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The 124th US Open from Pinehurst, North Carolina

Discussion in 'General Betting Board' started by redcgull, Jun 10, 2014.

  1. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    The 2014 US Open comes to us from Pinehurst in North Carolina, and from one of the most iconic courses that this tournament is held on, the famous No.2 at Pinehurst. The scene of only two other US Opens, Payne Stewarts win in 1999 – his last ever tournament win before his untimely death, and in 2005 when Michael Campbell from New Zealand beat them all off to claim his one and only Major victory. This course also held the Ryder Cup back in the day, in 1951, where the home side collected the honours. It will also be the scene of this year’s US Women’s Open which will take place after their male counterparts for the first time in US golfing history. This is a course full of history and great story lines from its humble beginnings back in 1895.

    This complex has eight courses to play for the golfer in you, all with their own unique style of playing them, but they all have one thing in common, smallish undulating greens. The shortest course is No.3 sitting at only 5,678 yards up to the 7,216 yards No.7 has to offer, but No.2, the one being used for this week’s Open sits at a mere 7,500 yards and it's a par 70...!!! It is a course designed by one of the greats when it comes to making these golf courses up, one Donald J Ross. A native Scot who relocated over to America back in 1899 on the suggestion from some Harvard professor bloke that met him, he went on to design over 400 courses from 1900 to 1948. Some of his more famous tracks are Oak Hill in Rochester, the scene of Jason Dufner’s PGA triumph and Oakland Hills in Michigan, where the 2004 Ryder Cup was held and the scene of where Padraig Harrington won his won his second consecutive Major in 2008.

    It is the No.2 course that we must look at in all its glory, some 18 holes of open grass land and lots and lots of sand. In an effort to take it back to how Donald Ross wanted the course to be set up all those years ago they removed some 35 acres of turf, which equates to some 40% of the grass that was on the course. The idea behind this came from Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw – yes that Ben Crenshaw, though to be fair to them both they have had a hand in designing some great golf course’s of their own, but they have brought this one back to its roots so to speak. Or lack of them with all this sand lying around the course…!!!

    If this course is going to be a bit of a throwback to the early days of golf in America then the modern player will have to think a bit different even with these modern day clubs. Straying off the fairway might be a bit hit or miss as to whether you get into some serious trouble or not as the sandy areas are one of the big changes to the course. You might be up against a small tree stump, in amongst some of the wild native grasses that have been replanted or in the some of the natural depressions of the land that could stop you from advancing your ball. Luck, as always, will play a big part in winning any tournament but hitting fairways and greens will help big time here more than most.




    So what will we need for getting one of our picks to into the top 6 this weekend…?

    Well a few stats to help you make your mind up are…

    Of the last 20 winners in the US Open, only one has been 40 or over, Payne Stewart, 42, back in 1999… (Sorry Lee, the stats tell me it’s not going to be your year, AGAIN…!!! Though Hale Irwin was 45 when he won it back in 1990…)

    In the last 15 years 13 of those winners had finished in the top 30 for the previous year’s US Open…

    The last 14 winners of the US Open all had at least one Top 6 finish in the year going into the Open…

    And of the last 14 winners, 13 of them fall within the age bracket of 25-37 years of age, Rory McIlroy was 22 in 2009 when he won his US Open…


    Add to the fact that some of these players will not have played this course before or if they have it will be only a fleeting memory and you can see that we need all the help we can get in narrowing our picks down…

    The greens are about average size for the PGA, but that fact dosnt tell the whole truth as there are parts of the greens that if you land your ball on there you will do well not to three putt them. So players who have a high GIR will be at a premium for this course, but maybe not as high as players who have good putting skills. Don’t forget, the winning scores for the US Open in the last 9 years have been +1, +1, -16 –(bloomin heck Rory…!!!) E, -1, +5, +5 and in 2005 when Michael Campbell won here at Pinehurst, E par was the winning score…!!!

