THE Open Championship 2013

First topic message reminder :

In response to PD's plea, here's my effort at a thread for this week's ET event, which just happens to be the most important event on that particular calendar, if not in the world of golf as a whole. I'll try to keep it factual, other than the 'ones to watch' at the end.

The 142nd Open Championship gets underway this week at Muirfield, just outside Edinburgh. Defending champion, in both respects, is Ernie Els, the big South African having followed up his playoff win at Muirfield in 2002 with last year's surprise victory at Lytham.

Els has quite a record in this event. He missed the cut on debut in 1989, but has played every year since 1992, recording 2 wins, 3 runner-up positions and a further 7 top tens. He's missed the cut just twice in that run, in 2010 when so many were caught out by the weather on the Friday at St. Andrews, and again in poor conditions at RSG the following year. In that context, his win last year is even more remarkable. Other notable stats for the Big Easy at the oldest major include twice recording 4 rounds in the 60s without winning, in 1993 and 2004 (brownie points on offer for naming the only other player to do this and the year), finishing under par most often since 1963 alongside two other huge names in the recent history of the Open (easy to guess who so I'd like the number of times too please), and he edges both of them on overall number of rounds under 70, 39 to their 37 and 33. Interestingly they both have more rounds under par than Ernie, which I suppose means when he's good he's very good. Testament to that would be his 29 on the front 9 in the second round at Muirfield in 2002, and his seven consecutive rounds under 70 in 1993-4.

Muirfield as a venue commands, it seems, a great deal of respect from the players even though the male only status of the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers as a club casts something of a shadow over an otherwise excellent location for this great championship. I have no intention of expressing an opinion on that particular issue, not least because this week has nothing to do with the membership of the club and everything to do with the best players in the world. At 7,192 yards it's no beast, and indeed may even be considered short these days, even though they've added some 158 yards this time around. That won't detract from the substantial test that it's bound to provide, the rough at least providing some defence even if the weather doesn't look like it's going to. It's not an in and out type links, rather the front 9 loops clockwise around the anti-clockwise homeward 9. Par is 71, with 3 par 5s (5,9,17) and 4 par 3 holes (4,7,13,16). The prevailing wind will help on 5 and 17, so look for those holes to be eagle opportunities, while 9 plays back into it and at over 550 yards will be out of reach for most if there's any kind of breeze. 2, 3 and 11 are par 4s under 400 yards and ought to offer birdie opportunities, especially since the wind is likely to be helping on those holes. With the exception of the 4th, the par 3s are all around 180-190 yards, so should be no more than a mid-iron for most of the field.  

Previous champions here have included some of the game's true greats - Els, Faldo of course, twice, as well as Nicklaus, Watson, Trevino, Player and Cotton. Nobody has won the Open here by default. Faldo's 18 pars to edge out Azinger in 1987 will be part of Open Championship folk lore for centuries, even though his finish here in 1992 was arguably more inspired following his mid-round stumble which let John Cook have a sniff of victory.

Perhaps important to note is that although we look back on those last 7 Muirfield winners as greats of the game, for some of them victory here was their first in the Open (2 names?) or indeed in a major championship of any sort (another 2?). As such, could this be the first of many Opens for a new great (Rory, Justin, Adam?)

Victory in Scotland this week for Phil Mickelson has to mean he should be considered as another great player with the potential to win at Muirfield, although the fairways there will surely look like tiny islands in a sea of rough in relation to the giant swathes of short grass that the contenders at Castle Stuart were faced with this past week. So who else could be lifting the claret jug next Sunday?

Rory McIlroy - the world no. 2 hasn't given anybody any reason to suspect he'll be able to turn his form so far this season around, and this isn't his favourite event on the calendar. If the weather remains as calm as forecast that may change, but there will surely be too many genuine contenders for Rory to sneak up on the rails and pinch this one?

Tiger Woods - we've not seen numero uno since his latest injury, to his left elbow, forced him to miss his own tournament at Congressional. He's apparently 'full go' for the Open, albeit recognising that staying out of the rough will be an even better idea than usual! The length, or lack of it, of the course means he can afford to leave the driver in the bag most of the time and still have scoring opportunities but as with Rory, there are too many other serious contenders to think that Woods might win here when he was only able to muster a T28 here last time, which included a very wet, windy and rough-strewn third round 81.  

