I learned that a 59 yr old 8 time Major winner still had nerves. He choked plain and simple. Should have never putted out of the rough and was so nervous he fanned that last putt so bad just trying not to run it by 3 foot. Once he bogeyed 18 I think everyone knew it was over. I honestly feel bad for Cink because he is going to go down as a villain in winning his first major.
BLOG: Lessons Learned from 71 and a Half Holes in the Sun
- Thread starter Brian Manzella
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curtisj76
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I don't know if I'd go that far.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
I think putter from that lie was probably the right shot. It was nestled up right against the collar of the short rough and the fringe. Trying to judge how properly to hit a wedge out of that lie would be even harder. IMO he simply mis-read the hill; in his post tournament press conference he thought there was some grain in the hill that was going into the ball so he hit it a little harder than normal to make sure he wasn't short. He mis-judged it but i still feel putter was the right club, hard to argue with a 5 time previous open winner.
not heat at all.....I just think you are confused and misinformed.
The OPEN is the only true/pure major left......they screwed up the masters by growing rough and legenthing the course.......they screwed up the US open by setting it up to be BOMBED, and the PGA is the PGA......
Links golf IS GOLF at it's finest... the only pure way to play. Think about it those courses over there are exactly the way the ocean/sheep cut them out 300+ years ago. and are still better than "modern design" many of the courses are still somewhat "native" hell The Old Course didnt even get Irrigation of any sort until the early 90's I beleive, then they only put it around the greens only.
In fact the greens over there are mixes of about 3-5 different grasses and talking to people who have played many times over there the greens are "the purest rolling greens you will ever play."
I think if people would try true links golf and not knock it you would find that you would come to like it and your handy would show it as well.
just my 2 cents
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i would.
lots of up and coming american golfers play round with just one shot. usually a high draw/hook. so comin to a links course having to hit low punches, knock-downs, trap fades, and low running chip and runs as opposed to high launching, high spinning pitches. they struggle. i think this is good why some of the british players have done well in recent opens. having had links experience. fisher, westwood, wood, donald, casey and even mcilroy had at least one good round this week in each of them.
however i believe donald and casey have suffered from goin to the american tour. A) they learn to play american golf, and B) they settle for mediocrity. they're not bothered about winning majors, cos they can make a great living being average
vjsinger
New
Americans have done pretty well in the open the last 20 years..I think we've won 12 out of the last 20...will that continue with the new breed...hard to say. Anthony Kim,Tiger,Stew,Zack will be around for a while. I wouldn't give it to the Europeans just yet. As for Donald and Casey, I don't think they putt consistently well enough to win any major and it's not because the PGA TOUR lowers their game or expectations..it's the best tour in the world with the best players on it. JMO.
you really have to be kidding AK ever win a OPEN,,,,... ZACH ...LOL never going to happen. in the last 29 years only Waston and Tiger are the only US players to win multiple OPens..........Duval won casue he had the shots........Daly won on a fluke, of course the old course lets you hit it MILES left with NO trouble. Ben Curtis..FLUKE.........Justin won cause he has the shots from playing in TX....the list goes on but We can not sit here and say that the "standard" American tour player is well suited for the british open........if so Philly Mc would win every OPEN played
jpvegas1
New
Links golf
I've played Turnberry and though not my favorite links golf course, it is a fair test and enjoyable to play (as opposed to Royal St George, where it's just a crap shoot as to whether your ball will end up in the fairway or not). The fairways do have slopes but what made it difficult to keep the ball in play was the wind. When it wasn't windy the pros shot well under par. If you play the course a couple of times or have a caddie familiar with the course you'll know where to play your shots and if striking it well, will be in play. I enjoy playing the links courses more that the parkland courses and will definitely be taking another trip to play there.
