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British Open

A

An Tarbh

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Well given the fiasco that was the Open in 1999 I think scoring will be a lot better but the course seems to be set up a lot fairer so we should have a proper championship unlike 8 years ago.

Usual contenders will be in contention, well contenders but I mean Tiger, solid start today, set up nicely to move into position tomorow afternoon.

Great start from Rory McIlroy, going round bogey free to shoot 68, impressive from an 18 year old amateur on debut, been hearing things about this fella for a while now so it's hardly a shock to those in the know that he's done this, big test though comes tomorow morning.

Don't think Sergio will be crying in mammy's arms this time round after his opening round of 65 to give him a 2 shot lead or maybe he will if the Beast bites back tomorow.
 
Ah, the British Open -- man's golf. Quite the refreshing change from the manicured courses in the U.S.

Take care,
PK
 
There some funny stories about Big John Daly at the Open this year . He supposedly was warming up on the practice ground and and was firing ball into the grandstands with his 3 iron. Everyone was ducking for cover.

I'd like to see Garcia win this week , but not sure he's got the brain power to do it .....
 
Michael Campbell's had a good start, running into some much needed form hopefully...
 
Yep , nice to see him playing well , he was interviewed in the today's UK Telegraph newspaper and

I forgot he was leading after 3 rounds at St Andrews in 95 . I reckon he's a good outside chance.
 
God I hate the BBC sports coverage:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE("BBC")</div>
The world number one {Tiger Woods} is now just five shots behind overnight leader Sergio Garcia, who tees off at 1430 BST.[/b]

Why does it always have to be the Tiger bloody Woods show for BBC Golf?! The guy is miles away from Garcia and there are about seven other players in front of him who haven't tee'd off yet!

I absolutely hate it when they dedicate so much time to someone like Woods, especially when there are other players doing just as well (if not better) than Woods at the same time. I can't stand the laboured breathing and the light fapping noises going on in the BBC commentary box every time there is a shot of Woods.

I'll tell you what, if the BBC had coverage of the Ryder Cup, I bet you anything, all of the BBC crew to a man would be wearing USA blazers with "I LOVE TIGER" baseball caps on with a pallet load of kleenex on the side waiting to wax lyrical about "the master" even though the guy has consistently been outplayed by his European counterparts in every Ryder cup. If the guy is so sodding fantastic, maybe Team USA should just not bother turning up and send Tiger sodding Woods in on his own.
 
Because he is the best player in the World, has been for the last 10 years, and has revolutionised the entire game with his swing, his dominance, his focus and his preparation. That is why they pay so much attention to him. The BBC do not solely focus on him, they have shown only a couple of his shots in the last hour and a half, and interviewed a wide and varying number of players on the practise range, as well as talking about (but not to) him.

As for the Ryder Cup, there I think it is unargueable that he has not played his best golf the last few competitions, and has wholly struggled in both the team play and the singles. Part of this is due to the fact that when he plays, he hardly talks to anyone, meaning that playing in the Foursomes with him is extremely hard as it is very important to communicate with your partner.
 
Because he is the best player in the World, has been for the last 10 years, and has revolutionised the entire game with his swing, his dominance, his focus and his preparation. That is why they pay so much attention to him. The BBC do not solely focus on him, they have shown only a couple of his shots in the last hour and a half, and interviewed a wide and varying number of players on the practise range, as well as talking about (but not to) him.

As for the Ryder Cup, there I think it is unargueable that he has not played his best golf the last few competitions, and has wholly struggled in both the team play and the singles. Part of this is due to the fact that when he plays, he hardly talks to anyone, meaning that playing in the Foursomes with him is extremely hard as it is very important to communicate with your partner. [/b]

Oh come off it! it was the same with the BBC being part of "Arnies army" (Arnold Palmer) in the past. The BBC commentators always choose a favourite and stick with it. In other sports it was a facination with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, John Mcinroe and Micheal Johnson and not enough focus on home grown talent and its bloody annoying.

He may be very good, but as a result, can you imagine how much more difficult it has been for anyone else inside the United States to come through since the limelight has been focused on Tiger Woods? There have been suggestions that the poor performance in the US Ryder Cup team has been because of all the focus and attention being on him and not on bringing up the next generation of american player. The UK & Europe tends to focus more on bringing up as much young talent as possible it seems.

I understand that he is an excellent player, but the guy is five shots behind and started the day with a bogey with a few birdies and already everyone is masturbating over him suddenly catching up and winning the whole thing! Aren't everyone getting a little too ahead of themselves?!
 
