THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

First topic message reminder :

Congrats to Zach Johnson

sirbenson wrote:I think he was being sarcastic John!

Thought it was a typo!

Davie wrote:
The last 20 minutes were awful - all they did was focus on Tom Watson finishing in the dark.

Yes he deserved a send off but I was astounded they spent 20 minutes on him - and then the coverage finished and they didn't even show the leaderboard

No actually not astounded; just what I'd expect from the BBC

That's because no one else was actually playing at that time. The hooter had gone but they let Tom finish.

In fairness Davie, when the BBC were focussing on Tom Watson pretty much everyone else had called it a day as was dark.
I would rather have seen Watson bow out than one more shot from one of the few left out in the dark

Some great groups tomorrow!! Bring it on!

Davie wrote:

navyblueshorts wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:Ray the coverage moved to bbc 4 last night at 8pm. They showed it until the end, about 10.30

Indeed they did and excellent it was too. Too easy to pan the BBC at the alter of the great Sky god though.

Navyblue and Rose tinted spectacles. Not a good colour combo

The last 20 minutes were awful - all they did was focus on Tom Watson finishing in the dark.

Yes he deserved a send off but I was astounded they spent 20 minutes on him - and then the coverage finished and they didn't even show the leaderboard

No actually not astounded; just what I'd expect from the BBC

Davie, everyone else had stopped playing by then, the only group left on the course at that time were the Watson / Els / Snedeker group (Paramour purposefully delayed sounding the horn to suspend play until they'd teed off at the last so they could get finished).  Therefore nothing else to show at thàt point so absolutely correct that his playing of his last ever Open hole was given this level of coverage.  I get it, you don't like the beeb but please stop your incessant whining at any bit of their coverage you disagree with.  As someone who has Sky I find the beeb's coverage a refreshing change from the overhyped overkill offering from Sky and find myself agreeing almost completely with Navy's views on this subject.

A bit odd that Oosthuizen holed out before Day, yet Day obviously go his card in first to jump ahead in the final round pairings. If this was the difference between the last/second last group, you'd have thought normal etiquette would have applied...........

I thought when the scores were the same it was the last one in who went into the later group, which would explain Day

Edit: you're right John. Last in first out
http://www.randa.org/en/Rules-and-Amateur-Status/Guidance-on-Running-a-Competition.aspx?chapter=1&section=4

So after the war of attrition on Friday and Saturday, we have finally reached the half way stage. Dustin Johnson looks in a good position and I think going out with Danny Willet will help tomorrow. Plenty ready to pounce though particularly Louis Oosthuizen who won here in 2010. Retief Goosen could be another to watch. Good to see Andy Sullivan make the cut.

There's an inference on golfchannel.com that the next St.Andrews Open will be in 2021.. Any truth in that?
It would certainly be a welcome (in a good way for TOC) change from every five years.

Kwini did that come from the seemingly hapless journalist in Tiger's post round 2 interview? One guy asked him about the Open's next trip to St Andrews and Tiger said 'when is it, isn't it every 5 years?' And the guy replied 'yes, so 2020 or 2021'.
I presumed he was just an idiot rather than having inside knowledge

Having investigated it looks like it may well be 2021 as that's the 150th Open. Can't find a definitive answer though

I'd say staging The Open at TOC every 6 yrs instead of the current 5 would add a new dynamic to the selection of courses; just hope it's not a trumped up excuse to send it to Turnberry in 2019 or 2020.
150 year celebration makes perfect sense! Tks MPB.

Anyone know where I can start watching Round 3....given BBC coverage doesn't start till 11!! I don't mind the beebs coverage but for this reason alone (always the same regards starting almost couple hours after first pairing have teed off) I'm looking forward to it moving to sky!

A 62 is certainly a possibility today

owen10ozzy wrote:Anyone know where I can start watching Round 3....given BBC coverage doesn't start till 11!! I don't mind the beebs coverage but for this reason alone (always the same regards starting almost couple hours after first pairing have teed off) I'm looking forward to it moving to sky!