    It’s just as much about saving your score as it is in making the all important birdies…



    So who can we look at who will fit the bill for the stats and competition…? The following players all seem to fit the trends that I’ve spoken about…

    Henrick Stenson, Justin Rose, Jason Day, Luke Donald, Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Dufner, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel, Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts…



    So all you need to do now is pick one… It’s not to say that one of the above will win it but that will be my line of thought when I narrow the selections down to a final four…


    Good luck, I think we will need it...<cheers>
     
    #1
  2. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    Following are detailed, hole-by-hole modifications: Check out the link that I cut this from as it shows the pictures as well...

    Pinehurst's 18 holes


    Pinehurst -1st Hole
    Par 4
    Yardage: 402
    New tee: No.
    There are more options off the tee, and the removal of turf on the right, left and behind the green brings more natural areas into play.


    Pinehurst - 2nd Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 507
    New tee: Yes
    The second hole remains one of the most difficult on the course. It will be one of four par-4s that can play over 500 yards from the back tee during the U.S. Open.


    Pinehurst - 3rd Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 387/329
    New tee: Yes
    The third hole could be set up as a drivable par-4 during the championships. With turf removed from behind the green, approach shots that go over could roll down the hill considerably.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 4th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 529 – 565
    New tee: Yes
    For the championships, this has been changed from a par-5 to a par-4 and will play about 530 yards for the men and about 450 yards for the women.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 5th Hole
    Par 5, Yardage: 576 – 472
    New tee: Yes
    For the championships, this will be converted to a par-5, the way it played during the 1936 PGA Championship.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 6th Hole
    Par 3, Yardage: 219
    New tee: No
    The sixth had the fewest changes on the course.


    Pinehurst - 7th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 424
    New tee: Yes
    The seventh may have had the most significant amount of work of any hole with an expanded fairway, new back tee and sandy rough all down the right side. It will be about a 280- to 300-yard carry the dogleg right. Not expected to be played as a drivable par-4 during the championships.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 8th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 502/486 option
    New tee: Yes
    A par-5 for regular play, this will continue to play as a par-4 during the championship. With firm and fast conditions, balls will continue to feed from right to left, bringing the sandy wiregrass into play left of the fairway.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 9th Hole
    Par 3, Yardage: 191/186 option
    New tee: No
    This hole may represent the most visual of the restoration’s changes, although the hole will play similarly. Sand and wiregrass cover most of the area from tee to green.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 10th Hole
    Par 5, Yardage: 617
    New tee: Yes
    The longest hole on the course has been extended and will have sandy and wiregrass in play throughout the hole. The women likely will play the hole with varying lengths. Because of the valley between the tee and fairway, it will play about 570 yards or about 455 yards.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 11th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 483
    New tee: Yes
    Ben Hogan called the 11th one of his favourite par-4s, and the hole has been restored to the way it looked and played in his era.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 12th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 484
    New tee: Yes
    This hole has been lengthened as much as any other on the course, and sand and wiregrass play a strategic role off the tee and around the green.


    Pinehurst - 13th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 385
    New tee: No
    The 13th could play as one of the more exciting holes on the course. With the back tee, it will demand precise yardages to stay in the fairway. It also may be played as a drivable par-4 (for both championships), bringing sand and wiregrass into play on the left side of the green.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 14th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 473
    New tee: Yes
    The 14th, which plays with the prevailing wind, will play similar to how it has previously, with sand and wiregrass guarding the fairway and green instead of Bermuda grass.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 15th Hole
    Par 3, Yardage: 202
    New tee: No
    The hole looks significantly different from the tee due to the removal of trees behind the green. One of only two greens that were slightly modified, it has significantly more hole locations.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 16th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 528
    New tee: Yes
    A par-5 for regular play, this will play as No. 2’s longest par-4 during the championships.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 17th Hole
    Par 3, Yardage: 205
    New tee: Yes
    The 17th has been lengthened and has more hole locations than in previous championships.
    &#57348;

    Pinehurst - 18th Hole
    Par 4, Yardage: 451
    New tee: Yes
    Ross’ masterpiece concludes with a slight dogleg right that now plays around sand and wiregrass. Where Payne Stewart drove his tee shot in the final round of the ’99 Open would now land in sand and wiregrass.