I've played Turnberry and though not my favorite links golf course, it is a fair test and enjoyable to play (as opposed to Royal St George, where it's just a crap shoot as to whether your ball will end up in the fairway or not). The fairways do have slopes but what made it difficult to keep the ball in play was the wind. When it wasn't windy the pros shot well under par. If you play the course a couple of times or have a caddie familiar with the course you'll know where to play your shots and if striking it well, will be in play. I enjoy playing the links courses more that the parkland courses and will definitely be taking another trip to play there.
vjsinger
New
Nope not kidding Anthony Kim certainly has the game and the shots..he's young, but has the stuff to win. Zach won the Masters when the conditions on that Sunday were brutal, blustry wind, hard and fast, he can roll the rock. Boo could win and OPEN or 2, he has the shots and if he gets it going on the greens, he could win. John Daly was a real player when he won, just because he has personal issues now doesn't mean he couldn't play then. As for Phil being a "standard" player..I have no idea what you're talking about. As I said I think the americans will be just fine.
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Going back to the play off i have to agree with Brian the 4 hole format is lacking in drama and excitement of sudden death. Also in this case it was too painfull to watch as Tom Watson completely lost his swing. I really would have been happy for him to shake Cinks hand before the last hole of the playoff and got the hell out of there. His only chance was in regulation play i am afraid.
I still think Westwood blew a bigger chance at least he had putter in hand on the last night. Terrible 3 jab.
I still think Westwood blew a bigger chance at least he had putter in hand on the last night. Terrible 3 jab.
as an aside, mickelson will never win an open. ever.
daly got lucky on a course that alows you to hit it all over the place.
hamilton hit some miraculous shots to win a playoff.
curtis is an amazingly good putter
people like sergio, tiger, ernie are the players who can really shape the ball the way you need to to play links golf well. people who can move the ball anyway they want and almost "paint" their way around. hit shots any direction, and trajectory, any spin combinations. not people like kenny perry (who i adore and think is a great player) who simply plays a huge draw all the way round. (not sure but think perry finished around 10 over after 4 rounds)
and im not bashing american golfers, its the way the players play to make it as pros these days
daly got lucky on a course that alows you to hit it all over the place.
hamilton hit some miraculous shots to win a playoff.
curtis is an amazingly good putter
people like sergio, tiger, ernie are the players who can really shape the ball the way you need to to play links golf well. people who can move the ball anyway they want and almost "paint" their way around. hit shots any direction, and trajectory, any spin combinations. not people like kenny perry (who i adore and think is a great player) who simply plays a huge draw all the way round. (not sure but think perry finished around 10 over after 4 rounds)
and im not bashing american golfers, its the way the players play to make it as pros these days
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
I'll sort of agree with alot of that except you're waaaaaay off on Daly. Ive played with him and he can do anything you want him to do with a golf ball and may have more shots than anybody on tour but Tiger. He's a very deserving 2 time major winner.
IMHO the winners are:
Turnberry - Only thing close in the USA was Shinnecock. A test where bash and wedge golf were useless.
Watson - and all the rest of us old timers
Cink and Butch Harmon - Harmon must be smirking - watching his man win and his former pupil TW crasha and burn.
Manessero - at 16 this kid swings better than all the other young stars.
Turnberry - Only thing close in the USA was Shinnecock. A test where bash and wedge golf were useless.
Watson - and all the rest of us old timers
Cink and Butch Harmon - Harmon must be smirking - watching his man win and his former pupil TW crasha and burn.
Manessero - at 16 this kid swings better than all the other young stars.
Bell812
New
I love the Open Championship. It is by far my favorite major, for many of the reasons already stated. But when people start to say guys that play the US tour are somehow less than complete players, take a good long look at the list of names on the Claret Jug and get back to us. In case nobody noticed, the American player that won beat an American widely regarded as the best links player of the modern era.
Jared Willerson
Super Moderator
It is interesting to note that the two greatest links players in recent history were both high ball hitters in Norman and Watson
Kevin, I'm glad you said that about Daly. To be able to have the incredible finesse he has with his short shots, especially with that long swing tells me he may have some of the "best hands" in the game. (Not trying to be mean, but I can imagine that at times they are somewhat shaky to boot!) I think he has been playing well on the Euro tour and had a good showing in the Open +4 I think.
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