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Anthony Gray

Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #50 on: July 14, 2011, 03:16:13 PM »


  Not an American.

  Anthony


Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #51 on: July 14, 2011, 03:33:28 PM »
Damn, almost picked Bjorn, though no one will believe me now...
...

Me too, given previous failing after coming so close.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

David_Tepper

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #52 on: July 14, 2011, 03:56:31 PM »
Rough day for some past champs: B. Curtis +7, T. Hamilton +7, D. Duval +8

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #53 on: July 14, 2011, 04:11:03 PM »
I'm in a fantasy league where you pick one guy a week and can only use each golfer once. For majors, you pick two.

I took Kuchar and Justin Rose.

Dick, I hate your homer Stricker pick. Know when the last time that guy finished top 5 in a major? 1999.

How many top 5s does Kuchar have in The Open?

How many made cuts?

Answers: zero (best finish - 27th last year) and one (out of six opportunities in 12 years). At least Stricker has two top 10s in The Open!

I will gladly take Stricker over Kuchar, head to head, in a gentleman's bet. :)

Kuchar.........74

Stricker........69

Just sayin'... :)
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Evan Fleisher

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #54 on: July 14, 2011, 04:18:46 PM »
Born Rochester, MN. Grew up Miami, FL. Live Cleveland, OH. Handicap 13.2. Have 26 & 23 year old girls and wife of 29 years. I'm a Senior Supply Chain Business Analyst for Vitamix. Diehard walker, but tolerate cart riders! Love to travel, always have my sticks with me. Mollydooker for life!

Tim Martin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #55 on: July 14, 2011, 04:41:23 PM »
I'm in a fantasy league where you pick one guy a week and can only use each golfer once. For majors, you pick two.

I took Kuchar and Justin Rose.

Dick, I hate your homer Stricker pick. Know when the last time that guy finished top 5 in a major? 1999.

How many top 5s does Kuchar have in The Open?

How many made cuts?

Answers: zero (best finish - 27th last year) and one (out of six opportunities in 12 years). At least Stricker has two top 10s in The Open!

I will gladly take Stricker over Kuchar, head to head, in a gentleman's bet. :)

Kuchar.........74

Stricker........69

Just sayin'... :)

George-You are one step closer to pizza heaven at Frank Pepe`s in New Havan. I really don`t mind paying off as i will be dining with you. :)

Scott Warren

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #56 on: July 14, 2011, 07:39:50 PM »
George P:

Quote
believe my friend Dick was talking about Stricker's career in total.

Sure, but that doesn't change the fact he's won maybe two, three tournaments of any real note (and his WGC matchplay he beat the esteemed Pieere Fulke in the final!) and has a grand total of 1 top five finish in a major in his entire career, which he recorded 13 years ago!

I agree with you on Donald, but Stricker is so far out of the BPNTHWAM discussion it's not funny.

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #57 on: July 15, 2011, 10:26:30 AM »
Again, I think we're comparing apples to oranges in some sense.

Who you favor for BPNTHWAM currently, Scott? I think it's Lee, but in looking at their records, I think it's closer than some seem to think.

-----

I'm pulling for Bjorn and Clarke this weekend. Nice to see such a wide variety of names on the first page of the leaderboard - next to the courses, that's my favorite aspect of The Open Championship. Grizzly old vets and fresh faced amateurs find themselves side by side, time and time again.

Update:

Stricker - level par thru 2 rounds - T27
Kuchar - +11 thru 2 rounds - T146

 :) At least I got one thing right this week! Woo hoo, headin' to CT for some pizza!!
« Last Edit: July 15, 2011, 10:32:57 AM by George Pazin »
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

Phil McDade

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #58 on: July 15, 2011, 11:21:51 AM »
Scott:

Let's look at the records of Westwood, Donald and Stricker:

Westwood: 21 Euro Tour wins, 2 PGA Tour wins, 2000 Order of Merit winner, 3-time Euro Tour player of the year, 7 Ryder Cups (5 times on the winning side, and he's been a key player in nearly all of those wins), 4 Dunhill cups, 8 top-five finishes in majors (including 2nds at the Masters and British Opens).