    Total yardage for the 2014 U.S. Open – 7,565;
     
    #2
  3. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    In the last 15 years 13 of those winners had finished in the top 30 for the previous year’s US Open…

    US OPEN Final Standings for 2013...

    1 - Justin Rose, +1
    T2 - Jason Day, +3
    T2 - Phil Mickelson, +3
    T4 - Jason Dufner, +5
    T4 - Ernie Els, +5
    T4 - Billy Horschel, +5
    T4 - Hunter Mahan, +5
    T8 - Luke Donald, +6
    T8 - Steve Stricker, +6
    T10 - Hideki Matsuyama, +7
    T10 - Nicolas Colsaerts, +7

    T10 - Gonzalo Fernandez-Casta, +7
    T10 - Rickie Fowler, +7

    14 - Charl Schwartzel, +8
    T15 - Lee Westwood, +9
    T15 - John Senden, +9
    T17 - John Huh, +10
    T17 - Brandt Snedeker, +10
    T17 - David Lingmerth, +10
    T17 - Michael Kim, +10

    T21 - Martin Laird, +11
    T21 - David Hearn, +11
    T21 - Padraig Harrington, +11
    T21 - Mathew Goggin, +11
    T21 - Bo Van Pelt, +11
    T21 - Ian Poulter, +11
    T21 - Henrik Stenson, +11
    T28 - Mike Weir, +12
    T28 - John Parry, +12
    T28 - Matt Kuchar, +12
    T28 - Morten Madsen, +12


    The last 14 winners of the US Open all had at least one Top 6 finish in the year going into the Open…

    Henrick Stenson, 28/1... 1 Top 6 finish in 2014...
    Justin Rose, 28/1... 2 top 6
    Matt Kuchar, 28/1... 4 top 6
    Jason Day, 33/1... 1 top 6
    Luke Donald, 40/1... 2 top 6
    Hideki Matsuyama, 40/1... 2 top 6
    Jason Dufner, 50/1... 2 top 6
    Hunter Mahon, 66/1... 2 top 6
    Rickie Fowler, 66/1... 2 top 6
    Billy Horschel, 80/1... 2 top 6
    Ian Poulter, 80/1... 1 top 6
    Nicolas Colsaerts, 200/1... 1 top 6
     
    #3
  4. YouCanCallMeJeff

    YouCanCallMeJeff Active Member

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    Cracking write up as always red <applause>

    Hideki will have to buck the age trend (too young) if he is going to win it. I was thinking about the big Belgian and was pleasantly surprised to see he fits the trends
     
    #4
  5. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    And at 200/1 is surely worth a e/w bet...<ok>
     
    #5
  6. beeforsalmon

    beeforsalmon Well-Known Member

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    Great write up Red. A 530 yard par 4...Woah! Not massively keen on the way courses all seem to think lengthen the course is the best way to toughen the course for the pros. Again means that surely the course will favour the long hitters?
     
    #6
  7. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    Totally with you on that Beefy... Length isnt always the answer to test a golfer, but I do feel that the manufacturers of the golf clubs and especially the drivers will be whistling all the way to the bank...:bandit: :emoticon-0164-cash:
     
    #7
  8. cityhull

    cityhull Well-Known Member

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    Rory win bet
    Spieth ew
     
    #8
  9. beeforsalmon

    beeforsalmon Well-Known Member

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    Agree Red. I'm tempted to take a poke on Rory too cityhull. Has a long game to match anyone with the short game to play out of trouble. When he's in the zone he's in a class of his own but the trouble seems to be there's always a round where he plays like a blind man swinging a brush!
     
    #9
  10. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    US Open: tee-off times for Thursday - The times are BST just in case you were wondering...


