Professional Golf

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I watched bits of it but its not a major despite them trying to ram it home that its the "5th Major", they're the only events I get glued to even the USPGA as their is more impact on players careers and pressure on them.

Fitzy did superb to get into that position but ultimately picked the wrong shot on the tee at 18. All he needed to do was hit the fairway and almost guarantee himself a par and a shot at winning a playoff.

The whole superstar thing will always be the case if this place existed in the 80s i'm sure there would have been everyone commenting with Seve, Faldo, Langer etc involved down the stretch but had it been the likes of Chip Beck, Sam Torrance, Eamon Darcy then the thread would've been quiet. That's just how it is in all sport, big names draw more attention.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm simply saying that the likes of Fitzy, Young and Aberg are not close to being in the same league as McIlroy and Scheffler when it comes to star quality. I'm not saying they are not well known, bad golfers or haven't had big successes

Had McIlroy, for example, been near top of leaderboard, we'd have had loads of comments. And no doubt it would have attracted more views (outside golf monthly forumers anyway). If Scheffler was at top, lots of comments no doubt about his quality and inevitability he should win, etc.

I'm don't go with all this 5th major nonsense BTW. That being said, it may well be a better tournament to watch than the USPGA Championship. In my opinion

So people only watch golf if Scheffler or McIlroy are winning? What nonsense. Aberg, Fitzpatrick and Young are all big names ranked in the top 25. If people don't want to watch it because they're not 'big' enough then they're not really into golf.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

It was ok , watch little bits towards the end after watching the tennis final
Some decent shots by Young and Fitz played well

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I hear they were trying to wind a Yorkshireman up over at Sawgrass - 10 out of 10 for effort but that was always going to be completely futile..

You could see him laughing at it and he said as much afterwards. His point was along the lines of, 'after Bethpage, that was nothing'. It was a bit of pantomime booing and the obligatory USA chants. Poor, but nothing that would surprise you, sadly.

 

[irip]

You could see him laughing at it and he said as much afterwards. His point was along the lines of, 'after Bethpage, that was nothing'. It was a bit of pantomime booing and the obligatory USA chants. Poor, but nothing that would surprise you, sadly.

The bit that I watched there seemed to be a lot of shouting stupid things after the player had hit his tee shot.
Typical American stuff.

You should be allowed to punch these people as part of your entrance fee

 

[Steve Wilkes]

So people only watch golf if Scheffler or McIlroy are winning? What nonsense. Aberg, Fitzpatrick and Young are all big names ranked in the top 25. If people don't want to watch it because they're not 'big' enough then they're not really into golf.

No. They may still watch it, but won't post on a forum, if there is nothing to ram home an opinion one way or another

 

[IanM]

The WhatsApp Group I'm on was in overdrive, especially from the Scottish lads when Bob was in with a sniff.

Although early evening, the football tourists were getting abuse for not beating the "worst team in the history of the world!"

 

[Arthur Wedge]

What’s the issue

There were comments on the golf last night

But we all know it’s not going to have the same buy in from most people as a major does

And yes the players at the top don’t get many talking

 

[Swango1980]

So people only watch golf if Scheffler or McIlroy are winning? What nonsense. Aberg, Fitzpatrick and Young are all big names ranked in the top 25. If people don't want to watch it because they're not 'big' enough then they're not really into golf.

Why are you interpreting things completely out of context from what I was saying!? I literally said I watched the tournament myself. One of the very few I do watch.

I was making a very simple statement that players with star quality generate discussion, and when they get involved at the top of the leaderboard, there will be many more comments (in all quarters, not just golf monthly). That is WHY players have star quality, becuase they generate discussion. That is WHY such players get all the big sponsorship deals.

Why did you think I was saying NOBODY would watch the tournament? Massive golf fans will watch some random, lower quality field event on December. Many many fans will watch the Players Championship, wouldn't be surprised if it was the most viewed tournament since last summer. The discussion wasn't ever about viewing figures. It was about why the forum was so quiet yesterday. I simply gave a couple of explanations, one light hearted. Both my answers support your view that there would have been many viewers. Unless you think the proper answer is because very few watched it simply because it isn't a Major, thus not in the same league as those event?

 

[WorldHandicapSystem]

Well, when he had only 100 yds left, if a driver was taken, it was not the best decision for anyone to go with that club bearing in mind mind what you got if you went “off piste”

Young didn’t win it because of his drive, he won it because of Fitzpatrick’s.

Radar was talking of a 5 wood off the tee. The hole distance is two irons for such pros really.
Why they hit drivers ( so many into the wood) , I don’t know.

Young took hell of a risk. And although he didn’t get into trouble from his drive, it still didn’t give him a birdie.
A bogey gave him the win, and with Fitzy’s short iron ability, the Brit really should have ensured he was getting to the green in regulation.

Still, it was a good watch, quite exciting , being decided on the last hole… so roll on the Masters.

So wrong.

The drive gave him a lot more control of his second shot than being further back in the fairway. And there is absolutely no guarantee that he would have hit the fairway with a 5 wood or an iron.

Many a “safe” tee shot has found the trees and water down that hole. Also, with the pin placement and wind direction getting the ball to stop on the top level near the pin was almost impossible from any further out.