Donald: 5 Euro Tour wins, 3 PGA Tour wins, 3 Ryder Cups, 2 World Cups, 4 top-five finishes in majors (but never a runner-up).

Stricker: 11 PGA Tour wins (and some strong fields in some of those, notably the '11 Memorial at Muirfield Village, the old Colonial in '09, and the Western in '96, plus the match-play win in '01, and 2 Fed Ex series wins, which -- regardless of what you think of the Fed Ex series, have strong fields), 2 Ryder Cups, 3 President's Cups, the '96 Dunhill cup (winner), 3 top-five finishes in majors, including a 2nd at the PGA.

On balance, I'd say the order of best-player-to-never-have-won-a-major among those three is: Westwood, Stricker, Donald.  I'd say Westwood is clearly the choice among the three, given the depth of his success on the Euro Tour, his outstanding Ryder Cup record, and being in contention more often in majors than the other two.

But I'd also give the nod to Stricker over Donald -- more wins overall, against some strong fields, and similar performances in majors. Yes, he's been at it longer -- Stricker's 10 years older -- but the argument is: Who's the best right now not to have won a major? Donald's a consistent performer, but regardless of his world ranking, he doesn't have the body of work that really matters -- such as wins -- to make the argument on his behalf hold up.

Someone who rarely gets mentioned in this debate is KJ Choi -- 8 PGA Tour wins, including a Players Championship (which Westwood, Donald and Stricker have never won), 1 Euro Tour win, 2 President's Cups, and 4 top-10 finishes in majors. He at least belongs in the conversation.

George: I'd disagree somewhat with your view on best-player....no-major being someone somewhat over the hill. Both Corey Pavin and Mickelson had that tag for a while, and both were at or very near their prime playing careers (Pavin -- 35; Mickelson -- 34) when they finally broke through.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #59 on: July 15, 2011, 11:29:33 AM »
They used to say about Nicklaus, when commenting about how great he was, that he is the guy you'd want making the clutch putt on the last hole to win.

Which of the players mentioned, would you want to make that 18footer on the last hole to win?   ;D
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

PThomas

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #60 on: July 15, 2011, 11:35:19 AM »
would be nice to see Clarke win, after what happened to his wife
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

George Pazin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #61 on: July 15, 2011, 11:39:33 AM »
George: I'd disagree somewhat with your view on best-player....no-major being someone somewhat over the hill. Both Corey Pavin and Mickelson had that tag for a while, and both were at or very near their prime playing careers (Pavin -- 35; Mickelson -- 34) when they finally broke through.

Nice analysis overall, Phil, thanks for doing the legwork. On the point above, I think we're splitting hairs a bit. I said "may have past their primes". By this, I simply meant they were likely on the back side of their prime and they wouldn't have too many opportunities left. That's why I don't see BP... being applied to someone like Jason Day, for instance. I think Westwood does fit in this category, Donald's still a bit new for it to fit, imho.

Btw, Choi won his major in May. :)
Big drivers and hot balls are the product of golf course design that rewards the hit one far then hit one high strategy.  Shinny showed everyone how to take care of this whole technology dilemma. - Pat Brockwell, 6/24/04

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #62 on: July 15, 2011, 11:55:36 AM »
I liked Tom Lehman's interview this morning.  He commented that he likes his chances if the weather deteriorates, and I think they said it is expected to get wet and windy tomorrow. 

But Tom needs a lesson in marketting.  He should have said that he likes to get out to Prairie Club to get in touch with the links feel before The Open...  ;) ;D 8)

Some one told me that old TW went to Sand Hills to sharpen up one year just prior to going over to The Open.  I don't know how accurate that is.

For us old guys:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw9ICdy3Uoc&feature=player_embedded

No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #63 on: July 15, 2011, 12:42:34 PM »
Dave, that is simply because MAJ is 'the most interesting man in the world never to have won a major', not necessarly the best player NTHWAM.   ;D
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Phil McDade

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #64 on: July 15, 2011, 01:24:44 PM »
How has Miguel Angel Jiminez somehow never even been mentioned as a candidate for the dreaded "best player never to win a major" label?  