    Thursday (starting at hole 1); Friday (starting at hole 10)

    11:45/17:30 Daniel Berger, Brett Stegmaier

    11:56/17:41 Marcel Siem (Ger), Brian Stuard, Andrea Pavan (Ita)

    12:07/17:52 Matt Every, Roberto Castro, Matt Jones

    12:18/18:03 Sergio Garcia (Spa), Jason Day (Aus), Brandt Snedeker

    12:29/18:14 Henrik Stenson (Swe), Matt Kuchar, Lee Westwood (Eng)

    12:40/18:25 Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy (NI), Graeme McDowell (NI)

    12:51/18:36 Ian Poulter (Eng), Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa), Thongchai Jaidee (Tha)

    13:02/18:47 Nick Watney, Jonas Blixt (Swe), Joost Luiten (Ned)

    13:13/18:58 Billy Horschel, Billy Hurley III, Robert Allenby (Aus)

    13:24/19:09 Aaron Baddeley (Aus), A-Oliver Goss (Aus), Aron Price (Aus)

    13:35/19:20 Tom Lewis (Eng), Justin Thomas,

    13:46/19:31 A-Robby Shelton, Matthew Dobyns, Brady Watt (Aus)

    13:57/19:42 Clayton Rask, A-Brian Campbell, Nicholas Mason


    Thursday (starting at hole 10); Friday (starting at hole 1)

    11:45/17:30 Henrik Norlander (Swe), Lucas Bjerregaard (Den), Rob Oppenheim

    11:56/17:41 Chad Collins, Kyoung-Hoon Lee (Jpn), Kevin Kisner

    12:07/17:52 Erik Compton, Pablo Larrazabal (Spa), Scott Langley

    12:18/18:03 Patrick Reed, Ryan Moore

    12:29/18:14 Boo Weekley, D.A. Points, Stephen Gallacher (Sco)

    12:40/18:25 Zach Johnson, Angel Cabrera (Arg), David Toms

    12:51/18:36 Justin Rose (Eng), A-Matthew Fitzpatrick (Eng), Phil Mickelson

    13:02/18:47 Chris Kirk, Russell Henley, Brendon Todd

    13:13/18:58 Jordan Spieth, Hideki Matsuyama (Jpn), Rickie Fowler

    13:24/19:09 Kenny Perry, Jeff Maggert, Kevin Sutherland

    13:35/19:20 Wen-Chong Liang (Chn), Maximilian Kieffer, Shiv Kapur (Ind)

    13:46/19:31 Smylie Kaufman, A-Maverick McNealy

    13:57/19:42 Anthony Broussard, A-Will Grimmer, Nicholas Lindheim


    Thursday (starting at hole 1); Friday (starting at hole 10)

    17:30/11:45 Garth Mulroy (SA), Steven Alker (NZ), Bobby Gates

    17:41/11:56 Niclas Fasth (Swe), Kiyoshi Miyazato (Jpn), Hudson Swafford

    17:52/12:07 John Senden (Aus), Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel), Brooks Koepka

    18:03/12:18 Dustin Johnson, Jimmy Walker, Victor Dubuisson (Fra)

    18:14/12:29 Stewart Cink, Justin Leonard, Y.E. Yang (Kor)

    18:25/12:40 Bubba Watson, Adam Scott (Aus), Charl Schwartzel (SA)

    18:36/12:51 Ernie Els (SA), Darren Clarke (NI), Louis Oosthuizen (SA)

    18:47/13:02 Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Martin Kaymer (Ger)

    18:58/13:13 Hunter Mahan, Francesco Molinari (Ita), Jamie Donaldson (Wal)

    19:09/13:24 Bo Van Pelt, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spa), Seung-Yul Noh (Kor)

    19:20/13:35 Danny Willett (Eng), A-Cory Whitsett, Luke Guthrie

    19:31/13:46 Kevin Tway, James Renner, Chris Doak (Sco)

    19:42/13:57 Cody Gribble, Chris Thompson, A-Andrew Dorn


    Thursday (starting at hole 10); Friday (starting at hole 1)

    17:30/11:45 Alex Cejka (Ger), Graeme Storm (Eng), David Oh

    17:41/11:56 Oliver Fisher (Eng), Casey Wittenberg, Andres Echavarria (Col)

    17:52/12:07 Joe Ogilvie, Mark Wilson, Ken Duke

    18:03/12:18 Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Bill Haas

    18:14/12:29 Brendon De Jonge, Kevin Stadler, Shane Lowry (NI)

    18:25/12:40 Luke Donald (Eng), Harris English, Paul Casey (Eng)