I don't think there is

owen10ozzy wrote:Anyone know where I can start watching Round 3....given BBC coverage doesn't start till 11!! I don't mind the beebs coverage but for this reason alone (always the same regards starting almost couple hours after first pairing have teed off) I'm looking forward to it moving to sky!

Careful you'll have NBS accusing you of whining

I would be surprised if sky show every player from first to last. People really believe sky sports are some sporting gods! I'm not looking forward to sky having the coverage as it automatically means prices will be pumped up even more.

I think SKY will do it better than the BBC...They will go overboard no doubt on the hype, but I think they will prioritise it where as I really don't feel the BBC have put enough into the coverage for a while now....like employing the likes of Dan Walker and Richi Persad says it all.

Great starts from GMac and Duval

Duval adds another birdie on 7! Great to see

Course they will! This is the channel who has the ability to show 12 live screens at once on the football via red button! I'm sure they will manage to show access to early tee off times via the red button. Past all the Ott coverage and hyperbole they will at least provide a platform which will prioritise the event and dedicate huge exposure of the event itself. As they do with the Ryder Cup and all other major tournaments they currently show. Sorry but away from the perfect ideology of one of the oldest golfing traditions being free to air, the simple fact is that BBC are limited on scheduling and just how much they can show and overrun...and as a golf fan I don't want to be hindered in my ability to see all of a tournament!

I mean just from British interest perspective we will miss the start of 5 British players rounds this morning..and you can guarantee that when coverage starts they will rerun over yesterday's play (or lack of) and just bring you up to date with the leaderboard rather than any real substance as to what's occurred in the 2 hrs 45 mins they have missed!

If you want to see just how highly the execs really think of the golf at BBC look no further than the absolute lack of highlights show!

P.s. The website doesn't even have live updates rolling for this mornings action!! Appalling!

I am a tennis fan as well and every grand slam is shown from the first minute until the last, I really don't get why golfing majors haven't come that far cause the hardcore golf fans will have an interest in watching what is being played this morning (Maybe that's just me haha)

4 in for 5 for McDowell....Blistering stuff which I have to read about rather than watch. Cheers beeb....never mind was worth it to watch all that coverage of an empty golf course yesterday

Duval with another birdie on 9 and he goes to -4!

Where has this myth that Sky cover every single minute of the golf come from??!
The last major, the US Open, on the Sat and Sunday coverage started at 7pm here, so 11am at Chambers Bay. Whereas play started there on both days at 8am. They missed 3 hours of both days.
Yet you're all moaning about the 2.5 hours the bbc miss today. Funny

MustPuttBetter wrote:Where has this myth that Sky cover every single minute of the golf come from??!
The last major, the US Open, on the Sat and Sunday coverage started at 7pm here, so 11am at Chambers Bay. Whereas play started there on both days at 8am. They missed 3 hours of both days.
Yet you're all moaning about the 2.5 hours the bbc miss today. Funny

I never said they did though...I do think Sky will go all out at the Open even more than they do for the other three majors imo

That seems to be the general consensus sirb. That the bbc aren't showing enough.
Why do you think they will show more of the Open than the US Open?

owen10ozzy wrote:4 in for 5 for McDowell....Blistering stuff which I have to read about rather than watch. Cheers beeb....never mind was worth it to watch all that coverage of an empty golf course yesterday

Sergio played the front 9 of the last round of the US Open in 3 under par, which I had to read about rather than watch. Cheers Sky......

The last two days we have had live golf on until 8.45 and 9.45. The lack of a highlights show should be a minor gripe. In no major have we ever seen the early starters in rounds 3 or 4, that I can recall. Let's not bash the beeb for not doing it, when no channel has done before.

I do agree that sky will try and go over the top with hype and build up when they have it. I would be surprised if it's any better though. But as they say like a holes we all have opinions.

Good to see duval doing well though.

Agree Ben. I like Sky but don't see anything wrong with the BBC coverage also. I'd say I marginally prefer the BBC but not so much I'm upset it's going to Sky.
And the BBC coverage was on till gone 10.30pm on Friday not 8.45

Well. Today could be the day. Rain all night. Should clear from 12. Greens will be receptive and there is next to no wind.
Someone could come out of nowhere with a record score.