Ernie Els - the defending champion has to be a very serious contender this week, his excellent Open record combining with some pretty good recent form including of course victory in Germany 3 weeks ago. With no wind to blow him off course as he wedges his belly putter into place, you have to think Els will be in the mix next Sunday.

Graeme McDowell - another recent winner, and the all or nothing man of 2013. To mix missed cuts and wins the way GMac has done of late suggests huge mental strength, something that Muirfield Open champions have in common.

Lee Westwood - as some of you may know I'm a big fan of Lee's, but I don't really know why. Ordinarily my pessimistic, cynical nature would predict a good start to the tournament for Lee only to whimper out of contention on Friday and Saturday to the point where he hasn't got a realistic chance of winning on Sunday. However, he took the decision to miss the French Open in order to be better rested for the Open, and I'm hoping that will pay off. He's straight enough to win, especially if his recently improved short game holds out, but whether he has the mental strength I mentioned above remains to be seen!

Justin Rose - mental strength can't be questioned following that tremendous finish at Merion, and he certainly has the game to win at Muirfield. He doesn't have a great record in the Open though, his famous 4th place as an amateur in 1998 at Birkdale comfortably his best finish. 12th in 2007 and 13th in 2009 are his best pro finishes. Given his exertions at Merion, I think victory here would be asking too much.

Adam Scott - Justin's big pal and the other major champion of 2013 so far should arguably be defending champion this week. I was at Lytham to witness his demise on the Sunday, and it was pretty clear as he played the 18th that he wasn't in a good place mentally. Much like Rory he bounced back from throwing away a major by winning one very soon after, but I just have a feeling that also like Rory the one that got away will take a bit longer to finally reel in. Rory will most likely win the Masters one day, just as Adam will probably win an Open, but I fear the memories will still be too fresh for the Aussie this week.

All in all then, GMac, Ernie or Lee. All are around 25/1. If you want an outside bet; Brooks Koepke will return you 5 times as much as those big names - he's had a phenomenal year on the Challenge tour, graduating to the main ET via 3 wins before July and he played pretty well at Castle Stuart this week.

With the weather promising to be very pleasant, the course is likely to be hard and running, with the rough therefore coming more into play. Muirfield will doubtless produce a fantastic tournament and another excellent golfer will be announced by Peter Dawson around 7pm next Sunday as 'winner of the gold medal and champion golfer for the year'.

Anyone else notice that McIlroys set up has a lot of tension in it. Just compare his arms at address to Matsuyama who looks so relaxed over the ball.

In a good or bad way?

Some times its nice to get that bit of tourque at the start of your swing.

I mean lets be honest you are comparing two very different class golfers !

Got to agree wih McLaren there. RMac seems a little too tense, nervous really, and of the crippling kind, not the pushing towards great hights kind. I feel he is too ucertain off the tee to have a real go at it

Fine bunker shot by McIlroy at the first, will save par.

Rose will be disappointed not to have made that birdie attempt at 2.

some par putt from Mickelson at the first!

Rmac's arms dont look like they are hanging comfortably in front of him, it looks like he is ready to throttle the club.


Mysti

How would tensing your forearms and biceps increase torque?

MAJ's fitness philosopy differs somewhat from Gary Players it seems. But -5 for MAJ.

It looks like we have a bit more wind than I had expected? 18 MPH at the 5th it just said.

Some of these guys clearly dont understand the ground game.

Any news from the sick bay (Hanson, Day, Oosty)?

Little ridiculous to criticise McIlroys technique. And he's handled serious pressure before. Some people have very short memories

No, but I just saw the other presumed sick fellow, Bjorn, hacking one out of the rough and smashing the BBC camera lens! Brilliant!

I think McIlroy has proven he can play golf.

He has proven he can play but this year he has proven that he is playing not so well. He has acheived more then the vast majority of golfers in a very short space of time. Swings and roundabouts.

Pedro, shclaff, nothing wrong with Rmac's record nor his technique, he is just in a bad place and proving it with a bad putt at the fifth

It smells of a MC for RMc

McLaren wrote:Rmac's arms dont look like they are hanging comfortably in front of him, it looks like he is ready to throttle the club.


Mysti

How would tensing your forearms and biceps increase torque?

 Very confused by the above- Are you telling me that is what mac is doing.