    18:36/12:51 J.B. Holmes, Gary Woodland, Graham DeLaet (Can)

    18:47/13:02 Retief Goosen (SA), Geoff Ogilvy (Aus), Lucas Glover

    18:58/13:13 Hyung-Sung Kim (Kor), Toru Taniguchi (Jpn)

    19:09/13:24 Ryan Palmer, Rod Pampling (Aus), Kevin Streelman

    19:20/13:35 Azuma Yano (Jpn), Ryan Blaum, David Gossett

    19:31/13:46 Simon Griffiths (Eng), Fran Quinn, Donald Constable

    19:42/13:57 A-Hunter Stewart, Jason Millard, Zac Blair


    I have highlighted a few of the players and groups that I think will be there or there about's come the Cut on Friday night...

    Interesting to see that the earlier starts have most of the bigger named stars paired in them...
     
    #10

  11. YouCanCallMeJeff

    YouCanCallMeJeff Active Member

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    Colsaerts 200/1 £10ew
    Every 100/1 £5ew
    GMac 55/1 £5ew
     
    #11
  12. Smokin Beau

    Smokin Beau Member

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    Cracking write up as usual Red

    Spieth 25/1
    Matsuyama 50/1
    Keegan Bradley 66/1
    Louis Oosthuizen 80/1

    Then some long priced smaller stakes bets

    De Jonge 150/1
    Ogilvy 200/1
    Noh 200/1
    Jaidee 200/1
     
    #12
  13. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    Right, ive taken the plunge...

    Jason Dufner @ 50/1...
    Hunter Mahan @ 66/1...
    Graeme DeLaet @ 80/1...
    Billy Horschel @ 80/1...
    Matt Every @ 100/1...
    Ryan Palmer @ 125/1...

    All done in the usual £2.50 e/w... PadPow pays 1/4 odds top 6...<cheers>
     
    #13
  14. SaveTheHumans

    SaveTheHumans Well-Known Member

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    Excellent thread red <applause>

    The US Open is always up among my faves of the calendar year, I love when the courses play hard and a typical US Open is always pretty difficult barring one or two in recent years, much better than the target golf we are accustomed to for the best part of the year this is a true test of a golfers ability to handle himself around tricky conditions.

    Phil Mickelson 16/1 - If word is to be believed he already has this won but we all know how much horse s**t that is, Phil is an obvious challenger having came runner up more times than I've had hot dinners...well, not really but you get the jist. He's managed 2nd on 6 previous occasions in a US Open which is quite staggering and I really feel he is primed to win this week with his short game skills undoubtedly the best around, it will hopefully help him this week and if he's finding fairway's with consistency then he should be able to keep around the top of the board come Sunday. Let's hope the claw putting grip can hold up for 4 day's! I don't think anyone would begrudge 'Big Phil' a US Open win.

    Jim Furyk 45/1 - good ol' Jiminy loves a US Open and should relish this test at Pinehurst and being a previous champion he will feel the need to perform well. My only reservation on Jim is if his putting holds up, there's only so many times you can back off a putt, so get it together Jim! Driving accuracy is well above average and that should ensure he manages his way around the course pretty well and if his iron play is a little off then he tops the scrambling stats so that should see him hang around to mount a challenge Sunday also. Putt well Jim and Play well.

    If they start bad, I should prob have a saver on all Smokins :laugh:

    Win bet on Big Phil only and each way on Jim Furyk for me so best of luck to all of ya's lads and hopefully we will have a forum winner Sunday
     
    #14
  15. redcgull

    redcgull Well-Known Member

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    A few quotes from the players after the practice round at Pinehurst...

    WASTE AREAS

    PHIL MICKELSON: "I found that you do need a little bit of luck, but the waste areas are playable. You can at least advance the ball up by the green nine times out of 10, then rely on your short game.

    "The challenge of those areas are that you have sand and then you also have kind of a wiry grass. The sand will make the ball come out dead with a lot of spin and wiry grass will make the ball come out shooting into a flier. So identifying which way the ball's going to come out is going to be a big difference, because it's 40 or 50 yards with an iron. Rickie Fowler today had a shot where he thought it was going to come out dead with the sand. The ball went screaming over the green and nailed, two hopped into the grand stands. It would have been 70 yards over the green had it not hit the grand stands**. So we'll get a few of those shots and you have to be somewhat fortunate in your assessment of how the ball's going to come out."