59? Could be.

Johnson just needs to finish with two rounds of 60 to hit that magic number

I'm pretty sure that the U.S. Open had the option to watch earlier through the SKY red button?! Of that I'm certain it did! If not then I'm shocked they don't given they most definitely have the platform to do so! This annoys me though....regardless of it being on sky or BBC....I don't care what happened yesterday more so when what your reporting is the weather essentially! You covered that yesterday..get on with what's going on out there right now! Jeez!

MustPuttBetter wrote:Where has this myth that Sky cover every single minute of the golf come from??!
The last major, the US Open, on the Sat and Sunday coverage started at 7pm here, so 11am at Chambers Bay. Whereas play started there on both days at 8am. They missed 3 hours of both days.
Yet you're all moaning about the 2.5 hours the bbc miss today. Funny

The pro-Sky claims are made on the basis of events that they provide the pictures for. Can't blame Sky for Chambers Bay when they weren't the host broadcaster. BBC are host broadcaster this time around so I think it's fair game to complain about the hours they cover

All joking aside, can we expect to see the all time record score in a major of 63 to be beaten today?

When it's on, I really don't mind the bbc coverage. Cotter is good, I don't hate Ken (not sure why some do), Aliss is past it but tolerable, Irvine is a good host. Dan Walker etc are terrible but then every channel has plenty of annoying presenters (Mark Roe anyone?).

The problem for me is how the Beeb package it together. Every day I have to play hunt the golf across 4 channels and the red button. And no highlights package. Why can't they set aside a channel like BBC4 for 4 days and have highlights in the evening or on red button? That's right, it's a cobbled together mish mash.

I know mr over opinionated navy blue ostrich thinks it's all marvellous. You suggested to Davie he record it all, well that's not really possible when they chop and change coverage and timetable from hour to hour.

Direct quote from Hazel Irvine just a moment ago. 20 minutes into the program. "we will be getting into live golf very shortly but you can get it on the red button"

In the meantime they have Alliss wittering on about something that happened 100 years ago and a "feature" about some golf charity

owen10ozzy wrote:I'm pretty sure that the U.S. Open had the option to watch earlier through the SKY red button?! Of that I'm certain it did! If not then I'm shocked they don't given they most definitely have the platform to do so! This annoys me though....regardless of it being on sky or BBC....I don't care what happened yesterday more so when what your reporting is the weather essentially! You covered that yesterday..get on with what's going on out there right now! Jeez!

No there was no option to watch early coverage via the red button. It was there during the coverage (branded as 360 which actually didn't work on my TV!) and had different angles and gadgets apparently.
But was still from 7pm our time. Sky took the Fox broadcast which started at 2pm eastern time in the US, 5 hrs behind us

MustPuttBetter wrote:Where has this myth that Sky cover every single minute of the golf come from??!
The last major, the US Open, on the Sat and Sunday coverage started at 7pm here, so 11am at Chambers Bay. Whereas play started there on both days at 8am. They missed 3 hours of both days.
Yet you're all moaning about the 2.5 hours the bbc miss today. Funny

MPB I thought coverage started at 5pm. Although that's still not every minute.

Davie wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:Where has this myth that Sky cover every single minute of the golf come from??!
The last major, the US Open, on the Sat and Sunday coverage started at 7pm here, so 11am at Chambers Bay. Whereas play started there on both days at 8am. They missed 3 hours of both days.
Yet you're all moaning about the 2.5 hours the bbc miss today. Funny

The pro-Sky claims are made on the basis of events that they provide the pictures for. Can't blame Sky for Chambers Bay when they weren't the host broadcaster. BBC are host broadcaster this time around so I think it's fair game to complain about the hours they cover

So what events do Sky show every single shot of? The Ryder Cup? Is that it? I'm assuming not as you've said events rather than event.
A shortened match play format that really wouldn't work if you didn't show it from the first ball. I'm certain the BBC would show that competition from the first match.
Any stroke play evidence that Sky will show more of the Open the BBC?