No-one is 'masturbating over him suddenly catching up', don't exaggerate. The BBC commentators don't choose the feed they receive, they commentate on the pictures - he is the best, and the most famous player in the World, and if he has any chance at all then he is obviously going to get some coverage isn't he?? It would be completely stupid any other way. Even when he is 6 shots behind, he can still pull of minor miracles such as the chip out of the rough, over the bunker, to within 3 inches on the 16th - those things are worth watching.

I think you are confusing what you regard as a 'fixation' on a certain 'favourite' of the commentators with genuine coverage of a major contender, and someone who is UNDENIABLY the most dominant person in his sport for the best part of 2 decades.

Secondly, your point about the limelight being on Woods doesn't allow any other US players to come through is completely wrong. There are a number of other US players, Mickelson, Furyk, DiMarco, Weekly, Zach Johnson, to name just a few off the top of my head, who receive a large amount of interest and many which have come through during the 'Woods era' (a prime example being Johnson). Aside from that, golf has had a MAJOR cash and publicity injection not only in the US but all around the world since Wood's emergence, not only because it had received greater television coverage (i.e. not only the Majors) but because (and similar to the Lewis Hamilton situation now) Woods is black.

Wood's dominance has been so complete that in a recent report filed (and then published in The Times, if anyone saw it) to the PGA, Tiger Woods was found to be the single most important thing, person or organisation in golf, ahead of the President of the PGA, the R&A and the committee that runs and organisers all of the majors. I do understand how you find it strange that Woods receives so much coverage when he isn't only one or two shots off the lead, but that is how important he is to (the public perception at least) of golf, and the impact he has had.

Edit: A quote from Peter Alliss, a man who really has seen ALL of the greats play over many years; 'the 69 from Tiger Woods... He really battled, showed us what he was made of, but a lesser man would have been 80-odd.' I think that just demonstrates how highly his skill is revered.
 
Hazy, whenever Tiger gets within five shots, they keep rattling on about how he is making a serious challenge for the Championship. They don't mention anyone else who almost might have moved up to five behind unless they press harder like Stricker. I am most definitely not exaggerating.

And yes, you can reel off a succession of guys up and coming in the USA's ranks, and yes, many of them have recently won opens, Masters, etc...but did they make a mark in last years Ryder Cup?! Did they **** mate and you know it!

You simply cannot have a fixation on one player for too long because it simply starts fouling up the process of developing the rest of the team! Other team mates start to rely too much on the guy, other team mates start to slack off because they think Woods will pick up said slack, other team mates get jealous and fall off the pace because they ask themselves what is the point if Woods is getting all the attention. You see, you have allot of other problems that happen if you focus too much on one guy when you should be focusing on the team as a whole like we do with the European team. You've completely failed to factor in anything like that.

I am all for ESPN, Fox sports, etc following Woods and his face-like-a-smacked-arse (I've never seen him smile while out on the course) and yes, he is a superb player, but I'd just wish that the BBC exercise their urban legend known as "impartiality" and quit things like having some woman follow him around Carnoustie links and commenting on everything he does. That is just overkill, simply overkill. Not even ITV had a guy following Micheal Schumacher's every move neither did Channel 4 have a guy checking up on Shane Warne or Steve Waugh, so why exactly should Woods have his own damn media entourage?
 
Firstly, Woods is not the reason why Team US lose the Ryder Cup; I never made any comment about the US success at the Ryder Cup, only the fortunes of Woods himself. The US have long been dumbfounded as to how a group of Europeans (many of them unknown as far as tournament golf goes) can come together and beat a team of players who should by rights win by miles.

Secondly, I've watched every second of today's coverage, and not once have the BBC said that 'Tiger is making a serious challenge at the Leaders' - after his bogey on the first hole, they admired his round, and said that if he could put some good holes together then he had a chance at being in a position to mount a challenge tomorrow - when it was obvious he was 'struggling' (as in, normal people could make the same shots as him) they simply said it was a great recovery round, and as Alliss said, a miracle that he kept it below 80 - some of his tee-shots were not very good, but he manages to make the second or third shot immaculate to make up for it.

Woods has a lot of media attention for the reasons I gave in my last post. As for people following him round, Garcia and Els both had similar arrangements - the BBC are going to show in detail the things that interest the public most. As to your comments about the other sportsmen not having personal commentators - that's a very different matter. It would be extremely difficult to have someone just following Steve Waugh when he is in the field for 90 overs a day (though actually they do have cameras fixed on certain players in certain positions, for example Collingwood at Point/Backwood Point, simply because he can make some outstanding catches), and as for Formula 1, one person can pretty much cover all of the Pit Lane, because they are very grouped together, and he can move easily from one team to another - that would be a bit more difficult with 70 players spread from the practise ground, across 5 miles+ of golf course, to the clubhouse (though I'm pretty sure Lewis Hamilton's progress is followed pretty closely, don't you think?).