    ** Sounds like one of my shots that...<laugh><laugh>

    STEWART CINK: &#8220;I think at least half (of the time you will get a good lie). The times I was in there, probably more than half. You can also really get a bad one. You handle it by being prepared for it ahead of time, just knowing you&#8217;re going to get bad breaks in there and you&#8217;re going to get really good breaks. You just have to be prepared for it all and know that it&#8217;s coming. If you hit it in that stuff and get a bad break, it shouldn&#8217;t surprise you, because that&#8217;s going to ruin your attitude for a couple holes and cost you shots.&#8221;

    GEOFF OGILVY: &#8220;It&#8217;s going to be unbiased across the board. Every ball that goes in there is going to be good or bad. Professional golfers don&#8217;t like things they perceive as unfair, but generally when we initially perceive stuff as unfair, it&#8217;s probably really fair. I think it will work out. I think you&#8217;ll see a top-five or top-10 player win or you&#8217;ll see a really quality leaderboard. I think the really constrictive long rough (at traditional U.S. Opens) takes away recovery shots takes away one of the reasons the best players are the best players. If you take away Phil&#8217;s chance at recovering, it&#8217;s not nearly as much fun to watch. I think by Sunday they&#8217;ll appreciate the setup."

    "You&#8217;re going to get lies you can hit a 3-wood out of. It&#8217;s so much more fun. Normally, as soon as you hit the ball in the rough, you may as well pull your (60-degree wedge) out. Here, you&#8217;re walking up there thinking, &#8216;Oh, it might be alright, it might be alright.&#8217; I think that&#8217;s more fun, to keep your hopes up until you get to your ball. To me, that would be more exciting. It&#8217;s the type of golf I grew up with."

    RICKIE FOWLER: &#8220;Being in the fairway is going to be huge out there. You never know what kind of lie you&#8217;re going to get in the waste area, and being in the fairway at least gives you somewhat of a chance to hit the greens.&#8221;

    BEN CRENSHAW: "You do have an element of recovery in the rough. You can -- many times you can put a club on the ball, sometimes you can't if you're behind a wire grass clump or something else. You do have a choice to make. If you put the club on the ball, then that stimulates your thinking into maybe making a shot that has a little more danger in it as well. So it will be fascinating. I think you'll see all sorts of shots, which I think is going to be an element that you haven't seen."

    HARRIS ENGLISH: "You can get good lies like a fairway bunker or you can get some lies in the grass and have to chip out."

    GRAEME MCDOWELL: "The waste areas, you're going to get some good lies and bad lies. I see it as 50/50. You're going to get about like 50 percent of the time, something that's playable, maybe 50 percent of the time."


    THE GREENS
    ADAM SCOTT: "There are obviously similarities (between Royal Melbourne and Augusta National), because there are options. I think that's what all those courses give you when you're just off the surface. You have options on how to play it. They're all very demanding, here maybe the most. ... There are some areas which you really don't want to find yourself in, and then there are some other areas which are fairly playable and you'll get away with missing there. Everyone is going to miss a few more greens this week than they're used to. So they better be ready for that. And patience will be tested. But certainly these chipping areas provide you with a lot of different options on how to play a shot. So imagination is going to be a big thing."

    JASON DAY: "The turtle-back greens are obviously difficult. I mean it can be very frustrating to play these greens because you can go from one side of the green to the other side pretty quick. You can rack up a big number very fast. I think the frustrating thing about it is that even if you do leave yourself in a pretty easy spot to get up-and-down, it's still difficult, because the grass is different from the normal grass that you kind of get at normal U.S. Opens that we play.

