Women's Open

« **on:** June 30, 2006, 09:44:19 AM »

Early scores at Newport look to be low. Currently 20 of 78 players are under par with 5 golfers at -2. Michelle Wie is one back at -1 through 6. She started on the front, keep in mind they reversed the nines, which appears to be playing a bit tougher than the back.

Conditions are ideal. As we are too well aware the course is very wet as more hard rain fell last night. No wind currently and believe it or not sunshine. The wind typically picks up around 2 or so out of the southwest so scores in the afternoon are likely to be a bit higher.

« **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2006, 10:31:07 AM »

Cliff, you must have pretty severe expectations. Course as of right now is playing to a composite score of 74.927 for a par 71, which is not so low by my count. They're currently hitting 3/4ths of the (very soft) fairways and you have to figure the course wlll not get any easier than this.

« **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2006, 10:37:03 AM »

How many have finished 18 yet to get an average score of 74.927?

« **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2006, 10:48:45 AM »

No one finished when I wrote that. I was careful not to write an average score, as if 18 holes had been completed. I was simply adding up each of the individual 18 holes that have been played, since they are startiung on both nines. Real time data are available through the USGA Web ste.

« **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2006, 10:51:30 AM »

It appears that they are having trouble with the longer par 4s which I guess is to be expected. Which of the greens have the most severe contours and which green complexes will have the most challenging recovery shots?

« **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2006, 11:33:57 AM »

Cover your putting eyes, Pat Hurst is on the leaderboard at 3 under!!

« **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2006, 12:08:50 PM »

Great leaderboard and statistics at espn.com

Easy to use and includes driving distance, course stats including cost-of-rough for each hole, putts per green, lots of good things.

« **Reply #7 on:** June 30, 2006, 12:14:05 PM »

Matt,

Glad you like it. It is directly from the USGA's Women's Open website. I guess they can get some things right.

« **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2006, 01:19:11 PM »

Glenn's girlfriend birdied 18 (a long par 4 BTW) to finish 1-under. She is amazingly consistent given how infrequently she plays. Se Ri had a good round. Does she still work with Leadbetter?

« **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2006, 01:26:14 PM »

That is a good point, she is consistent, never very many bogies on her card. The field has to be scared. She had been Nicklaus-like on the 18th lately!!

« **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2006, 01:29:45 PM »

Please don't compare her to Jack Nicklaus. We all know what a can of worms that is.

« **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2006, 01:36:35 PM »

True, but you know what I mean. She birdied 18 at Canoe Brook in the first round. She birdied it, what? the first 3 days at the LPGA and now at the Open. She is clutch and this is the week. How about that sectional now? 36 on Sunday? Who is most prepared? Michelle!!!

« **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2006, 01:42:27 PM »

Quote from: John Vander Borght on June 30, 2006, 12:14:05 PM

Matt,

Glad you like it. It is directly from the USGA's Women's Open website. I guess they can get some things right.

The USGA live scoring site is far and away the best I've seen. Raft of interesting stats. I thought the Masters site was surprisingly weak on player stats.

« **Reply #13 on:** June 30, 2006, 04:04:23 PM »

Quote from: Brad Klein on June 30, 2006, 10:31:07 AM

Cliff, you must have pretty severe expectations. Course as of right now is playing to a composite score of 74.927 for a par 71, which is not so low by my count. They're currently hitting 3/4ths of the (very soft) fairways and you have to figure the course wlll not get any easier than this.

Indeed number of scores under par have decreased greatly. It was almost 25% which is high, it is now about 10% - 15 0f 156.

« **Reply #14 on:** June 30, 2006, 05:25:09 PM »

Even with all the water in the bunkers, the course looks sweet........Does your family have to be one of the first off the Mayflower to be a member there?

« **Reply #15 on:** June 30, 2006, 05:58:11 PM »

Quote from: Mark Arata on June 30, 2006, 05:25:09 PM

Does your family have to be one of the first off the Mayflower to be a member there?

No Mark, it's where they slept on the Mayflower that counts most!

« **Reply #16 on:** June 30, 2006, 06:10:44 PM »

Quote from: Pete Lavallee on June 30, 2006, 05:58:11 PM

Quote from: Mark Arata on June 30, 2006, 05:25:09 PM
Does your family have to be one of the first off the Mayflower to be a member there?

No Mark, it's where they slept on the Mayflower that counts most!

Actually not true. Probably a third or so of the membership are townspeople/merchants from Newport area. I am pretty sure they lost some members when all the mansions got too expensive for families to maintain in the 60's or 70's. It is more of a mix than people think, at least from what I remember from my old caddy days there.

« **Reply #17 on:** June 30, 2006, 06:47:31 PM »

FWIW....Pressell shot 75. She was -2 at one point, had a bad hole and the ususal melt down followed....snowballing to 5 over. The kid needs some serious help with her mental game.

« **Reply #18 on:** July 01, 2006, 01:09:24 AM »

Anyone notice the driving distance stats? They take the average of two holes, numbers 8 and 15. Only three players are above 260. The leader, Karin Sjodin, is averaging 264.5. Wie is 3rd with 261. Median of 156 players is around 224 yards, and two players averaged under 200, including last year's champ Birdie Kim. (Who shot 79. Chances for repeat don't look too good.)

I assume they are getting little or no roll. Are some of the players also hitting irons or 3-woods? For you guys who know those holes, do these numbers show how far most women pro's carry the ball, at least under current conditions at the open?

Pressel was 2 under after 8. Played the last 10 holes 7 over. Still, she is only 6 shots out of the lead, and when she is hot, can be a birdie machine.

« **Reply #19 on:** July 02, 2006, 04:41:46 PM »

One of the most beautiful, classy looking courses that I've ever seen on TV. . .And I really hope MW wins!!!!

-Ted

« **Reply #20 on:** July 02, 2006, 05:23:42 PM »

Wie is contending again.

Hopefully the haters will give her some respect now.

« **Reply #21 on:** July 02, 2006, 05:35:38 PM »

I am a Wie convert after seeing her par after taking the unplayable lie in the 2nd round.

« **Reply #22 on:** July 02, 2006, 06:15:27 PM »

Quote from: Jerry Kessler on July 02, 2006, 05:23:42 PM

Hopefully the haters will give her some respect now.

I don't think there are any Wie haters on this board.

Not a single one.

There are those who disagree with her playing against men.

That's very different from "haters".

« **Reply #23 on:** July 02, 2006, 06:19:19 PM »

i agree the course looks great. looks like a good finish as well....

« **Reply #24 on:** July 02, 2006, 07:11:38 PM »

Wie gave her Korean opponent a nice little bow and hand shake on 18...nice. She had an excellent tournament.

My friend Dave summed it up today..."she's 16, you can't have any expectations with a 16 year old."

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