As for his so-called 'smacked face'; this really is a bit of a silly comment. How many times do you see international rugby players smiling in the middle of test match? Or Michael Vaughn smiling when Australia are 300-1 during the Ashes? You don't, of course you don't. It's concentration and focus, and it's what has allowed him, and all the other famous sports players to concentrate and dominate their sports. As much as anyone, he seems very open and honest at interviews (no arrogance that I can make out, which is a change - ever seen Schumacher interviewed??), and if he wins he is very overtly emotional, but on the course he is making his living, and wanting to be the best. Which he is.
 
Firstly, Woods is not the reason why Team US lose the Ryder Cup; I never made any comment about the US success at the Ryder Cup, only the fortunes of Woods himself. The US have long been dumbfounded as to how a group of Europeans (many of them unknown as far as tournament golf goes) can come together and beat a team of players who should by rights win by miles.[/b]

I was talking about his effect on the US Ryder cup team. You're playing down the immense effort that the European team makes every Ryder Cup to come out and win it.

Secondly, I've watched every second of today's coverage, and not once have the BBC said that 'Tiger is making a serious challenge at the Leaders' - after his bogey on the first hole, they admired his round, and said that if he could put some good holes together then he had a chance at being in a position to mount a challenge tomorrow - when it was obvious he was 'struggling' (as in, normal people could make the same shots as him) they simply said it was a great recovery round, and as Alliss said, a miracle that he kept it below 80 - some of his tee-shots were not very good, but he manages to make the second or third shot immaculate to make up for it.[/b]

I've been checking the online coverage on BBC online (listening to Test Match Special) and on the live update they keep pointing out that "Tiger Woods is making a serious challenge after moving to one under" several times today.

Woods has a lot of media attention for the reasons I gave in my last post. As for people following him round, Garcia and Els both had similar arrangements - the BBC are going to show in detail the things that interest the public most. As to your comments about the other sportsmen not having personal commentators - that's a very different matter. It would be extremely difficult to have someone just following Steve Waugh when he is in the field for 90 overs a day (though actually they do have cameras fixed on certain players in certain positions, for example Collingwood at Point/Backwood Point, simply because he can make some outstanding catches), and as for Formula 1, one person can pretty much cover all of the Pit Lane, because they are very grouped together, and he can move easily from one team to another - that would be a bit more difficult with 70 players spread from the practise ground, across 5 miles+ of golf course, to the clubhouse (though I'm pretty sure Lewis Hamilton's progress is followed pretty closely, don't you think?).[/b]

You're being silly now. I meant have a guy watching him, analyising every movement when really there isn't allot of point because it is simply overkill. It is simply someone in the productin department saying "hey, he is pretty popular, get someone to follow his every move and report back every now and then to the main commentators" and that is simply silly. The public are most interested in 1) who is leading the championship, 2) who has the best chance of challenging said leaders and 3) what are the Brits up to? You're confusing what the production team think the public wants and what the public actually wants.

As for his so-called 'smacked face'; this really is a bit of a silly comment. How many times do you see international rugby players smiling in the middle of test match? Or Michael Vaughn smiling when Australia are 300-1 during the Ashes? You don't, of course you don't. It's concentration and focus, and it's what has allowed him, and all the other famous sports players to concentrate and dominate their sports. As much as anyone, he seems very open and honest at interviews (no arrogance that I can make out, which is a change - ever seen Schumacher interviewed??), and if he wins he is very overtly emotional, but on the course he is making his living, and wanting to be the best. Which he is. [/b]

Oh shush, its not silly at all. Allot of the other golfers try and do their best to appreciate the applause when they finish a hole or a shot and still manage to concentrate on the game. Woods however just walks on as if someone has just slapped him in the face with a kipper. And actually, you see allot of Rugby players and Cricket players smile, laugh and joke in the middle of an international or a test match because it eases the tension. Michael Vaughn and co in England definitely, even when down 300 in the Ashes because it keeps the spirits up.

At the end of the day, I appreciate that Woods is a very high calbre player and brings in allot of money, but the man is just that at the end of the day: a man. He is fallible, he has faults just like everyone else, he makes mistakes and he shouldn't deserve special treatment because of that. You're just a little too sensitive to when someone pipes up with a detracting point or two with Woods, especially about him looking so depressed and grumpy.
 