    "In this kind of grass, you get the turtle-back greens, the water runs off the greens and pushes the grass down. So every chip shot you have is back into the grain. You try and chip with a (60-degree wedge), back into the grain, I'm going to say a good amount of those chips you probably are going to catch them a little fat. So then that brings in a lot of imagination, what do you hit? Should I bump and run a 4-iron? Should I bump and run a 7-iron? Am I going to use a 3-wood or 4-wood, whatever you have? Am I going to use a putter? The quicker you put it on the ground, may be a little bit more consistent, but then you're on the risk of it running into the grain, bumping up and then maybe not getting up the hill and coming back down to you."

    PHIL MICKELSON: "I feel like if we all miss every green, I feel like I've got the best chance."

    RICKIE FOWLER: &#8220;There&#8217;s going to be times where it makes some of us look really stupid because there are going to be some impossible spots. In a way, the approach shots and everything will be like Augusta. You&#8217;ll be looking at where you can leave the ball and where you can miss it. There are certain places, like at Augusta, where if you hit it you have no chance. There&#8217;s going to be times where it makes some of us look really stupid because there are going to be some impossible spots.&#8221;

    STEWART CINK: &#8220;The greens affect you even before you hit your tee ball, because you know you&#8217;re going to need to be in the fairway to control your second shot. &#8230; They&#8217;re already not the biggest greens, but when you put the slopes on the side, the target areas shrink down so much.&#8221;

    GEOFF OGILVY: &#8220;They can be pretty frustrating if you&#8217;re coming in from the wrong spots and quite fun when you hit good shots. It&#8217;s a hard course from the middle of the fairway. If someone gave you a perfect drive every hole, it&#8217;s still a hard golf course. It&#8217;s hard from everywhere, but there are definitely good sides and bad sides to miss it. Every green has a good side to miss it and a bad side to miss it. It&#8217;s difficult, but manageable, from the correct side, but sometimes from the wrong side you just want to get it on the green. When it&#8217;s that hard, it&#8217;s very satisfying when you play well, very rewarding. It dangles enough of a carrot out there to make you think you can do it.&#8221;


    So it's simple then... Drive well... Hit the fairway... Stay out of the 'waste' - (I wish they wouldn't call it that...<grr>)... Hit the greens with your approach shots... Don't miss your putts...!!!

    And then you will be the Champion... easy peasy, lemon squeezy...<laugh><laugh>
     
    #15
  16. beeforsalmon

    beeforsalmon Well-Known Member

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    They reckon in and around Evens could win this so expect the grinders to perhaps come to the fore which perhaps makes my 2 selections looks slightly daft but hey ho...

    Rory 12/1 Has been in top form all year yet slightly unheralded in that most of his finishes ain't been top 6 finishes. Won at Wentworth couple weeks back, had few good rounds in the Memorial if he can limit the damage the inevitable bad round will do he could win this decisively. On his day he's the best.

    Matsuyama 45/1 Won the Memorial and has been knocking on the door all year. Like this guy, great iron player hopeful he can manage a top 6 finish at a reasonable price.
     
    #16
  17. stick

    stick Bumper King

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    Oh you wont want to see this Beefy but my three are McIlroy, Matsuyama and Jimmy Walker. Mc has an almighty chance on this totally rejigged track.

    Thoughts of Pinehurst bring a lump to my throat as it was the scene of my golfing hero, Payne Stewart's, greatest triumph. Fantastic golfer, amazing man and tragically taken from us far too soon!
     
    #17
  18. TC (Lovely Geezer)

    TC (Lovely Geezer) Well-Known Member

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    Having a small go on Paul Casey @ 100/1, & Steve Stricker @ 50/1.

    Corals are doing a special - Bet £10 and get a free £10 in play bet <cheers>
     
    #18
  19. SaveTheHumans

    SaveTheHumans Well-Known Member

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    The last two Opens here were won with a level par and -1 score so it shouldn't be too far off the mark, some rain forecast though I hope it misses as a soft US Open is no fun.

    Interesting to read those comments, thanks red...was wondering how this 'artificial grass/surface they've placed in some places is gonna make the ball react. I think we might see some unusual shots this coming 4 day's.
     
    #19
  20. SaveTheHumans

    SaveTheHumans Well-Known Member

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    You will appreciate Rickie Fowlers attire today then stick being a Stewart fan.
     
    #20

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