137th Open Championship - Royal Birkdale

[phutoie2]

OK here goes, first post about the British Open.

Sat down in front of the box yesterday at 3pm ready for coverage of the open from Royal Birkdale. Fridge full of bottled Leo, anda few hours ago instructed wife to buy some spuds from the local market for chip butties later on. No Thai food for me for the next 4 days !!.

Weather conditions appalling both for golfers and spectators, rain and horrendous winds. Good to see the pro's having to think their way around the course, 3 & 4 irons having to be used for approaches to some greens. Doesn't it make change to see some real bunkers too as opposed to the traps we see on channel 64 every week.

The coverage is from the BBC with its very good commentators, a mix of accents and expertise these days, my favorite is still Peter Allis (too many moving parts in the swing my boy), Mark James' dry humour is up there too!

Adverts breaks still too frequent, and the same ones every time it seems on ESPN, their commentator stated that the feed is going to 200 countries and something about the commercial breaks required which I did 'nt understand, as the BBC coverage in UK will be commercial free. I just hit the mute button.

Roll on the next 3 rounds and lets see who overcomes the course and conditions and apart from the fact that someone in Florida is absent this year its still golf you know!

[dclaryjr]

Roll on the next 3 rounds and lets see who overcomes the course and conditions and apart from the fact that someone in Florida is absent this year its still golf you know!

And someone from Kentucky is absent too and I bet he's dam_n glad now that he is!

[R123]

In my opinion the coverage is ruined by the adverts, and interrupting it with some half hour sports programme twice in the night.

Agree though some good commentators.

[Chaimai]

OK here goes, first post about the British Open.

Sat down in front of the box yesterday at 3pm ready for coverage of the open from Royal Birkdale. Fridge full of bottled Leo, anda few hours ago instructed wife to buy some spuds from the local market for chip butties later on. No Thai food for me for the next 4 days !!.

Stylish approach

[phutoie2]

Thought I might have got ticked off by a mod as the topic has little to do with Thailand, however I did know that one Thai golfer had qualified and though the BBC did not show him playing (as far as I am aware)- Prayad Marksaeng just failed to make the cut- it was +9, and he had rounds of 77 & 73 (+10), ahead of far more famous/accomplished golfers.

[bdenner]

Wow 53 year old Greg Norman topping the leader board after round 3 and been a front runner all along. Certainly hope he doesn't choke again as he has done in the past. Won't forget his loss to Nick Faldo in the US Open (I think) many years ago going into the final round with a 5 stroke lead.

[Shotime]

I agree. It would be great to see Norman win. This is the only Major he ever won. Once, I think.

[LeungKen]

I agree. It would be great to see Norman win. This is the only Major he ever won. Once, I think.

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Twice I think........

Let's hear it for the Senior Citizens

Reason for edit : - Free plug for Old Folks

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Edited July 20, 2008 by LeungKen

[Old Croc]

Yes Norman has won the Open twice. They're the only two majors he has won, but he has finished second 8 times!

In 1986 he lead all four majors after the third round (known as the Norman or Saturday slam). He won only one of these.

I wonder if he can hold it together now he is in his fifties and and has new bride, Chris Evert, to hold his hand.

[sweetchariot]

Well considering he doesn't practice anymore, and by his own admission prefers playing tennis with his wife rather than golf, I think to be where he's at is an astounding achievement.

We had several debates in the bar last night, and apparently he would be the oldest major winner in history. I really do hope he does it, as he is surrogate English.

Interesting interview before the tournament, he was talking about the potential windy conditions, and said the young guys don't know how to shape the ball like they did in his day, which may give him an advantage.

[LeungKen]

'

"Surrogate English" Thems fighting words.....

If you like you can have Rolf Harris........

I think the Great White spends more time in the U.S. of A., especially now he has an American Missus.

[Old Croc]

Yes, you can have Rolf Harris and Germaine Greer! We'll even throw in Kylie.

But Norman has lived in the US for decades. He even speaks like a Yank.

You guys have a need to rope in anyone to boost your sporting chances. You even have a couple of second rate Aussie cricketers in your test team along with the half a dozen Yarpies.

[sweetchariot]

And now Dwayne Chambers is banned, we're screwed at the olympics as well. (Not sure where he comes from - probably Columbia judging by the amount of drugs he takes).

Oh well, Lewis Hamilton on pole today (I don't think he's from English descent, but <deleted>)

[chuckd]

I am in Saudi and we have been receiving the BBC feed off of Show satellite TV.

It is UNINTERRUPTED and great.

I'm a Yank but The Open has always been my favorite. I have been fortunate to have played all the courses in Scotland that are on the rota and a couple that used to be (Old Prestwick, Musselburgh).

I have told my wife to bring food to the TV for the past three days and she is planning on eating out (at the TV) yet again tonight.

