Volvo china open - dull as

[birdieman]

Well done Damien McGrane, as I write he is taking a 10 shot lead up the last at the Volvo CHina Open.
Have to say however it's the dullest golf I've ever watched, pouring rain, no crowd, no contest, everyone bar McGrane seems to be about +6 on the day, like us really, not pros.

Contrast that with the eminently watchable Verizon Heritage from Hilton Head in the US on Setanta, it's like 2 different sports. Boo Weekley is knocking in birdies for fun, I recognise all the golfers, Faldo's commentary is excellent, the course is tricky and visually interesting.

I know there are many European Tour fans on here but why do the European Tour take events to these out of the way places, the courses are too new and there are no fans watching. I know they say they're spreading the game but for the armchair viewer such as I it is truly dreadful fare.

 

[TonyN]

being fairly new to the sport i still dont understand how the European tour ends up in places like india and china!

 

[OldWindy]

Not the best ad for China - all the golf snippets I've ever seen in the country, even Mission Hills, have been dull and featureless. Someone's coughing up a lot of dosh to get the tour over there. Surely it should be the Asian Tour?

 

[mick]

correct me if i'm wrong,but i think this event is in conjunction with the asian tour.have to agree,the golf is dull,the verizon has been a good tournament but the stoppy starty american coverage really does my head it doesn't stop me watching every week though.

 

[USER1999]

Given the choice, if you were Westwood, Harrington, et al, would you drag over to some sh*t hole in China, or just take a week off, and wait for a comp somewhere nicer.

Having been to China alot, I know I wouldn't bother in their position.

 

[bernix]

you can hardly blame China or the European Tour for the adverse whether condition in Asia. the course in unspectacular and lacking maturity as do most/all golf courses in China I guess. hope they will find a more suitable location the seasons to come. dont blame Damien McGrane that the tourney is hardly exciting. He has done what he is payed to do and he has done it brilliantly

Congratulations Damien !!!

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Totally agree. Watched a little bit of it on Friday and switched off after about 10 minutes. If it wasn't for WWE I wouldn't have SKY Sports at all and I wouldn't miss the European Tour one bit. Usually, the big events on the tour are on the BBC anyway. (Scottish Open, HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth etc.) Take away my Setanta and it would be from my cold dead fingers A'tellya.
Well done McGrane though, although I suspect that he'll only ever get close to winning on occasions like this. ie.when no-one else is there. Wait 'til the tour gets on to mainland Europe and the guys riding high on the leaderboards now will slip back to obscurity.

 

[Wildrover]

Usually, the big events on the tour are on the BBC anyway. (Scottish Open, HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth etc.)

Not from next year, they will all be on Sky. As far as I can tell the BBC will only have The Masters and The Open.

 

[benny]

Setanta Sports is the best invention ever! Finally the average sports fan on an already stretched budget can afford PGA tour live golf (The Players Championship oooh my word), Live premier league football, LIVE BOXING FROM LAS VEGAS FOR FREE this is just unbelievable. European Tour is decent to watch when its on the BBC but it doesn't have half as much charm to me as the PGA tour. You can't beat The Open and The Masters and I'm glad that these are staying on the BBC. As for other events the BBC is losing, the World Matchplay is a joke now as Tiger won't enter any more, the PGA at Wentworth is ok but Wentworth as a course is not one I like at all and the BBCs obsession with it grates on me. Scottish Open is one I'll miss cos its a nice warm up for the Open but I think my Setanta box is gonna coushin any blows from the BBCs inevitable failure to hold on to its regular Golf events.

 

[viscount17]

the World Matchplay is a joke now as Tiger won't enter any more,

so presumably while he's off getting his knee fixed you won't be watching any PGA tour golf, nor any of the other tour events that he doesn't show up at?

just because Tiger's not there doesn't degrade an event, on the contrary I think they'll be <u>more</u> competitive.

 

[benny]

Ofcourse it degrades an event. If the world number one is not present and you win, thats a tainted victory. The Winner of the Players championship at Sawgrass this year will be slightly hollow and will have that question in his head - could I have done it if Tiger had been here? Ask the players what they'd rather have? A win at the Open without Tiger or win against Tiger down the stretch at the Open. Please don't 'presume' that i won't be watching any golf - ofcourse I will but its not quite the same without any of the big names, most of all Tiger Woods. Any event that has World in its title and doesn't feature him is degraded and that is fact.

 

[OldWindy]

Didn't McGrane beat Tiger while partnered in Dubai a short while back. I know it was just the one round but...

 

[benny]

Thats ace if he did! same for Mcilroy when he was lower than Woods after round 1 at Carnoustie. It can be done.