This guy has been consistently sniffing the leaderboard in majors for half of my entire adult life, yet he's gone completely unscathed in terms of being tagged with that label!  

Discuss.

Shivas:

Semi-good call; semi-not. :D

The Mechanic has 18 Euro Tour wins, over an incredibly long span -- 1992 though 2010. Add in a bunch of Ryder Cups and Dunhill Cups, and he's been one of Euro's most consistent players for the better part of two decades.

But he's always operated in the shadows of his fellow Spainards -- Olazabal, who has won majors, and Garcia, who has come very close, and has a terrific Ryder Cup record. And the long shadow of Seve hangs over Jiminez, who is his exact opposite in terms of how he approaches the game (deliberately, cautiously, with an emphasis on hitting fairways and greens).

And I'd suggest he's not really been sniffing that closely to leaderboards in majors -- one 2nd-place finish in a major, and it was the one (2000 US Open, won by you-know-who) where finishing 2nd was as irrelevant as it's ever been in a modern-day major. He only has one other top-5 finish in a major -- the '01 British Open at Lytham and St. Anne's, where he was steamrolled by Duval after entering the final day one behind. Five other top-10 finishes in majors, and none of them would he be considered a prominent contender.

I think he's also hurt somewhat by his less-than-enthusiastic approach to playing three of the majors over here. He is said to absolutely love his life in Spain (he lives on the Mediterranean coast), and doesn't look forward to leaving.


Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #65 on: July 15, 2011, 01:30:27 PM »
My first choice is going the wrong way in a spectacular fashion.
My new choice, DJ because the bunkers are clearly demarcated this time.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2011, 03:44:32 PM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Phil McDade

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #66 on: July 15, 2011, 01:52:37 PM »
Yikes! Harrington, Westwood, Donald, McDowell, Poulter and F. Molinari all projected to miss the cut at this point -- that's most of Euro's Ryder Cup team!

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #67 on: July 15, 2011, 01:56:37 PM »
Yikes! Harrington, Westwood, Donald, McDowell, Poulter and F. Molinari all projected to miss the cut at this point -- that's most of Euro's Ryder Cup team!

But of course Stricker is in the hunt!  ;D
Dick, no need to thank me. ;D
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #68 on: July 15, 2011, 02:36:50 PM »
 ;D

With the forecast, that leaderboard should be spinning like an outofcontrol slot machine tomorrow. 

Like Andy says, by the time it's over, YOU may be the winner!  ;D

No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

David Kelly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #69 on: July 15, 2011, 02:40:37 PM »
Retief Goosen
Well John you win the prize for coming the farthest away from the winner although he will have the low score for the Open - 76 total strokes.
"Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent." - Judge Holden, Blood Meridian.

Bill Shamleffer

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #70 on: July 15, 2011, 02:50:36 PM »
marty kaymer

Impressive prediction.

With the advantage of having the championship half over, I will also go with Kaymer
“The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but that's the way to bet.”  Damon Runyon

Jamie Van Gisbergen

Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #71 on: July 15, 2011, 03:01:37 PM »
I think the true winner of this, though likely not the low score, is young Tom Lewis. Even if he's never heard from again, he has stories for a lifetime. Shooting lower than Tom Watson for two rounds, heck, just playing with Tom Watson for 2 rounds, witnessing what could be Tom's last Ace in the Open. So, I think he might be the real winner in this whole deal.

As for the low score, well, that's another matter. I'd like for it to be Phil, but I'm not going to hold my breath.

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #72 on: July 15, 2011, 03:42:20 PM »
Or course there is still the possibility of a PGA rematch, Bubba, Marty, DJ.
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Tiger_Bernhardt

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #73 on: July 15, 2011, 05:38:20 PM »
All bets are off if most of Saturday is hard rain and greater than 20mph winds. check the board saturday night and let sunday be back in semi normal conditions

Howard Riefs

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Open Championship Winner
« Reply #74 on: July 15, 2011, 07:27:33 PM »
Luke Donald.  He counts as an American, right?

I knew I shouldn't have picked an American.
"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick."  ~P.J. O'Rourke

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