The Open 2018

[Grant85]

Cracking Championship & great TV with too many plus points to list


On the negatives; the blazers should be the worst thing but in 1st place is the guy that shouted on Tiger's downswing
(obviously applies to any players downswing)

Was there on Friday and saw him putting for Eagle on 14. There was some loud Scottish guy shouting as he was walking up to the green. Ok, a bit loutish, but not dreadful. On his putt, the guy shouted out just as the ball left the club face. I don't think it affected the stroke, but it was close enough for the crowd to gasp.

Absolutely no need for it. If you really are a fan and want to see him win, this is pretty much the worst way to show any support at all.

 

[Slab]

Very pleased for Molinari.
Shame Rory or Rose couldn’t quite make it, but very happy it’s not another American walk away.

As for Tiger, yes the outburst on his downswing on the 18th was very poor, but I suspect an idiot copying the US idiots who shout. I was glad he fell away, having got fed up with the Tiger coverage concentration to the detriment of the rest of the field.

As for those attending, I don’t remember seeing quite as many empty seats in the stands at an Open on the last day as this one. Is this the sign of the times, or just a result of location access and prices?

They said on tv this was a record crowd (170k+) so attendance at the event seems alright. Those attending: was there a supplement to get a seat in the stands?

(they also said that for first time next year's Open will be an all-ticket event due to high interest)

 

[Garush34]

They said on tv this was a record crowd (170k+) so attendance at the event seems alright. Those attending: was there a supplement to get a seat in the stands?

(they also said that for first time next year's Open will be an all-ticket event due to high interest)

Some of the grandstand at 18 is ticketed, but you need to buy in advance, in my experience of going that section always seems to have seats available.

 

[HowlingGale]

So spitting on the course in front of fans is totally acceptable then?

Have seen a fair number of players (people) spit on the course. DJ being a regular offender. Perhaps it's an accepted part of American culture.
Personally think smoking on the course is much worse.

 

[Marshy77]

I had both Molinari and Pepperell plus Noren and Olesen so was interested in it yesterday, looked at one point that maybe 3 of the 4 would come int he top 10.

Molinari was so cool, played the round so well and just kept himself in the game until he knew the time was right to push it and get the birdie that was needed. I even think he could have made more birdie's but realised that he didn't need to rush as everyone else was losing their heads and he was just needing to play par golf and what a round it was too. Think it was one of the most calm and perfect final round of a major championship I've seen.

The drama of the leaderboard was so good, the golf at times was poor but overall I thought it was a fantastic day of golf.

3 of the best players of the last 20 years all managed throughout 18 holes to totally mess it up and leave the door open for about 8-10 players but eventually the best man definitely won and won me a few quid too!

 

[DCB]

Another great weeks golf. the course was just right, not too hard and not too easy. The field running into the weekend was superb, and Sundays viewing was the best there has been for a few years.

Hope it is as exciting at Royal Portrush

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

There were are a lot of great stories from the weekend. Justin Rose - runner up, having come so close to making the cut was a great one. Great to see Eddie Pepperell have the low round of the day. Whatever you think of Tiger, it was great drama for a while. Molinari is in a great run of form; wonder how long he can keep it going.

It was a shame it wasn't on free-to-air TV, but I thought 5 Live's coverage was brilliant.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

She is not interested. She thinks it's disgusting the way he has acted and has no time for him whatsoever...

She was really pleased for Molinari - he seems a nice guy...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

True, but better than marrying her and then cheating on her with every waitress between Florida and California.

In terms of Tiger non golfers, particularly women, do care about his not so private life. That may not matter to us golf lovers but it tarnishes him for ever more. You may not like that but it is the reality of the situation.

Anyway, back to golf, a U.S.heavy leader board thankfully became more European by the end. It's going to be close come September though.

Absolutely - and my point is that we need to attract non-golfers to the game - and attract girls and ladies. They might not be quite so forgiving of his personal misdemeanours and my wife thinks it pretty bad that many golfing blokes seem to be able to put all that stuff aside - with his golf being more important than what he has done personally. This does taint her view of golf and male golfers even though she enjoys watching it and - as I mentioned - is thinking having a go.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Its not tarnished him one bit, hence the massive crowds that follow him and the millions that tune in to watch him.
Tom Watson seems to have survived the storm and it seems everyone thinks he's a decent bloke.

Really? Not tarnished in the eyes of women?

 

[Orikoru]

Missed so many pages of this thread so only caught up the last ten.

