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2015 British Open Discussion Thread

IrishGolfer

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So Jordan and Ricky are both riding high coming into St. Andrews, with wins under their belts. And Dustin is looking good too. And with Rory sitting at home nursing his wonky ankle it looks like a lock for a Team Murica Open win, right?

Well, let's see. Cool temperatures and brisk winds will make things interesting as usual. The greens are soft so it will play more into the hands on the GIR men rather than the "chip and putt" merchants. The rough is very lush, so again FIR will help, none of the whispy burned rough from a hot dry summer. And someone who can flight their ball well in the wind will be at an advantage. This week will be very similar to the Scottish Open conditions from last week, not like Chambers Bay. Drivers will be more evident than long irons. Ricky seemed to relish the conditions.

As usual a wee bit of luck will be required, especially with tee-times. Factored with the tide, wind strength can vary from morning to afternoon (or vice versa) by 20mph or more. On the wrong side can mean missing a cut for even players in good form. Form certainly plays it's role, but this is the Open, meaning any number of players could win. Will it be an America, a European or an Aussie / Kiwi? Or indeed someone else? I would love to see Irish man Shane Lowry doing well this week, I have this feeling it is his time, so let's see.

I was lucky enough to be a member of the New Club at St. Andrews for a few years when I lived in Scotland, so I played this old lady several times. It was always a treat, so I'm especially looking forward to watching this week. Here's what I'm looking forward to:

  • The potential to see modern day history if Jordan pulls this one off.
  • The random stranger leading after the first few rounds? Who?
  • Watching the Road Hole (17th), what a hole!
  • Tom Watson's farewell to The Open, what a legend!
  • It all coming down to the wire on the back nine of Sunday with 6 or 7 players in the mix, all of them with opportunities, and then for someone to burst through and become a fitting Champion on the 18th green.
 

IrishGolfer

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He will be when I go to the bookies tomorrow!! :rolleyes:
I like to spread my chances. Honestly I could justify 20 golfers in my head who have a chance of winning. ST has only got some of 'em!
 
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Grumpy Gilmore
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He will be when I go to the bookies tomorrow!! :rolleyes:
I like to spread my chances. Honestly I could justify 20 golfers in my head who have a chance of winning. ST has only got some of 'em!
Very true. For example: Juice Newton.

I mean, Joost Luiten. He's coming off a T-4 just 2 strokes behind Ricky... can't count anyone out. Well, except Tiger. You can count him out. :p
 

IrishGolfer

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Juice Newton.

Gotta love him. I can't quite work him out, he looks like a serial killer, mad eyes / hair etc. He always seems a bit of an outlier, which I like. But the dude's got game. He's been knocking several doors in the last few years, not sure he's been on the biggest of stages enough to push through but he could well be on the final page of the last day.
 

IrishGolfer

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OK let's talk Jordan, I just read the following:

In his young life, Spieth has played the princely total of one round at St Andrews and it was four years ago when he was a teenage amateur. He doesn't know what it's like to play there in the heat of competition, he hasn't got an angle on the unpredictable winds or the vast greens. He will have known little of the idiosyncratic nature of the Old Course until he got there on Monday. He was, he said, learning about St Andrews on a simulator.

But the guy is white hot, the hand of history may be on his shoulder. Maybe there is way too much hype. Surely he can't win this thing blind?

DISCUSS!
 

azgreg

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OK let's talk Jordan, I just read the following:

In his young life, Spieth has played the princely total of one round at St Andrews and it was four years ago when he was a teenage amateur. He doesn't know what it's like to play there in the heat of competition, he hasn't got an angle on the unpredictable winds or the vast greens. He will have known little of the idiosyncratic nature of the Old Course until he got there on Monday. He was, he said, learning about St Andrews on a simulator.

But the guy is white hot, the hand of history may be on his shoulder. Maybe there is way too much hype. Surely he can't win this thing blind?

DISCUSS!
Right now no one else puts a bad round behind him like the kid does.
 
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Grumpy Gilmore
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He doesn't know what it's like to play there in the heat of competition...
Not yet, but he certainly knows how to play in the heat of competition. And the very same thing could have been said about him and Chambers Bay.
 

IrishGolfer

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If he's within 2-3 shots going into the final nine on Sunday he's looking good. But he's gotta get there. Exhaustion, lack of course / conditions preparation, pressure of 3rd major etc. will all be factors. But this kid seems to have the best putter on the planet right now, so that will help. And he seems to be thriving on it.
 

limpalong

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Many said Spieth shouldn't have played the John Deere. He arrives late at The Open venue suffering from jet lag and exhausted. But, he's 21 years old and goes to bed at 8 p.m. You won't find him tipping cereal malt beverages into the wee hours of the night.
IMHO, it would take a miracle to see Spieth win this third leg of the Slam. If I had to put money on anyone in the entire field, I would choose him to overcome any and all obstacles and find a way to win this thing.

El Tigre' says he's got his game back and will win this thing. To win, someone will have to have a driver they can control. He doesn't. I believe we will see a competitive tourney with a handful of good young studs in the hunt on Sunday. I, of course, will be rooting for Woods to miss the cut. If he makes the cut... if his game is really back... I love to see Woods and Spieth in the final two-some on Sunday dueling it out. The old horse that doesn't want to admit his game is gone vs. the young stud that has no fear of any new challenge.
 

azgreg

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St. Andrews is a course that you can get away with some errant drives, but you better get your yardage book in order first.
 
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Grumpy Gilmore
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With the wind supposed to blow, Tiger should just go back to that 2-iron stinger.
 

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