2014 US Open

[R.J. MacReady]

Worst US Open I can remember. I'm not usually a negative guy, but this tournament just sucked.

1) Was not competitive;
2) No real star power showed;
3) Too many low scores. I know they came back down at the end, but I just saw a lot of red numbers;
4) Course looked like shit.
5) Course design was terrible. Crenshaw should have his course design/renovation privileges revoked immediately. WTF were they trying to do with it? It's a Donald Ross design, with no rough, turned into a links(ish) design, that wasn't a links design. Completely a course without a home.

This is pretty spot on and perfect analogy of the course.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Worst US Open I can remember. I'm not usually a negative guy, but this tournament just sucked.

1) Was not competitive;
2) No real star power showed;
3) Too many low scores. I know they came back down at the end, but I just saw a lot of red numbers;
4) Course looked like shit.
5) Course design was terrible. Crenshaw should have his course design/renovation privileges revoked immediately. WTF were they trying to do with it? It's a Donald Ross design, with no rough, turned into a links(ish) design, that wasn't a links design. Completely a course without a home.

Obviously I'm taking this as your opinion.

1....agreed.
2....kinda dovetails with your #1
3....I know the USO is the defender of par, but that's a non issue...the field avg. over par for the event.
4....it looked different...not as green and lush as before
5....I disagree...they really didn't do anything to the layout/routing and very minimal changes to the greens themselves...essentially they did what the Pinehurst people wanted...bring it back to it's original state.

When you take into account the conservation agenda...I can't say I like the course, but I get it.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Worst US Open I can remember. I'm not usually a negative guy, but this tournament just sucked.

1) Was not competitive;
2) No real star power showed;
3) Too many low scores. I know they came back down at the end, but I just saw a lot of red numbers;
4) Course looked like shit.
5) Course design was terrible. Crenshaw should have his course design/renovation privileges revoked immediately. WTF were they trying to do with it? It's a Donald Ross design, with no rough, turned into a links(ish) design, that wasn't a links design. Completely a course without a home.

Decent arguments although # 3 is kind of dicey. It sounds like you feel that nobody should have a score under par ever in the US Open.

Anyhow - need a clarification on # 2. What do you mean no "star power showed"? Are you only talking about golfers who we currently consider "stars" like McIlroy, Mickelson or even a rising one like Spieth? Can't we consider Kaymer to be a star at this time? He just won both the Players and the US Open in the span of a month & has previously been # 1 in the world. Do you feel that somehow he can never be a "star" perhaps because of his personality? Just trying to make sure I am reading this right.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

One thing I would add for the tourney is at least they primarily showed the golfers who were in contention. I read time after time how TV focuses on Tiger & others while perhaps neglecting the guys who are at or near the top. I don't think you had this problem the past weekend.

 

[HizzleRocker]

Decent arguments although # 3 is kind of dicey. It sounds like you feel that nobody should ever have a score under par ever in the US Open.

Anyhow - need a clarification on # 2. What do you mean no "star power showed"? Are you only talking about golfers who we currently consider "stars" like McIlroy, Mickelson or even a rising one like Spieth? Can't we consider Kaymer to be a star at this time? He just won both the Players and the US Open in the span of a month & has previously been # 1 in the world. Do you feel that somehow he can never be a "star" perhaps because of his personality? Just trying to make sure I am reading this right.

Fair question. By "star" I kinda mean someone who can grow/expand the game - not just someone who is a very good or even great golfer. Example: Michelle Wie is a star. She may not be the best player in the world but she is a star. At the end of the day, people will not tune in to watch Inbee Park or Shanshan Feng; but if Michelle Wie or Lexi Thompson or Paula Creamer are in the final group ratings will soar.

Kaymar is one of the best in the world, but its guys like Tiger, McIrloy, and Phil that are the star power of the PGA, imo.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Fair question. By "star" I kinda mean someone who can grow/expand the game - not just someone who is a very good or even great golfer. Example: Michelle Wie is a star. She may not be the best player in the world but she is a star. At the end of the day, people will not tune in to watch Inbee Park or Shanshan Feng; but if Michelle Wie or Lexi Thompson or Paula Creamer are in the final group ratings will soar.

