Posted on 07/14/2010 7:38:18 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
The golf course created by nature and little changed by man, where the game has been played continuously for more than 600 years, is ready to face the latest challenge to its integrity by the game’s leading players armed with the very finest technological advances. The Old Course at St Andrews is about to host its 28th Open exactly 150 years since the Championship was first played at Prestwick in 1860 and it poses just as stern a test now as it did when hickory shafts and balls of solid gutta percha were the latest must-buy golf gear.
No lesser an authority on the subject than Tiger Woods, winner of the last two Opens at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005, endorses that view. “Players have gotten longer, equipment has changed but this golf course is still relevant and it can be very difficult,” he said after an early practice round. “It is because of the angles and the wind. There is so much movement out there on the fairways and greens that you have really got to hit the ball well and lag putt well. That’s where its brilliance lies.”
And if wind is the catalyst that awakes the ancient links there is likely to be no shortage of drama this week. As players headed out in final practice the north-easterly wind was gusting off the grey waters of the North Sea to 30 miles and hour. If the forecasts are to be believed, it will continue to blow from the same direction until the conclusion of the Championship, slowly reducing in strength by Sunday afternoon.
Despite his absence from the game in the early part of the year and his uncertain form since, Tiger Woods remains favourite to become the first player to win three in a row over the Old Course. But a highly motivated field of international players from more than 20 countries will be pressing their own claims to golfing nirvana by winning the game’s oldest Championship at the Home of Golf.
The nine-strong Japanese group in The Open starting field is led by 18-year-old Ryo Ishikawa who startled the golfing world when he won a Japan Golf Tour event while still a 15-year-old amateur. The other Japanese contenders are Hiroyuki Fujita; Yuta Ikeda; Katsumasa Miyamoto; Hirofumi Miyasi; Ryuici Oda; Koumei Oda; Toru Taniguchi; and Shunsuke Sonada, the high-scool golf team-mate and close friend of Ishikawa.
Morning Norm! Do you wanna have moderator revise thread title to Live Thread?
Don’t know which tourney I like more...The Master’s or The Open...
I’ve been to St. Andrews back in 2003 and stood on 18th green, walked #1...what a place!!
PING !!!
Same here on the work load. I’ll be checking in to see how Phil does. He’s teeing of in bit. I love this tournament!
She was a student at St. Andrews University. From the window of her study she had a beautiful view of the course.
She told me they often allowed the students to use the course.
That’s 66 with several lipped putts.
He got that from his nice friend, Albert Einstein......
I guess if you’re a resident of St. Andrews you can play all those courses for maybe $100 for the whole year. How cool is that?
So far players are having their way with the old course if only because the rain held off for the most part. There’s no way we’ll see this all 4 rounds and I still don’t see anyone finishing double digits under par. But if Daly’s putter were better on the back 9, he would have shot 62.
check this out......http://yfrog.com/jwp34ij......Nike put my saying(and others)on Stewart Cink’s bag for the Open this week.......
Huh, the oil spill thread? Oh,, Yeah..
I’ll be darned..
Please to wipe the oil off your ball before hitting it in the sand traps or on the green. :}
I would think Harrington would be the favorite. It’s virtually impossible to predict winners in golf, but I’ll go with Furyk.
I woke up and saw the scores and went , Whhaa? 9 under
PGA Tour.com Live Leaderboard
http://www.pga.com/openchampionship/2010/scoring/index.cfm
Official Site of the Open Championship
http://www.opengolf.com/en.aspx
I’m afraid Furyk has no chance as a friend has backed him to win and the last time he backed the winner in the Open they were using wooden drivers. I’d like to see Furyk win as he is one of the good guys and I may even get a drink off my friends winnings!
Can I withdraw my pick? He’s near the bottom of the leaderboard.
If the weather keeps changing, that -9 might be gone with the wind.
I LOVE that putting graphic map they use...can I get one of those?
It’s funny you say that about Furyk. 2003 US Open at Cog Hill a radio station sponsored a promtion where the person who picked the winner won a nice prize package. I call in, pick Furyk to win on a hunch, and so did someone else who had his name picked out of a hat and won the big prize.
I had to settle for a day of golf with some of the station’s personalities and 4 of my friends. not a bad thing though.
Yea, he struggled today unlike many others. I really wanted to wake up this morning looking at the fog that settled in late in the day yesterday. There’s always tomorrow though. I can’t see the winning score in double digits unless the weather stays civil....
I want me one of those too, and the ball tracer so I can see the track of my bad shots bouncing off of everything....
But I’ll settle for Sir Nick in the studio for a little reunion with Tirico and Zinger. Now that’s must see TV!
Forecast is for heavy rain showers tomorrow and light rain showers for the last 2 days, 20 mile a hour winds everyday. With the low scoring today I’d imagine they are going to stick the pins in some very trickly places.
Email me if you want on the Golf Ping List:
Visit PGA.com, an excellent site.
“Go look at the scores Tiger fan boy. Is Eldrick gonna throw clubs and swear like he did last year at The Open then miss the cut?”
Hey Poochie,
Looks like Tiger is up over Phil by HOW MANY after just one round of the Brit? Think Philly will make the cut, Poochie?
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