What a fantastic tournament that was. Sat watching the whole day Saturday which was amazing, Rose posting 64 early seemed to inspire so many more to follow suit, birdies galore. Missed most of Sunday as I was out on the course myself, but caught the last hour or two. It was amazing to see Tiger back in contention and even leading a major, if only briefly. Incredible performance from Molinari to not register a bogey in his last two rounds, fully deserved to win from that alone I'd say. Superb major, one of the best I've seen, given that I've only been watching golf properly for the last couple of years.

Shame that all my bets fell flat as usual though. Nearest I came was Olesen each way (ten places), he finished T12th.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Absolutely - and my point is that we need to attract non-golfers to the game - and attract girls and ladies. They might not be quite so forgiving of his personal misdemeanours and my wife thinks it pretty bad that many golfing blokes seem to be able to put all that stuff aside - with his golf being more important than what he has done personally. This does taint her view of golf and male golfers even though she enjoys watching it and - as I mentioned - is thinking having a go.

So not that tainted as she’s still thinking of giving golf a go!

 

[Dan2501]

Brilliant weekend of golf from Francesco - to go bogey free for the entire weekend is remarkable and completely deserving of the win. Was a really exciting run of golf mid-afternoon when Tiger got to the lead, Rose made eagle, Rory made eagle and Jordan and Xander started to falter.

Shame Tiger couldn't get it done, missing left where he did on 11 was a mistake and he compounded it with his unnecessary third. Very positive signs though and it has been a remarkable year so far when you consider he had a spinal fusion 15 months ago. He's still more than competitive and feels like it's a matter of time before he wins again. He's also back in the world's top 50 so will be back in the WGC's ahead of Firestone which starts the first week of August - a competition he has won 8 times previously.

 

[patricks148]

didn't watch much if any of the last day, but glad a European and not a yank won. Good signs for the RC later on in the year.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

So not that tainted as she’s still thinking of giving golf a go!

It might stop her if she felt that many blokes were accepting and almost dismissive of his demeanours - she would not want to associate with such men if they were to be eulogising about Woods and how great he is. In her eyes he is very, very far from a great person. She has seen too many friends very sorely hurt by their husbands or partners acting the way that Tiger did. Look - don't argue with me - argue with my wife if you think she is wrong or misguided.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It might stop her if she felt that many blokes were accepting and almost dismissive of his demeanours - she would not want to associate with such men if they were to be eulogising about Woods and how great he is. In her eyes he is very, very far from a great person. She has seen too many friends very sorely hurt by their husbands or partners acting the way that Tiger did. Look - don't argue with me - argue with my wife if you think she is wrong or misguided.

I don’t think your wife is wrong in anyway, I dislike the man and in his personal life, if what we’ve been exposed too is correct, he deserves no sympathy.
However, I wouldn’t allow his private life to put me off taking up a sport or use it against him on the Golf Course.
We all have favourites, but in any comp I wouldn’t take it away from the winner if his sporting ability shines through.

 

[Orikoru]

I don’t think your wife is wrong in anyway, I dislike the man and in his personal life, if what we’ve been exposed too is correct, he deserves no sympathy.
However, I wouldn’t allow his private life to put me off taking up a sport or use it against him on the Golf Course.
We all have favourites, but in any comp I wouldn’t take it away from the winner if his sporting ability shines through.

Might just be me but I don't even care about what he's got up to off the course. He is human and fallible like the rest of us and we all make mistakes. He had all the money, and anything he wanted available to him, and he made some poor decisions - I'm sure he regrets some of them, and others he probably doesn't if he's being honest! But it really doesn't bother me.

For all we know plenty of other popular golfers may have made similar mistakes in their lives, but without even 10% of the scrutiny and attention that Tiger gets, we may never know.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

SiLH - My wife also dislikes Tiger for the same reasons as your wife so I suspect we have heard the same comments. However, if your wife does not take up golf because of it then the only person missing out is your wife. Tiger doesn't get affected by it, just her. Assure her that not everyone involved in golf supports cheating on their partner and tell her to pick up the clubs :thup:

 

[r0wly86]

SiLH - My wife also dislikes Tiger for the same reasons as your wife so I suspect we have heard the same comments. However, if your wife does not take up golf because of it then the only person missing out is your wife. Tiger doesn't get affected by it, just her. Assure her that not everyone involved in golf supports cheating on their partner and tell her to pick up the clubs :thup:

I may have misunderstood Hogan, but my take on it was that it wasn't her dislike of Tiger himself that could potentially stop her, but the attitude of the men who play golf who don't care about it because he is a great golfer.

If they are so easy to forgive someone with multiple affairs it may something about their character.

Not my opinion but that's what struck me about what Hogan was saying.

By the by my wife also dislikes Tiger for the same reason, but continues to play, but she doesn't have much interest in the pro game anyway

 

[patricks148]

my wife dislikes golf way more than she does Tiger, its that that stops her playing not Tigger