Macs set up is tourquey- he is set in a way to release tourque from the off- That doesnt mean he is tensing up!!

Basically point being macs set up is high quality. It may look like he is tensing up by the uneducated(no disrespect) but he isnt-

He just has great defined lines- when he swings back he gets the pressure from the off.(between body and arms(your swing will feel tight and as if your arms are pulling back a rubber band or something)

There is also nothing wrong with having the more relaxed set up and playing loser. The els style etc

But players like woods,mac, even donald(yes even donald!!)- are the type of golfers that release at impact. To help this a different type of set up is needed..

Ambassadors of good life leading the way: Jimenez (wine&cigars), RCBello (the Canaries) and DJ (Paulina)...

mysi

Is it possible to hit the ball if you dont release at impact?

what do you think Mc?

if you dont release at the correct point the ball can go very wild- Realeasing at the correct time should put your club back square. This is a very hard skill but maximises club head speed at impact and smash factor!

you have missed my point mysti.

I ask because you said woods, rmac and donald release at impact as if other players do not.

princedracula wrote:Ambassadors of good...

Ambassador of god leading the way now... 

McLaren wrote:you have missed my point mysti.

I ask because you said woods, rmac and donald release at impact as if other players do not.

 Are you allways this stupid?

Isnt it very clear what is being discussed here- everyone gets a bit of club head whip- but the ones i mentioned alot more so, over mucscle and weight transfer.

mysti

The only person confused here seems to be you.

How am i confused?

why dont you try to explain it for once!

I have explained to you a few swing mechanics- But you dont want to educate yourself. No skin of my nose. Live in ingnorance

7 birdies from Bud Cauley today and he still shot +3.

princedracula wrote:Ambassadors of good life leading the way: Jimenez (wine,cigars & hookers), RCBello (the Canaries) and DJ (Paulina)...

 
 
Correction made

Thought scoring would be lower tbh

Poults

American Johnson's showing up early. Todd Hamilton?

Minimac in for a long weekend with Caroline....

Thanks mysti

I reckon the whole board will be slashing their handicaps after finding out that nugget of swing mechanics. Release at impact folks, you heard it here first.

      

Mc you really are a dimwit arnt you. Just stop digging yourself a hole. You clearly havent got a scooby. No one on here could swing in the way some of the pros mentioned- It truely will not help them.


And that statement again has just proved how clueless you are in this debate!

However if you  get down to a trackman and get the perfect stiffness and kick points in your shafts you will increase your club speed at impact. That is something for you to consider

beautiful second shot from Westwood out of the light rough!

Why have the TM players got those weird fake graphite shafted putters you get at pitch and putt courses?

If they look like pitch and putt clubs to you then maybe you should invest in a bigger screen! 

Get yourslef an HD TV and you may see what is actually going on !

What is Mark O'Meara up to??? -5 through 9 holes!! He's taking over from Calcavecchia as the former winner who has a stunning round 1.

Classic Tiger off the 1st

I do wonder what causes the certain duffed first tee shot tiger has in the majors? I can only assume it is the nerves.

I read The Big Miss recently and that was Haney's best guess

Tiger loves a chunk doesnt he...

11/1 for this! big odds!

Rory must be spent from his 12-hour workout days:roll: 

Or maybe all that dental surgery catching up with him ...

Shotrock wrote:Rory must be spent from his 12-hour workout days:roll: 

Or maybe all that dental surgery catching up with him ...

I suspect chasing tail around the locations of the WTA tour has caught up with him.

Has he really had dental surgery? I guess his teeth were probably giving US kids nightmares.

Mac- he is refering to his excuse from W/D from a recent event!!

I love that Faldo and McIlroy have shot the same score. Kind of proves Sir Nick's point, but equally he's supposedly been doing all kinds of prep and yet only just broke 80!

mystiroakey wrote:Mac- he is refering to his excuse from W/D from a recent event!!

His teeth are looking pretty white these days.

And?

Another birdie for Westy. Looking good after five Lee. Let's keep it up

Nice one bsv, he's just missed the par 3 by a mile on the wrong side. Back to level he goes.

Mcilroy seems pretty likeable even when he is not playing well. To be fair he has not got a lot to complain about. A bit of bad golf but millions in the bank and a not half bad mrs. wherer did it all go wrong...!!??