Why was the playoff hole the 7th

[Junior]

Answers on a post card please !

Surly not because Tiger screwed up the 1st every time he played it, and surly it should have been the 18th which he birdied for fun.

Also, In the third round Tigers line of sight ruling (that looked ok on tv) allowed him to take his ball out of the bundi and drop some 25ft away into the trampled down grass.

Also, some fool in the crowd picked his ball up in the long grass in the same round and he got another decent drop.

Also, why everytime Rocco or Westwood (or all three) were tied for the lead with Tiger did Tigers name always appear on top of the leaderboard

I'm not anti Tiger as a rule, the guy is awesome and as has been said on here before, he is the one of the greatest sportsman of our generation, but TBH I just had enough of him and his knee over the last few days.

 

[theeaglehunter]

I don't think there was any real reason behind it. The play off holes were decided before the tournament began so it would not have been influenced by Tigers inability to score well on the first. What the criterion were when they were deciding which holes should be used though I am not sure.

As for the seemingly fortunate drops they occur all the time, it sort of annoyed me that during this week if somebody missed the fairway by 10 feet they were in the real thick rough but if they missed it by 24 feet they were on the trampled down grass usually with a decent lie.

And putting Tiger at the top of the leaderboard what do you expect? He is the name most people look for and it is due to his popularity that they would have done this. It is biased but he is the world number 1 and just sort of commands this superior treatment.

 

[StuartD]

Looking at a map of the course 7th tee is at clubhouse and 7th green is near 18th tee (presume 18th was second play-off hole). It could just have easily been 1st and 6th though. Not sure when the holes are picked tbh.

Rocco should have been top of the leaderboard when tied on last day as he had played a hole more.

Never seen any of the third round so can't comment on the drop

 

[wilf_74]

Tiger had numorous Drives 30-90 yards wide and never once got penalised, spectators picked his ball up, free drops, nice lies. It was ridiculous. I like and respect Tiger, but it does become the Tiger show, and if not careful could ruin the sport like Schumacher did to F1.

*rant over*

 

[USER1999]

I imagine the name at the top had the honour on that hole. Therefore he was the last one to 'win' a hole.

I felt a bit sorry for mediate, as the 7th suits a fade (which woods had been hitting all day due to his knee problems), and Roccos' natural shot is a draw. Not surprising he put it into the bunker. I know he should be able to move the ball both ways, but if it isn't you, it isn't you.

I thought the play off holes were 7, 8 and 18.

 

[Spoff]

they were 7, 8 and 18.

 

[toonarmy]

More importantly, why don't the USGA accept that an 18-hole playoff is bloody stupid and just go to sudden death anyway?

What exactly did we gain from the playoff in real terms? We still ended up tied and had to go sudden death anyway. It's the equivalent of adding a day on to a Test match when it's drawn at the end of Day 5. Pointless.

The Open still has the best format for me, but anything at all (even nearest the pin or one long putt nearest the hole!) is better than another day of golf.

 

[viscount17]

Money! you don't think NBC got to cover the final day for free do you? or the crowd get free entry? then there's all those extra sales opportunities, food, beer, souvenirs