The Open has started

[GNG]

Yep.

Stenson just happened to play the best he's ever likely to play for the rest of his life.

You may be right. He was in a zone today.

 

[GNG]

Really? it was tight but not much excitement at the end. (1 more foot and Stenson's drive would be in the bunker..then we would have some fun)

Off the top of my head Scott & Cabrera at the Master's was much more exciting.

It was exciting but this final featured two men that were running away from the rest of the field.

 

[Jack_John_Mark]

Both guys reminded me of Tiger about 15 years ago.

Just draining putts like these greens are actually easy or something.

 

[packerzrule]

Really? it was tight but not much excitement at the end. (1 more foot and Stenson's drive would be in the bunker..then we would have some fun)

Off the top of my head Scott & Cabrera at the Master's was much more exciting.

I said that I witnessed, not the best ever

 

[gohusk]

Really? it was tight but not much excitement at the end. (1 more foot and Stenson's drive would be in the bunker..then we would have some fun)

Off the top of my head Scott & Cabrera at the Master's was much more exciting.

It was weird. When Stenson had that 50 footer I expected it to go in. Then Phil gets in trouble on that par 3 (16 or 17, can't remember) and drains a 20 footer to give himself a sliver of a chance. It was a putting clinic by two guys. Just about every put that didn't have too much break on it was drained at any distance. The reason there was no drama was because they were both playing so well.

 

[Wazmankg]

Man, you shoot a 65 in the open and you lose two srokes? That's just fucking crazy.

3 strokes. 11 strokes clear of the field and he loses by 3 ? I don't think that's ever happened. Just a great show by both of them. Stenson was unconscious. I was rooting for Phil but Stenson was due and very deserving.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

I said that I witnessed, not the best ever

Yep - the greatest would be when Rannulph Junuh played to a tie w/ Bobby Jones & Walter Hagan.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Really? it was tight but not much excitement at the end. (1 more foot and Stenson's drive would be in the bunker..then we would have some fun)

Off the top of my head Scott & Cabrera at the Master's was much more exciting.

The last 2 holes didn't have much drama, but it was the best final round major from the final group probably since Tiger and Bob May @ the PGA....63 / 65 was about as good as it gets in final rounds.

If Phil's eagle had dropped and like you said, another foot of roll on Stenson's 18th drive...then maybe.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yep.

Stenson just happened to play the best he's ever likely to play for the rest of his life.

Agreed...he dropped several bombs on the back 9, that he couldn't repeat again if he played another 20 yrs.

Phil gave it a helluva an effort, but it was Stenson's day...finally getting a major at 40.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

The last 2 holes didn't have much drama, but it was the best final round major from the final group probably since Tiger and Bob May @ the PGA....63 / 65 was about as good as it gets in final rounds.

If Phil's eagle had dropped and like you said, another foot of roll on Stenson's 18th drive...then maybe.

The best final round as far as scoring, I'll take your word for it.

...but i was talking more overall drama.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

The best final round as far as scoring, I'll take your word for it.

...but i was talking more overall drama.

I agree...after birdie - birdie on 16, the drama kinda ended with Stenson's tee shot on 17...no real chance of him making bogey with a putter just off the green the way he had been putting.

I was on the course myself live, and DVRed it. I heard the results on the drive home, but they were so impressed with the level of play that I watched it anyway.

Truthfully I didn't expect Phil to play that well Sun...I really think the cooler weather was a positive factor for him....65 runs down pretty much any other player in the field on that day.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

I agree...after birdie - birdie on 16, the drama kinda ended with Stenson's tee shot on 17...no real chance of him making bogey with a putter just off the green the way he had been putting.

I was on the course myself live, and DVRed it. I heard the results on the drive home, but they were so impressed with the level of play that I watched it anyway.

Truthfully I didn't expect Phil to play that well Sun...I really think the cooler weather was a positive factor for him....65 runs down pretty much any other player in the field on that day.

Yep - quite often you expect to see someone in the last group tanking on the final day (Spieth @ Masters, Lowry @ US Open, D. Johnson @ last year's US Open, etc) or see 1 guy dominate. It is refreshing to see 2 guys gut it out almost all the way till the end & see both players pretty much give it their best.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yep - quite often you expect to see someone in the last group tanking on the final day (Spieth @ Masters, Lowry @ US Open, D. Johnson @ last year's US Open, etc) or see 1 guy dominate. It is refreshing to see 2 guys gut it out almost all the way till the end & see both players pretty much give it their best.

Yep...I don't remember what they shot, but this reminding me a little of Tiger and Bob May going at it...both players playing well...too often it's been a run away like Rory, Dustin and Spieth's wins.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Beyond the great play of Stenson & Mickelson this was my favorite moment from yesterday. I am sure that lots of folks can identify with this guy.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I agree...after birdie - birdie on 16, the drama kinda ended with Stenson's tee shot on 17...no real chance of him making bogey with a putter just off the green the way he had been putting.

I was on the course myself live, and DVRed it. I heard the results on the drive home, but they were so impressed with the level of play that I watched it anyway.

Truthfully I didn't expect Phil to play that well Sun...I really think the cooler weather was a positive factor for him....65 runs down pretty much any other player in the field on that day.

Because it's the British Open I think a part of me is expecting some calamity for it to be good. This is the last place in the world you would expect these guys to both play lights out.

..I kept expecting to see one of these guys take 2 shots to get out of a bunker or rough.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

Beyond the great play of Stenson & Mickelson this was my favorite moment from yesterday. I am sure that lots of folks can identify with this guy.

lol ...If I broke a club for every shot I hit like that, no clubs would be missing.


.

 

[Montalban]

I enjoy watching the British Open, especially on the Scottish links courses, because you never know what you are going to get

 

[Montalban]

Phil's Open win is by far his greatest accomplishment. Nothing is even close.

Phil's game was was the worst for an Open. But he went on a campaign to change that. He started playing the Irish Open just as a preparation.

I'd like to see Mickelson win The U.S. Open one time just to complete the career grand slam. I liked his first win at the Masters the best. There is too much luck involved in winning The British Open for it to have the same significance as The Masters or The U.S. Open.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I'd like to see Mickelson win The U.S. Open one time just to complete the career grand slam. I liked his first win at the Masters the best. There is too much luck involved in winning The British Open for it to have the same significance as The Masters or The U.S. Open.

I'll never argue with anyone who puts that first Masters win at the top. Buy it's funny that you mentioned luck.

I forgot who it was ..Dimarco I think. He gave Phil a great read on that putt. Phil said himself that day , it was like they were Ryder cup partners.

I really loved how that putt fell too. It fell in from the side, when it looked like it might not go in.
If the putt when straight in i'm not sure we would have gotten that great jump from Phil.

 

[Montalban]

I'll never argue with anyone who puts that first Masters win at the top. Buy it's funny that you mentioned luck.

I forgot who it was ..Dimarco I think. He gave Phil a great read on that putt. Phil said himself that day , it was like they were Ryder cup partners.

I really loved how that putt fell too. It fell in from the side, when it looked like it might not go in.
If the putt when straight in i'm not sure we would have gotten that great jump from Phil.

Still though, Mickelson had to hit that putt. In the British, you can stripe one down the middle and it hits a mound and goes sideways into a pot bunker in the middle of the fairway from which there is no escape. Its too flukey. I find myself looking for the Windmill Hole or the Clown's Mouth on some of these courses.

The historical aspect of it is what makes the British Open somewhat appealing. But this insistence on referring to it as "The Open" bugs me. They even threatened ABC several years ago that they would not get another contract to broadcast the event unless they started referring to it as such.