with these people?
I suppose if it became invitational Michelle Wie would be straight back in the limelight begging to get in!
When I switch on the tv to watch the Open I don't want to watch nobody club pros, I want to watch the best in the world get taken apart by 340 yard 'easy' holes a bit like I do whenever I venture near a links!

 

[USER1999]

Don't worry Birdieman, the tv won't be following the nebbishes, and they will get tee times at dawn. You won't get to see them.

I like to see Tiger trying to hit a 2 iron from knee deep bundhu, but I will be disappointed too.

Normally the open is the weekend of my motherinlaws' birthday, and so I miss it, but this year we are doing her b day on the 12th. Yippee.