Kaymar is one of the best in the world, but its guys like Tiger, McIrloy, and Phil that are the star power of the PGA, imo.

Fair enough & makes sense. Kaymer - probably because of his German upbringing - just seems kind of stiff out there & doesn't even really know how to play to a crowd. I felt bad for Compton since he tried to congratulate Kaymer after he walked off the 18th, but Kaymer sort of blew him off. I don't think he meant anything by it. He just seems like a guy who doesn't show a lot of emotion.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Fair question. By "star" I kinda mean someone who can grow/expand the game - not just someone who is a very good or even great golfer. Example: Michelle Wie is a star. She may not be the best player in the world but she is a star. At the end of the day, people will not tune in to watch Inbee Park or Shanshan Feng; but if Michelle Wie or Lexi Thompson or Paula Creamer are in the final group ratings will soar.

Kaymar is one of the best in the world, but its guys like Tiger, McIrloy, and Phil that are the star power of the PGA, imo.

I think the PGAT/EuroT have some very good players players that are coming into their own and we see their names atop the leader boards...Spieth, Bradley, Scott, Bubba, Fowler, etc....these are star players to golf fans, big endorsers...what really drives fringe golf fans to watch are super star players...players that you don't have to be a golf fan to know...right now the game has maybe 3 or 4 guys...Tiger, Phil, Bubba, and I'm going to say Rory (only because of his national break up).

Agreed...the tourney would've had more star power if those guys were on the leaderboard...the biggest downer for me really was Kaymer had run away with it and no one really knows him.

 

[NEhomer]

...but the sports world celebrated when Rory ran away with it.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yea...Rory has been groomed to be a superstar and is pretty close if he's not already one...it doesn't show up on the course all the time, but Sergio is a superstar also on some level.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Yea...Rory has been groomed to be a superstar and is pretty close if he's not already one...it doesn't show up on the course all the time, but Sergio is a superstar also on some level.

Airline loses Rory McIlroy?s golf clubs en route to Ireland | For The Win

However - being a superstar didn't stop the freaking airlines from losing his clubs - amazing.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Report: Tiger Woods is taking full swings, could he play British Open? - CBSSports.com

Well - it looks like Tiger might play in the British Open (not saying that he will do well - who knows). We will see. It also appears like US Open TV ratings were terrible.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Tiger would just as soon miss a torn then to take a chance and embarrass himself.

He would have to play at least 1 or 2 pga tour events before he would play the open. No way he goes there cold. He could play the Masters cold but not this.

Oh and get ready for at least 1 year of "it's a process" from the announcers every time Tiger makes a mistake. Nothing will be his fault for the next 18 months.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Airline loses Rory McIlroy?s golf clubs en route to Ireland | For The Win

However - being a superstar didn't stop the freaking airlines from losing his clubs - amazing.

That is amazing...it would freak the hell of me on my golf trip.

Rory...it's okay to spend a few bucks man...ever heard of Net Jets...they offer services to Europe now I hear.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Tiger would just as soon miss a torn then to take a chance and embarrass himself.

He would have to play at least 1 or 2 pga tour events before he would play the open. No way he goes there cold. He could play the Masters cold but not this.

Oh and get ready for at least 1 year of "it's a process" from the announcers every time Tiger makes a mistake. Nothing will be his fault for the next 18 months.

LOL.

I think TW knows this is his last go around...and it might already be too late, but he can't sustain another serious injury and have any chance @ 15 much less 19.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Tiger would just as soon miss a torn then to take a chance and embarrass himself.

He would have to play at least 1 or 2 pga tour events before he would play the open. No way he goes there cold. He could play the Masters cold but not this.

Oh and get ready for at least 1 year of "it's a process" from the announcers every time Tiger makes a mistake. Nothing will be his fault for the next 18 months.

All of what you say could be true. However - I am sure that Tiger is anxious to golf again, and lots of people want to see him on the course again (whether they like or hate him). Also - no doubt the networks want to see him out there again since their ratings have been in the toilet recently. As was mentioned here - people like to see "stars" on the course.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The British, which is what...a month away. I don't think he would go out there with no tourney warmup either, but of the preceding events, I don't think he's played any of them before. I'm thinking WGC Firestone and the PGA is probably more likely than the British at this point.