The 153rd edition of The Open takes place this week at Royal Portrush over in Northern Ireland with hopes that a home grown player can take the title once again as Shane Lowry did back in 2019. Hopes are pinned on Rory McIlroy having a 'Home Coming' victory, mainly as he's the course record holder when shooting a 61 some 20 years ago, and a local boy. Support will also be with the other top European players, Lowry, Fleetwood and Hatton all high on the support list, even Justin Rose having a shout despite him being longer in the tooth than most. As for the US invasion, Scottie Scheffler is the bookies fav, but as usual is way too short in the market for such an open tournament, with De Chambeau, Schauffele and Morikawa all in the hunt. With three of the last four coming from the good ole US of A and the other coming from Australia, Cameron Smith back in 2022, the stats suggest the claret jug leaving these shores once again. Or will it...?? The weather is going to be very typical for this time of the year, rain one minute, bone dray the next hit and miss as to what weather you are going to be playing in, standard really...!! If it dos rain for most part then target practice golf will be high on the agenda, and peppering the pin positions key to gaining a low score. So players who can hit the greens with a high percentage will be the ones to go for, as the putting will be made slightly easier with damper conditions. So, i have gone with the following this week... Robert MacIntyre, 28/1 I think that he has the game, the course knowledge, and style of playing on a links course and is not afraid of playing well in the Majors... Corey Connors, 50/1 Just a very consistent player who has good stats in what is required to win here this week, plus I've basically followed him in for the majority of golf tournaments this season, hitting a few top 10's along the way.... Sepp Straka, 50/1 Really found hie mojo this season with 4 top 10's, claiming the Truist Championship back in May, 7th last week in the Scottish Open... Russel Henley, 55/1 His last three finishes have been T5th, T10th and T2nd so is on it big time at the moment, not surprising then that he's ranked overall 34th in putting, 15th in approach shots to the green and 5th in strokes gained against the field.... All in all it should be a great four days of golf, it usual is our Open, and as they say, may the best man win as long as it's one of my picks...
I've backed just the 5.... Macintyre at 37 all on Betfair Harman at 210 (did me a favour two years ago at a similar price) Adam Scott 110 Wyndham Clark 210 Hovland 38... One is bound to finish second...
Watching it now... I wonder what these professionals would score around here without spectators spotting their wayward shots... last week the bloke who won the Scottish Open wouldn't have won if there hadnt been spectators. His drive on the 17th was going in a gorse bush but there were spectators stood in front of it, it bounced off them to a trodden area..
The thick end of 6 hours out on the course for Rory’s group. That’s glacial pace for a 3 ball. Ridiculous.
If you played that slow at your local club in a weekend tournament you would be fined and maybe docked points...!! Why is this different for the pro's...??
Trouble is Red that plenty of weekend hackers ape what they see on the TV. I’m no speed merchant with one replacement knee and the other on the way out but just get on with it. Don’t get me started on junior golf. Not the kids themselves but the entourage that follow them round the course. Dad caddies while the rest of the extended family watch on like it’s the Ryder ****in Cup. Leave them alone and just let them play. If they arent strong enough to lump a full set around give them a half set as they’ll end up better golfers in the long run. Sorry I should have put this on the moaning ol gits thread
Disgraceful behaviour yesterday by a stupid Irishman who picked up Rory’ s ball and gave him a better lie- and not the first time in this Open. Also by MacIntyre and Hatton for repetitive swearing and smashing their clubs into ground and bags. Another great round by Li and despite his one poor decision on his 18th tee shot into a bunker. I wish him well today, playing alongside Scheffler. The worst TV coverage of any Open to date. Awful camera work at the green; switching coverage during putts to replay McIlroy’s shot for a second time; and stupid interruptions by Sky’s women to justify their involvement. It’s about time TV sports commentators showed some professionalism. They should watch Peter O’Sullevan and John Arlott from the past- and learn something! Rant over! Let’s hope today’s final round is exciting, although Scheffler is likely to crush Irish expectations.
I would love to have had Henry Blofeld (the greatest cricket commentator ever IMO, thousands of miles driving listening to him commentating, with off course the famous hysterics) on golf .. and Sid Waddell for that matter...
