The Golf Thread

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

And, unless Gary Player wants to make another statement for a reason only he can understand, a top 5 absolutely earns a captain's pick in September as far as I'm concerned.

[Guest]

I wanted to mention that even though I picked Sergio, he has no chance to win the tournament. He'll do everything right tomorrow and shoot 80 on Sunday.

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

Wow, Mickelson is going to miss the cut. He never really has liked this tournament, has he?

Just in 2004, when he lost to Todd "Alright!" Hamilton, who, incidentally, pumped my gas this afternoon.

 

Even though Mickelson lost that tournament to Hamilton it wasn't necessarily a choke job. Ernie Els lost that tournament by missing a birdie putt on the last hole of regulation and then somehow losing the 4-hole playoff which to this day just baffles me.

[CanadianChris 0]

I wanted to mention that even though I picked Sergio, he has no chance to win the tournament. He'll do everything right tomorrow and shoot 80 on Sunday.

At this point, it's looking really good for him. There's only one guy within six shots of Sergio, and he's never won a major either.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Yeah, barring an incredible meltdown, this is Sergio's tournament. If he falters (and I mean falters) there's a very very competent group at -3, but this is unquestionably Sergio's tournament to win.

[Red Baron 0]

Steve Stricker shoots a new course record with a 64.

 

Whats the lowest scoring average of the Open anyways?

[MFer 0]

Things are getting pretty tight out there...

[Red Baron 0]

Poor Harrington, shooting it into the bern.

[MFer 0]

Harrington's such a generous man isn't he?

 

Well, he at least recovered enough to force Sergio to par on 18 for the win.

[Red Baron 0]

Sergio should lay up before the burn, and pitch it on the green from 40 yards out.

 

And went into the Bunker.

[Red Baron 0]

PLAYOFF!

[Danville_Wrestling 0]

And Padraig Harrington is your British Open champion. Nice to see him get a major title because I've always been a fan of Harrington but Sergio really let this one get away from him today. This was Sergio's best chance in his career to come away with a major and he couldn't pull it off. I'm definitely thinking he's going to be climbing the list of "best golfer never to win a major championship" shortly if he isn't already #1 in many people's books.

[MFer 0]

Way to go Sergio...

[World's Worst Man 0]

To be fair, the putt Sergio hit on the last regulation hole should have gone in. It only missed because it took a hop right at the start, but he hit the right putt. It wasn't a choke job or anything, he was just bound to have an over-par round.

[CanadianChris 0]

I should have set my PVR to stop at 3:00. As it was, it stopped at 2:30 just as Sergio found the 18th green in the playoff.

 

I was cheering so hard for Harrington all day -- I haven't been this happy to see someone win a major in quite awhile. And fuck Sergio and his whole "Woe is me" routine.

[Red Baron 0]

Sergio should have taken my advice.

 

Lay up to the Burn, and pitch it near the pin.

[CanadianChris 0]

With the way he'd been putting today, I don't think he could've gotten it close enough with a pitch if he laid up.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Since the majority of my posts the last few weeks have been about Mike Weir, I'll keep that train going:

 

He'll be looking for his third straight top 10 finish at Angus Glen. He's missed the cut the last two years, however, at Shaughnessy in 2005 and Hamilton in 2006. The last time they were at Angus Glen was 2002, when Mike finished T-22.

[CanadianChris 0]

Mike needs a win soon if he wants to have a good shot at making the Presidents Cup team. He has moved ahead of Stephen Ames in the world ranking, which is good for him because I think whichever one of them is ranked higher will be a captain's pick, since the matches are in Canada.

 

I played Angus Glen the year before it hosted the Open. I think I shot around 130. It was that Canada Day weekend a few years ago where a huge windstorm rolled through southern Ontario.

[Red Baron 0]

I hate Angus Glen. They can play anywhere, but there. The only reason Toronto gets to host these tournaments is the population. Play at Bond Head, fantastic course. Go to the Muskoka or Niagara Region. PEI has some terrific courses. BC and Alberta have marvelous courses out there. Angus Glen should not be played there in 30 years.

[CanadianChris 0]

I hope they play Hamilton more. I thought that was a terrific course, and all the pros seemed to agree.

[Red Baron 0]

The Hamilton one is gorgeous. There's a coworker I work with who is a member there. I'd love to go there.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

I loved Hamilton too, I was actually at a practise round there last year. Got a picture with Aaron Baddely, and a tricked picture with Jim Furyk. It was a great course.

[Red Baron 0]

Just saw the highlights of the 2004 Canadian Open. I have never seen a crowd so quiet when Vijay defeated Mike Weir in the playoffs.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

My mom is a huge Vijay fan, and she's never really been able to explain it, except for that playoff. She ALWAYS regales of how, while shaking hands, Vijay said "I'm sorry, Mike." Weir had no business losing that playoff.

 

Oh well. Looks like he's got things back in order to some degree. There's no way either he or Ames aren't a captain's pick by Player. Speaking of Player, it's hard to believe no one's mentioned his claim at the Open press conference last week. Thoughts?

 

 

 

[World's Worst Man 0]

It wouldn't surprise me if a few guys were on something, but I don't know if it's a big deal. There's just too many other important factors in golf that steroids would not help you with. None of those chunky guys who hit the ball a long way seem to ever win much anyway.

[CanadianChris 0]

I think it was pretty irresponsible of Player to say something like that if he wasn't prepared to throw some names out there. The entire game of golf is built around a very stringent code of ethics. He should be as willing to name names as he would be to point out a penalty on another player in competition.

 

As for whether or not steroids would help someone in golf, I think they definitely would -- if you can bulk up and get an extra 30 yards or so on your drive, the rest of the game becomes a hell of a lot easier.

[World's Worst Man 0]

Bulking up wouldn't work that well. The power in the golf swing is based on the how the muscles compress and expand. Bulking up with steroids would seriously hamper that process. Someone might be able to add a few yards due to sheer strength, but nothing significant. Adding height would be a way to drastically improve distance, but I don't even think HGH will do that.

[Red Baron 0]

Steroids doesn't help putting. If you can not putt, what is the point of jacking up?

 

I think Gary wants something done as testing. I don't think he wants to have a scandal in the sport and tarnish the game.

 

 

[CanadianChris 0]

Steroids doesn't help putting. If you can not putt, what is the point of jacking up?

If you can't putt, you can't be a pro to start with. Anyone on the juice will still have enough skill in the short game. Extra distance could give them the push they need to get onto one of the big tours.

 

And there's nothing that says you have to look like a bodybuilder if you're on steroids. All steroids do is help you train more frequently by reducing the need for rest. Whatever training you do, you have a better chance of achieving your desired goal on steroids than off.