Another thing to consider was how much pressure hitting that driver so well put on Fitzpatrick. Young played aggressive and won.

 

[cleveland52]

So people only watch golf if Scheffler or McIlroy are winning? What nonsense. Aberg, Fitzpatrick and Young are all big names ranked in the top 25. If people don't want to watch it because they're not 'big' enough then they're not really into golf.

you got that right.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

So wrong.

The drive gave him a lot more control of his second shot than being further back in the fairway. And there is absolutely no guarantee that he would have hit the fairway with a 5 wood or an iron.

Many a “safe” tee shot has found the trees and water down that hole. Also, with the pin placement and wind direction getting the ball to stop on the top level near the pin was almost impossible from any further out.

Another thing to consider was how much pressure hitting that driver so well put on Fitzpatrick. Young played aggressive and won.

Well, we will have to disagree. How many times have the experts said that a lesser club like a 3 wood or an iron is a safer club to tee off with? Many times.. And for a reason. Because it’s true.
As you say, no guarantee, but eliminating risk is sought after in golf. ( see Hogan about “the left side”)

If you think it is always the same risk, regardless of club identity, then you are well into the minority.

It is a short hole ( as Pro golf courses go), so the risk was very high taking a driver precisely because of the dogleg , and considering the ease with which a shorter length tee shot could have been converted to a GIR.

In this case, Young’s 100 yd second shot did not result in a birdie. A possible one but not a likely one.
He was almost off the green with his approach.
Players of the calibre playing in that competition are well capable of getting GIR from distances of 130 ( easy), up to 170 yards.( everyday, for them ), even up to 200.
And you cannot dispute the fact that Young won with a par. Fitz lost shooting a bogey, because his tee shot was too long. He went where many driver tee shots went on that hole throughout the tournament.

Radar called it right before they played the hole.

And Fitz is an accepted good wedge player, He should have got the fairway from the tee, and calculated that his wedge would be better than Youngs, which it likely would have been. And probably more likely to have yielded the birdie.

 

[PaulMdj]

Personally I thought Fitzy missing the fairway on 16 was a bigger mistake, that should of been a birdie hole, he got lucky that Young put his 2nd in the bunker to mess up his own birdie chance.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think there are two things we need to remember here. One, the wind was giving it some. Birdies became tough because it was hard to judge how much to add on, take off. Two, pressure. Blimey, water in play, big title on the line and we are talking fine margins. Both players can hold their heads high.

 

[Neilds]

Well, we will have to disagree. How many times have the experts said that a lesser club like a 3 wood or an iron is a safer club to tee off with? Many times.. And for a reason. Because it’s true.
As you say, no guarantee, but eliminating risk is sought after in golf. ( see Hogan about “the left side”)

There is a difference between safer club off the tee and better club for the shot that remains. Yes, a 3 wood may have been a better fairway finder, but would the 2nd shot have been easier (not withstanding where he actually played his 2nd from as hindsight is always 20/20)?

 

[PaulMdj]

I think there are two things we need to remember here. One, the wind was giving it some. Birdies became tough because it was hard to judge how much to add on, take off. Two, pressure. Blimey, water in play, big title on the line and we are talking fine margins. Both players can hold their heads high.

Nobody is saying they shouldn’t hold their heads high, but I also think it’s fair to discuss were we believe mistakes were made.

These are some of the best players in the World and should be use to all the conditions you mention, Fitz finished Par, Par, Bogey, Young went Par, Birdie, Par.

Were they not playing those last 3 holes together facing the same conditions? A 2 shot swing in 3 holes at the highest level is not good.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm glad someone else noticed this, but one thing I noticed yesterday was that Young wears shoes that are much too big for him for some reason.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2033296094617010609

 

[Backache]

I'm don't go with all this 5th major nonsense BTW. That being said, it may well be a better tournament to watch than the USPGA Championship. In my opinion

Mind you so is the Scottish open and that doesn't make it a major either.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Nobody is saying they shouldn’t hold their heads high, but I also think it’s fair to discuss were we believe mistakes were made.

These are some of the best players in the World and should be use to all the conditions you mention, Fitz finished Par, Par, Bogey, Young went Par, Birdie, Par.

Were they not playing those last 3 holes together facing the same conditions? A 2 shot swing in 3 holes at the highest level is not good.

They were but it was fine margins. The commentators said that only two people went at the flag on 17 all day Thomas and Young. Fitzpatrick took the logical shot, Young gambled and it came off. Fitz said he saw Youngs drive on 18 draw with the wind and hoped his would do the same. It didn't, it went straight. He then shaved the hole for a play off. Fine margins.

Incidentally, they both shot 68 in the final round.

 

[rulie]

They were but it was fine margins. The commentators said that only two people went at the flag on 17 all day Thomas and Young. Fitzpatrick took the logical shot, Young gambled and it came off. Fitz said he saw Youngs drive on 18 draw with the wind and hoped his would do the same. It didn't, it went straight. He then shaved the hole for a play off. Fine margins.

Incidentally, they both shot 68 in the final round.

It snowed here last night, it seems like I'm not the only grumpy one!