I must admit I haven't caught much of this years open, I find golf fantastic to watch and play... Its about time Sergio Garcia looked in a strong position in the Open, as I have always rated him a fantastic Golfer and so surprised he hasn't won this major yet... I hope it will be his year...
 
He has been doing very well this Open, there were concerns about him handling Carnoustie if the weather turned but he's managed to stretch his lead a bit by the end of todays play. Good on him.
 
The Ryder Cup:

I wasn't playing down the effort at all!!! I was saying that many commentators, especially Americans find it difficult to understand how and why the Europeans can act as a team. I am full of admiration and praise for our Ryder Cup team, believe me I thought the last Ryder Cup was incredible to watch, and the scenes of Darren Clarke moved me to tears.



Woods at Carnoustie:

Well, I haven't been looking at the online coverage, I've been watching it live on the TV - the coverage must be different, if they were saying he was making a challenge to Garcia online then they were wrong, I thought the television coverage was superb and gave an accurate interpretation of Woods' round, where he struggled but also played some magnificent golf. If you haven't been watching it on TV, you can't judge how much he is being shown on the TV.

As to your second point, I really think you are underestimating the importance to Woods. Just because he is not right up there at present doesn't mean a) that they aren't interested and B) that he won't be up there shortly. Again, I'm not sure how much coverage the online commentry was giving him, but do you know how much the TV coverage was giving him? It was proportionate I felt. There was more coverage of Strickler, who played a superb round, but when Woods showed his class, they showed the shot. Being the World No. 1 that was right.

I meant have a guy watching him, analyising every movement when really there isn't allot of point because it is simply overkill

[/b]

Believe me, if you have seen any of Formula 1 this season, you would not believe the amount of attention that Hamilton has received. Yes, he is British, and yes he is an incredibly rookie, but for ITV, Alonso might not even exist on the same team, and you hadn't seen OR heard about Räikkönen until he won a couple of weeks ago! That is over analysis and overkill - showing Woods because he's the best in the World, is not.


'Smacked-Face':

Woods appreciates the crowd as much as he needs to. He tips his hat, raises his club or gives a smile, but why does he need to do anything else? He's still in the middle of his competition - if someone wants to react like Jimenez on the Par 3 and jest with the crowd then that's fine, but it doesn't mean that Woods has to do it. I made the example of Vaughn not smiling at 300-1 because that is not a winning situation, and I very much doubt there was much smiling and joking at 2-0 down in the Ashes and 300-1. Woods isn't in a winning situation either, so why should he react like he's relaxed? He wants to win, and he's not doing so at the moment.

Also, if you manage to watch some of the coverage later, see how Woods reacts when he accidently hits the spectator on a wild shot. You might change your mind.

At the end of the day, I appreciate that Woods is a very high calbre player and brings in allot of money, but the man is just that at the end of the day: a man. He is fallible, he has faults just like everyone else, he makes mistakes and he shouldn't deserve special treatment because of that.

[/b]
This is where you are completely wrong. You are misunderstanding the fact that Woods has dominated everything about this sport for at least 15 years. Dominated. In terms of revenue, sponsership, bringing players to the game, development of technology, development of his swing, pure results! No-one is denying that he has faults, as the Masters and the last 3 days have proved, and he doesn't win every tournament... it's simply the fact that, if he doesn't play at a tournament, the TV camera's don't turn up. It's a phenomenon probably unlike anything that exists in the World today in other sports; the All-Blacks, the Australians at Cricket, Brazil at football, however good they have been, they haven't dominated as he has.



As for your comments about me being touchy about comments on Woods - please, be my guest. Although I'm a fan I would never say he deserves to be anywhere near the lead today. But, if you watch golf regularly you will understand the impact he has, has had, and deserves. I am not adverse to giving criticism of Woods myself, I just make sure the criticism is correct.
 
The Ryder Cup:

I wasn't playing down the effort at all!!! I was saying that many commentators, especially Americans find it difficult to understand how and why the Europeans can act as a team. I am full of admiration and praise for our Ryder Cup team, believe me I thought the last Ryder Cup was incredible to watch, and the scenes of Darren Clarke moved me to tears.[/b]

*stares at Hazey for a long moment <_< *

Okay....I'll believe you...for now.

I was in Japan at the time and we bunched up with a load of Irish and French guys heckling the yanks hogging all the space in front of the TV and just wound them up which was hilarious.
 
Haha! :p

Glad to know you are still looking at this as a proper discussion, and not taking it too much to heart...
 
I rarely do to be honest. I've had much preparation arguing with Minister of Propaganda oseph Goebb- I mean TheRipper :p
 

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