Tomorrow we may be in divorce court but I won't let that interfere with my golf viewing.

Oh, by the way, Greg Norman folded to Faldo at the Masters in 1996. He started the round six shots ahead of Faldo and lost it on the back side.

[bdenner]

............

Oh, by the way, Greg Norman folded to Faldo at the Masters in 1996. He started the round six shots ahead of Faldo and lost it on the back side.

OK clarified, me old brain isn't what it was. Still, another disappointing result for Norman but all in all he has to be very happy with the event and his position.

And a great last day for Harrington!

Hope the missus has recovered now it's over and you enjoyed the final round.

[longball53098]

Well its all over now and what a 4 day event.

Too bad that ESPN could not see fit to broadcast to Thailand uninterrupted. But the mute button works.

Norman had a chance but Padrig was too much for him,,,,,,,,,,what a shot on 17 for eagle!

The winds on Saturday really weeded out the boys from the men.

Did you see where the American Rich Beem quit before the end of the 1st round? Should be mandatory to finish unless physically cannot.

[chuckd]

My congratulations to Padraig. He kept his head while all others around him were losing theirs.

Two in a row puts him in elite company.

I now have over 35 hours of this years Open to watch in my declining years, laughing maniacally at the wind playing havoc with the pros.

[Chaimai]

My congratulations to Padraig. He kept his head while all others around him were losing theirs.

Two in a row puts him in elite company.

I now have over 35 hours of this years Open to watch in my declining years, laughing maniacally at the wind playing havoc with the pros.

From a Brits point of view Ian Poulter came away with a lot of credit - except for those pink trousers !

[Old Croc]

Norman's world ranking jumped a record 480 places, from 646 to 166, following his 3rd place in the Open.

He has been invited to compete in the US version.

[Shotime]

Norman just got invited to play in the PGA. He is the greatest unlucky golfer ever to play the pro tour. He's a renowned choker, but he was beat, in two majors (I think), by two miracle shots. The Master's playoff where he lost in a playoff by a miracle chip, and another by a sand shot. I'll never forget the look on his face when the sand shot went in. It's difficult to feel sorry for him, but it's impossible not to. This is to the best of my recollection, so any corrections are welcome. It was so many years ago.

My hats off to Ian. Not only cause he's a great golfer, but for wearing those pink pants.

[femi fan]

I thought the greens and around them were magnificent. I only caught the last round, but both harrington and poulter had that body language about them that indicated they expected to win the open. Often in golf, even for us amateurs, we get rounds where everything is doing what we want it to, and for a fleeting moment in golf, feel like the game is easy. Well, not often, but it happens. Obviously tiger carries it around more often than others.

Poulter has said before he is aiming to win a major. Where can he go from here? Can he use the confidence of so nearly winning the open to take a step up in the game? It would be good, for sure he's a colourful character... did anyone notice the cameras following him and contingent where at one point he went behind a bush for a leak, allis saying something about the streets of paris?

It might also be considered that the lack of americans in the top spots could be attributed to the conditions. I wonder then what will happen at the ryder cup if similar weather conditions occur...

[chuckd]

The bunker shot you remember is the one Bob Tway hit in the 1986 PGA Championship to beat Norman by one stroke.

He lost the 1987 Masters to Larry Mize on that chip shot on the llth hole.

Changing a little bit but did you know Nicklaus holds the record with 19 second place finishes in Majors? Just a little trivia.

[Chaimai]

Norman just got invited to play in the PGA. He is the greatest unlucky golfer ever to play the pro tour. He's a renowned choker, but he was beat, in two majors (I think), by two miracle shots. The Master's playoff where he lost in a playoff by a miracle chip, and another by a sand shot. I'll never forget the look on his face when the sand shot went in. It's difficult to feel sorry for him, but it's impossible not to. This is to the best of my recollection, so any corrections are welcome. It was so many years ago.

My hats off to Ian. Not only cause he's a great golfer, but for wearing those pink pants.

Shotime - I think masters 1996. Faldo shot a 67 to win by five over Norman, who struggled en route to a 78. I best remember Faldo whispering in Norman's ear at the end (I believe along the lines of "don't let the bastards get to you" referring to the press). They became great friends after that and, the often sulky, faldo went up in the Shark's estimation.

[Losangels]

I was rooting for Norman because of the odds against winning the championship due to the "old" age factor.

In a way I symphatize with him "losing" the PGA and Masters during his prime to miracle shots.

Many felt he choked and gave away some of the tournaments which I felt are harsh words used by the media in the States and even here in Thailand.

I remembered back in 1996 I believe it was the PGA during the final round when he played with Faldo on a par three where he put a least 3 balls into the water. It was painful to watch and realized that pros are not that much different from weekend golfers. Once a shot goes to shit, it and can happen again and again and again