Sky had coverage of selected groups and holes from 4:30pm at Chambers Bay though main coverage didn't start till Fox came on air at 7pm

raycastleunited wrote:

MustPuttBetter wrote:Where has this myth that Sky cover every single minute of the golf come from??!
The last major, the US Open, on the Sat and Sunday coverage started at 7pm here, so 11am at Chambers Bay. Whereas play started there on both days at 8am. They missed 3 hours of both days.
Yet you're all moaning about the 2.5 hours the bbc miss today. Funny

MPB I thought coverage started at 5pm. Although that's still not every minute.

Started at 4.30 on the first two days Ray but then play started at I think 2pm our time, certainly earlier than Sat and Sun obviously

I thought so! Knew there were options; ok still may have not been for the whole thing but certainly more coverage than we've had off BBC who cumaltively must have missed around 7+ hours of golf thus far!

I mean this is called moving day...the best weather is due this morning on the early pairings so likely most of the movement too....yet we've not seen much of it. Duval...McDowell...Chesters...Sneden..all tearing up course at various points but seen little.

Just woke about to the opposite of back to the future, some guy called David Duval scorching his way up the leaderboard. What a performance!
He played beautifully last night, except for a missed 2-footer on 17, and now look at this!!

If there was option to tune in pre the Fox broadcast I missed it and it's not shown on the Sky 'how to watch the U.S. Open' webpage which is odd.
Even if the red button was available for selected groups, is that the difference that you're moaning about?!
The actual main coverage time, as mentioned, is hardly any different between the two at all. Take out the ads and I would bet the BBC have shown more of this than Sky did of the U.S.  

I've no problem with Sky but I think those going on about how terrible the Beeb is in comparison, relevant to the time allocated, are living in make believe

You missed the point though that Sky were limited by Fox. BBC have it in their own hands

I didn't. I responded to that. You just conveniently opted not to reply to my question what evidence is there that Sky would show more. Name me one stroke play event they show every shot of

owen10ozzy wrote:I thought so! Knew there were options; ok still may have not been for the whole thing but certainly more coverage than we've had off BBC who cumaltively must have missed around 7+ hours of golf thus far!

I mean this is called moving day...the best weather is due this morning on the early pairings so likely most of the movement too....yet we've not seen much of it. Duval...McDowell...Chesters...Sneden..all tearing up course at various points but seen little.

Calm down Owen, you're not going to wake up Tuesday morning thinking "I wish we had seen more of the early starters in the 3rd round"!!

I don't think the bbc can just wipe everything from their schedule and show golf from start to finish. The audience for golf Is not massive and they have to think about all of the license payers. I think in comparison to every other major golf event the bbc coverage is the best. For a start we get probably more coverage taking into account no adverts. And it's available on normal tv. Not seeing the also rams on the Saturday or Sunday morning is fine and normal.

I think it was inevitable that sky would take the open, especiallywith the ggovernment out yo get the bbc, and lack of funds available. I'm lucky I can affordsky so will carry on watching. I will be ssurprised if they are better. Well they would need to get an almost entire new crew to start with. Monty, roe, mcginly and butch should exit the door.

MustPuttBetter wrote:I didn't. I responded to that. You just conveniently opted not to reply to my question what evidence is there that Sky would show more. Name me one stroke play event they show every shot of

I didn't conveniently opt for anything. If you notice the times of the posts, we weer posting pretty much simultaneously and I didn't see it at the time.

Of course there really isn't much evidence of what you speak given that the only "major" event (lower case major) is the Ryder Cup - and they showed pretty much everything of that.

No they don't show every shot of (say) the Madeira Open (though I'm not sure they are host broadcaster of that). Big UK events are until this year still pretty much at the mercy of the BBC and while I may not have much "evidence", my feeling is that they will give far more hours coverage than the beeb when they do get their hands on a major event.

Not sure who host broadcasters are for the Middle East swing but they give that pretty much saturation coverage